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Charles Parnell, Freedom, freedom fighters, independence, Ireland, Irish Flag, Michael Collins, National Liberation, Peace, Russian assault on Ukraine, Russian invasion Ukraine, Sam Maguire, St. Patrick's Day, Ukraine
Blessing of the Colours by Lavery (cropped)
“Ireland marks St Patrick’s Day 2022
Press release
16 March 2022
Ireland will mark St Patrick’s Day 2022 in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, acknowledging their resilience and courage and assuring them of our unwavering support, as we express our Irish identity including our strong commitment to democratic and humanitarian values.
A priority focus of our national day will be to highlight that Ireland is an active, engaged, and fully committed member of the international community of free and democratic nations…” https://dfa.ie/news-and-media/press-releases/press-release-archive/2022/march/ireland-marks-st-patricks-day-2022-.php
In this context, today’s a good day to remember that the National Liberation of Ireland was not about religion or ethnicity. It was about independence and liberation from the British Empire, and Church of Ireland (protestants) were key participants. This is reflected in the Irish flag.
The national flag of Ireland is a tricolour of green, white and orange… It was not until the Rising of 1916, when it was raised above the General Post Office in Dublin, that the tricolour came to be regarded as the national flag“. http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Historical_Information/The_National_Flag Lost upon many appears to be the beautiful symbolism of Green for Irish Catholics, Orange for Irish Protestants and White for Peace between the two: “The white in the centre signifies a lasting truce between Orange and Green and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood.” (1848, Thomas Francis Meagher) http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Historical_Information/The_National_Flag/The_National_Flag.pdf Michael Collins was introduced to the Irish Republican Brotherhood by west Cork “protestant” (Church of Ireland) Sam Maguire. Parnell was also Church of Ireland “protestant”. Thus, at the time, the flag was more than wishful thinking. “Sam Maguire did not fight in the Rising of Easter of 1916 … He believed that his job in the Civil Service was very important for the Cause and the best way to serve this was to remain there “as Governments carry on by post… Michael Collins often called Maguire jokingly ‘You bloody South of Ireland Protestant’ but in reality they were close friends…” http://sammaguirehomestead.ie/page/Sam-Maguire.aspx
Church of Ireland “protestants” “played a large role in the development of Irish nationalism since the eighteenth century, despite most Irish nationalists historically being from the Irish Catholic majority… Protestant nationalists (or patriots, particularly before the mid-19th century) have consistently been influential supporters and leaders of various movements for the political independence of Ireland from Great Britain. Historically, these movements ranged from supporting the legislative independence of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Ireland, to a form of home rule within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to complete independence in an Irish Republic and (since the partition of Ireland) a United Ireland. Despite their relatively small numbers, individual Protestants have made important contributions to key events in Irish nationalist history, such as Wolfe Tone during the 1798 rebellion, Charles Stewart Parnell and the Home Rule movement, and Erskine Childers and the 1916 Easter Rising. Today the relationship between Protestants and Irish nationalism differs sharply between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Irish_nationalists. A distinction needs to be made between the Church of Ireland (anglican-protestant) and presbyterian churches, but is not. To our understanding, Church of Ireland isn’t really protestant in the narrow sense of the word, since it is Anglican.
About The Irish Tricolour (trídhathach na hÉireann) Flag: “Presented as a gift in 1848 to Thomas Francis Meagher from a small group of French women sympathetic to the Irish cause, it was intended to symbolise the inclusion and hoped-for union between Roman Catholics and Protestants, the significance of the colours outlined by Meagher was, “The white in the centre signifies a lasting truce between Orange and Green and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood.” [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ireland
Michael Collins “Love of Ireland” by Lavery 1922
Church of Ireland “protestant” from West Cork, Sam Maguire recruited Michael Collins to the Irish Republican Brotherhood: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Maguire Parnell was also a Church of Ireland member.
Sam Maguire supported the total independence of Ireland, i.e. he was “Anti-Treaty”. He is “is remembered in the political sphere for recruiting the nationalist leader Michael Collins to the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1909 and for many years was one of Collins right hand men. As Collins’s chief intelligence officer in London, Maguire became the centre of Scotland Yard’s investigation into the assassination of Sir Henry Wilson. Maguire was tipped off and fled to Dublin in December 1923[3] where he got a job in the newly established Irish civil service. Because of his political opinions and his sympathies to the Anti-Treaty forces, he quickly clashed with his superiors and was dismissed… Cork-based Margaret Walsh, who has written Sam Maguire: The Enigmatic Man Behind Ireland’s Most Prestigious Trophy, says that “what became of him was very sad”. “In 1924, he was sacked and deprived of his pension. They (the Irish Government) gave him £100 and that was it. “In 1925, he came back to west Cork to live. He then developed TB and died in penury in 1927 aged 49. They say that he died of a broken heart and penniless,” she says.[4] ” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Maguire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Collins_(Irish_leader)
More on Sam Maguire: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gaa-heroes-died-poor-and-alone-26674006.html
And, Parnell: “Charles Stewart Parnell[1] (Irish: Cathal Stiúbhard Pharnell; 27 June 1846 – 6 October 1891) was an Irish nationalist politician and one of the most powerful figures in the British House of Commons in the 1880s. Born into a wealthy and powerful Anglo-Irish Protestant landowning family, he entered the House of Commons in 1875. He was a land reform agitator, and became leader of the Home Rule League in 1880, insisting on operating independently of the Liberals, and winning great influence by his balancing of constitutional, radical, and economic issues, and by his skillful use of parliamentary procedure. He was imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol in 1882 but, a very capable negotiator, was released when he renounced violent extra-Parliamentary action. That same year he reformed the Home Rule League as the Irish Parliamentary Party, which he controlled minutely as Britain’s first disciplined democratic party“.
“…. from birth, Charles Stewart Parnell possessed an extraordinary number of links to many elements of society; he was linked to the old Irish Parliamentary tradition via his great-grandfather and grandfather, to the American War of Independence via his grandfather, to the War of 1812 (where his grandfather Charles Stewart (1778–1869) had been awarded a gold medal by the United States Congress for gallantry in the U.S. Navy). Parnell belonged to the Church of Ireland, disestablished in 1868 (its members mostly unionists) though in later years he began to drop away from formal church attendance;[1] and he was connected with the aristocracy through the Powerscourts. Yet it was as a leader of Irish Nationalism that Parnell established his fame.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Stewart_Parnell
Sam Maguire https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/irish-examiner-county/20190709/281642486735380
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Irish_nationalists
Sam Maguire, a Church of Ireland republican from Dunmanway, County Cork, introduced the 19-year-old Collins into the IRB. https://www.geni.com/people/Michael-Collins/6000000014496499081
More of the Press Release:
Ireland marks St Patrick’s Day 2022
Press release
16 March 2022
Ireland will mark St Patrick’s Day 2022 in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, acknowledging their resilience and courage and assuring them of our unwavering support, as we express our Irish identity including our strong commitment to democratic and humanitarian values.
A priority focus of our national day will be to highlight that Ireland is an active, engaged, and fully committed member of the international community of free and democratic nations.
In addition to expressing Ireland’s support for the people of Ukraine, a core message of this year’s St Patrick’s Day is that Ireland is reopening. Our international programme is focused on the theme of rebuilding connections and supporting our communities across the globe, acknowledging the importance of Ireland’s global diaspora.
The official St Patrick’s Day international programme will see visits by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, other members of the Government to 62 cities in 28 countries. Nine visits are already complete; the Taoiseach to London; the Tánaiste to Chile, and ministers to Finland, Estonia, Cyprus, Japan, Slovenia, Chicago and Croatia.
Building on the ‘digital diplomacy’ of 2021, 60 of Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates around the world are maximising Ireland’s international reach and impact by holding virtual receptions and publishing localised online content to connect with our Diaspora and key stakeholders. A St Patrick’s Day hub on Ireland.ie has been developed to bring together all of the activity happening on the day throughout the world.
A special St Patrick’s Day video greeting from Ireland to the world, with Paul Brady’s iconic ‘The Island’ song, has been published to mark Ireland’s solidarity and support with the people of Ukraine.
In addition, the Taoiseach has encouraged Ireland’s network of Missions that would usually light up green, to light up in blue and yellow, the colours of the flag of Ukraine, and has invited partners who normally take part in the ‘Global Greening’ to join us in doing so.
Ireland is also presenting a special St Patrick’s Festival at the World Expo in Dubai, highlights of which include a world premier concert of new music curated by the National Concert Hall led by renowned musician Martin Hayes, and the launch of “The Irish Songbook (Vol 1)” album of 10 iconic Irish songs recorded by new Irish artists.
All official Ministerial programmes involve intensive engagement to promote Ireland and Irish interests throughout the world. Ministers will underline the centrality of Ireland’s membership of the European Union, reinforce Ireland’s commitment to protecting the hard-won peace in Northern Ireland, and celebrate our heritage and renew our links with our global diaspora, international partners, multilateral fora and business leaders. Each programme includes a number of high-level meetings and engagements in support of Irish business, all promoting Ireland as a great place to live, visit, work, invest, trade with, and study.
As well as the visits outlined above, Ministers will be in the following locations on St. Patrick’s Day”. See more here: https://dfa.ie/news-and-media/press-releases/press-release-archive/2022/march/ireland-marks-st-patricks-day-2022-.php
Students of Irish history know that one Irish king invited Anglo-Normans to help him against another Irish king and then Ireland couldn’t get rid of the British for almost a thousand years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_de_Clare,_2nd_Earl_of_Pembroke
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Norman_invasion_of_Ireland
Mining Awareness + 
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