Sunday's Henry-Joy McCracken Commemoration Parade ended earlier than wished, due to illogical restrictions placed upon the intended route by the hugely discredited Parades Commission. According to the Commission, the Henry-Joy Republican Flute Band and Sinn Fein were the only two organisations who made any submissions to it concerning the actual march. Although, it's obvious that they also were given 'advice' from the Political Police. It is surprising the parade was not permitted to march along Clifton Street after all, it was not the Republican Network for Unity (RNU) nor Henry-Joy Republican Flute Band who engaged in serious violence last year but Loyalist Thugs led by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).
In spite of the restrictions issued by the Commission, the Commemoration Parade left Ardoyne Avenue at 3pm on Sunday 25th August. En route to Henry-Joy's final resting place in Clifton Street Cemetery. A number of bands failed to arrive in time for the departure of the march, due to missing the early boat from Scotland. Two bands, the Oglach John Brady Memorial Flute Band from Strabane, County Tyrone and the Henry-Joy Republican Flute Band from Ardoyne proudly took part. Alongside Scottish friends, comrades from the IRSP, Belfast 32CSM, Sean MacDiarmada Society and others. RNU Activists from Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Strabane, South Down, Derry and Belfast marched to honour McCracken. The number of participants increased as the parade made it's way down the Oldpark Road, Rosepenna Street, Ciftonville and New Lodge Roads.
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Did the Parades Commission capitulate to three nights of thuggery, rioting and sectarianism from the UVF instead of facing it down? Of course they did. How commemorating an influential Irish Patriot like Henry-Joy is treated as a threat to anyone is beyond my thinking. Other important questions that also need answering are, who spoke to the PC on behalf of S/F and did they object to the march or not?
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| Henry-Joy Republican Flute Band Colour-Party Proudly Marching |
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| Henry-Joy Band Marching down the New Lodge Road |
When the parade reached the junction of the New Lodge Road and North Queen Street, as the RUC/PSNI blocked the road with Land-Rovers beyond Victoria Parade. The organisers stopped for a short time before marching the short distance to the end of Victoria Pde. Where RNU Activists made a line across the road, the Henry-Joy Republican Flute Band played it's last tune before inviting the Oglach John Brady Memorial Band to finish. Both bands received thunderous applause from those who marched the route.
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| RUC/PSNI Blocking Henry-Joy Parade, North Queen Street RNU's National Chairperson, Gary McNally addressed the hundreds assembled. He explained the reasons behind why the parade could not proceed; 'Our march has been effectively strangled by the DUP, Orange Order, UVF, S/F and the Parades Commission.This so called re-route was no more than a polite means of banning our march, an appalling capitulation to the dark forces of Organism Just as they put a noose around the neck of Henry Joy they have put a noose around the neck of those who wish to commemorate him'. The former Blanketman added; 'Comrades it would be a great insult to the proud memory of the United Irishmen if we were to accept this decision and walk with our heads down in such a shameful manner.As such, we now must unfortunately ask you to disassemble at this point bearing in mind that we have been physically prevented from getting to the grave of Henry Joy. There is no shared space in Belfast when it comes to expressing genuine republican opinions such as ours'. RUC/PSNI Preventing Access to Henry Place |
What was not surprising about this year's parade, was the intolerance of those who actively opposed the commemoration for Henry-Joy McCracken. The fear of genuine Irish Republicanism as expressed with discipline during the recent Anti-Internment March and such dignity again demonstrated on Sunday. Republicanism is again on the march in Belfast and it can only go forward, as the United Irishmen desired in the 1790's. No matter what principles self-serving Politicians ditch, the Struggle for Territorial, Political, Social and Economic freedom in Ireland will persevere.
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RUC/PSNI Blocking Clifton Street Cemetery |