The famous Jarrow Crusade of 1936.
I’ve just been on Liveline, which was a new experience.
I was approached to give a bit of historical context to the march on the capital by a group of South Kilkenny men who are completely fed up with how things have turned out for them and indeed all ordinary people in this state in recent times. Some of them are now unemployed, others have had to wave children off at the airport. In short, they decided to march onto the capital because in years to come none of them could stomach the idea of saying ‘we sat back and watched’.
In my brief time on air, I spoke about a 1953 march on the Dail, dealt with here before by Sam. In that piece, Sam wrote that
Jubilant scenes follow when the news is spread that the march will make its way down to the Dail, “the first time such a protest has been held at its gates”.
Now, taking your anger to the gates of the Dail is routine. Walking so far to do it however is not. It is an incredible act on the part of these men.
We are supposed to have come a long way from the doom and gloom of the 50’s and later the 80’s, but have we really? Tomorrow, those men will begin their march on the Dail, passing so many areas of historical importance. They will begin at Kilmainham Jail, where the leaders of the 1916 insurection were executed, and will pass the spot where Robert Emmet was hanged. Along the way too, Dublin Castle, for so long the fortified home of the British administration in Ireland. Yet a ‘free’ Ireland, appears to be one of great economic and social divisions and barriers, and a nation that could be described as on a life support machine.
Post independence, we know Dublin Castle as the place where Bertie Ahern went to justify(or talk away) his actions before a Tribunal. What a sad, sad reflection on our state.
I ended my brief time on air today by quoting a few lines from the great folk singer Liam Weldon, about how those who died for liberty “have died but for a dream.” We are living through extraordinary times to say the least, and I was delighted to be asked to show these men some historical spots in the capital on their way to the Dail. Like them, I just hope in decades to come I can say I didn’t sit at home through this incredible chapter of Irish history.
You’re more than welcome to join them, they will set out from Kilmainham Jail at 12 tomorrow.
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
Any audio of your bit on Radio Joe?
Gist of it:
Brits were poxy
We…..we seem to be pretty poxy too
Ordinary people are getting shafted
How do you have such a history as we do and end up here, without a paddle?
Caught a bit of it Donal and you were very good.
There was also a march in the Summer of 1982 from Dungarvan to Dublin protesting against Youth Unemployment. One of the marchers Terry Moroney stood in the November 1982 Election.
Unfortunately missed you on air.
It used to be illegal to protest within half a mile of the Dáil and in the past people were arrested for this, for example this ICMSA protester in the sixties, captured on camera minutes before he was carted away in the paddywagon.
Constant defiance of the ban seems to have led to its enforcement falling into disuse. (Maybe they abolished it when I wasn’t paying attention).
Keep up the good work.
[…] dfallon of Come Here To Me was on Liveline talking about the march and writes about it here […]
Fair play to you lads
Hi guys… congratulations to walkers for doing something – the importance of a walk is to show the collective disenchantment with our politicians. And without that collective protest, the politicians can continue to tell you that their mandate is legitimate.
There is a wrong that has been done – the wrong is that a private corporate debt has been made a public debt. This not only goes against the laws of capitalism , its against democracy where it should be at least put to referendum. There is no legitimacy to government while this wrong remains….
I have painted a series of flags that describe the shredding of our national ideal. Pls see gallery links below:
http://www.blueleafgallery.com/cgi-bin/front_artist.cgi?artist=503003455&p_number=12
http://www.blueleafgallery.com/cgi-bin/front_artist.cgi?artist=503003455&p_number=16
thx
magowan
Congratulations to those men from Kilmacow. We need more people like that to save this great country of ours. Wish I could have been there today.
Nobody in 1916 died for “Irish Freedom” they died for the Vatican. All the War of Independence achieved was to end the occupation by the British and copper fasten occupation by Rome. It opened the floodgates for the village gombeen men and wide boys to start stuffing their pockets and demonstrating comprehensively that this country can’t run itself. Thousands of children and young women were sucked into the Irish Gulag to be enslaved, tortured and abused. They’re still being fobbed off today while the Popes Legat 92% or our schools for it’s own benefit is not deemed a priority worth arguing over.
It’s enough to give rebellion a bad name,…it is, so it is mavorueeen!
FXR. I think the presence of the catholic church in Ireland has resulted in much suffering for the people of the country. Children in particular suffered at the hands of the church.
Yet it is undeniable that some in the republican and labour movements from 1913 onwards had a clear social conscience and did not die for the vatican, not least in the Irish Citizen Army and labour movement around it.
They died: the Vatican took over.
What people thought they were dying for and what they actually did are not the same thing.
I am one of the 8 men that walked and would like to take this opportutity to thank Donal for all his help…..