Galbally 1981 Hunger Strike Commemoration Controversy
"It cannot be right that a sports ground should be used for commemorating and celebrating something as offensive as the whole H-Block episode."
Northern Ireland Culture Minister Nelson McCausland as resorted to using the GAA’s Rule 7a to launch a stinging attack on an Irish Republican Remembrance event for the 1981 Hunger Strikers.
Martin Hurson was the 6th Irish Republican martyr to die on hunger strike during the battle for Irish political prisoner status (The Five Demands) in the Maze prison in ‘81. He gallantly stepped forth without reservation to replace South Derry IRA prisoner, Brendan McLaughlin, who at the time was suffering from a perforated ulcer. His ultimate and iconic Irish Republican sacrifice ended after forty-four days on Hunger Strike at 4.30 a.m. on Monday, July 13th, 1981.
In November 1976, Martin Hurson was arrested and subsequently convicted for three IRA landmine attacks against British forces of occupation in Northern Ireland for which he received three concurrent sentences of twenty, fifteen and five years for his involvement. During 'The Troubles' he was a member of the legendary East Tyrone Brigade of the IRA, one of the most formidable units active during this period of Ireland’s quest for Unity.
Democratic Unionist Party Opportunist Rhetoric
This recent politically opportunist event that presented itself to the DUP’s Nelson McCausland was a recent Irish Republican commemoration for Martin Hurson in his native Galbally, County Tyrone. The newly elected NI Culture Minister has done little to endear himself to the GAA community since taking office in Stormont under Sunningdale Mark II. This incident is just the latest example of the GAA being thrust into the Northern Ireland political spotlight.
McCausland first sparked sectarian controversy after taking up the NI Executive post in July by categorically claiming that due to his own religious convictions he would not be attending NI official functions in Roman Catholic churches. He continued to further infuriate Irish Nationalist and Republican sentiment by publicly admitting that he pertained to know little about the biggest group of spectator sports (Gaelic Games) native to the island of Ireland.
As reported on the BBC, Nelson McCausland in his official capacity as Northern Ireland DUP MLA, said regarding the Galbally Hunger Strike commemoration;
"People will be disappointed to see a sports ground used for such a political event which glorifies Irish republican terrorism,...............The event in Tyrone was a retrograde step and I think it has reinforced division and political sectarianism."
Is Nelson McCausland Adopting the More Inclusive Approach Required by his NI Ministerial Position?
One shining light from this latest debacle for an eternal political optimist could be the notion that Mr. McCausland has conceivably taken time out from his demanding role as NI culture minister to spruce up on the finer intricacies of Gaelic Games. In fact, could we push the boundaries of fantasy to such an extent that he has seemingly taken the personal time and effort to familiarise himself with the GAA’s official Rule Book! If conceivably possible, this indeed must be heralded as a welcomed monumental step given his rather one dimensional self-professed sporting knowledge directly after taking up the post as NI Culture minister for the wee six counties;
“I have no knowledge of the game in terms of who has won what league or who is playing in a particular league, any more than I have a knowledge of who the Northern Ireland champion is in Lacrosse or squash or many other sports,”
Within this realm of possibility, Nelson McCausland (if I may be so bold!) could be congratulated in his ostensive ability to overcome challenging personal religious ideology in order to prove his procrastinators wrong. Back in July upon being appointed to his new lofty NI ministerial position, he was unashamedly clueless to how Gaelic Games are interlaced into the fabric of Irish culture North and South.
These remarks caused much consternation among the Irish nationalist section of Northern Ireland’s political establishment. Mr McCausland was accused of showing a glaring disregard for the impartiality associated with his new NI ministerial post. His appointment by NI First Minister, Peter Robinson, was deemed by many political pundits as an attempt to win back hard line party elements who had defected to Jim Allister’s TUV in the aftermath of the North’s recent European Elections. At the time of the furore the SDLP's Declan O’Loan was quoted in The Irish Times;
“Nobody can expect a minister to be fully conversant with all aspects of language, culture and sport that we have here. It is important, however, that he shows himself respectful to all. He seems to ignore his duty in that regard.”
This latest contribution by Mr McCausland to the promotion of Northern Ireland cultural diversity has again focused attention on the GAA heartland of County Tyrone. Ironically, it was his initial public admission regarding his ignorance of a decade of Tyrone’s achievements in recent successive GAA All Ireland Football Championships that initially sparked the controversy. In this short space of time is it imaginable that he has acquainted himself with both the GAA Rule Book and the numerous Gaelic Athletic Club’s within this very county, specifically Galbally Pearses Gaelic Athletic Club?
During his recent rant against all things Gaelic he was able to quote that the 1981 Hunger Strike commemoration in the Irish Republican heartland of Cappagh in his opinion, was a direct contravention to the GAA's Rule 7a which stipulates that;
"The Association shall be non-party political. Party political questions shall not be discussed at its meetings, and no Committee, Club, Council or representative thereof shall take part, as such, in any party political movement"
However, whilst Rule 7a does in fact clearly prevent the GAA from political affiliation this specific rule does not ban the Remembrance of Irish cultural or historical events such as the 1981 Hunger Strikes. However, we could forgive him this minor mis-interpretation given that he is a relevant new comer to the complexities of the Gaelic Games very own'Bible'.
Could the NI Culture Minister Help Turn the Tide of Sectarianism?
Sectarianism has been a cancer that has dogged Northern Ireland society for more than 30 years and its re-emergence has threatened to rear its vile head again. Conceptually, in the face of the recent escalation of Sectarianism in the North, would this optimistic and hypothetical softening in Nelson McCausland’s tolerance of all things Irish culture related help ease sectarian tension? For example, in his official capacity as Northern Ireland Culture Minister would he cordially welcome and officiate in any possible future visit by Pope Benedict XVI to the North? If such a Papal visit to the North was to transpire with the NI Culture Minister's blessing (of course!), then it would represent a much vaunted U-Turn of biblical proportions given the strict religious convictions of Mr McCausland who recently revealed;
“I have personal views regarding worship and I would not attend a service in a Roman Catholic Church.”
Within the confines of the above scenario, a few HIGHLY optimistic and tentative steps by McCausland to perhaps subconsciously embrace Irish Gaelic tradition as Northern Ireland Cultural Minister could pay due dividends in the months ahead! Could this hypothetical scenario ever become reality? OR. IS IT.........
About The Author
Share This
Subscribe Here
0 comments:
Post a Comment