Saoradh

Saoradh
Chairperson	David Jordan
Founded	2016
Ideology	Irish Republicanism Irish nationalism Absenteeism Socialism Euroscepticism
Political position	Far Left
Colours	Green
Slogan	"Unfinished Revolution"
Politics of the Republic of Ireland Political parties Elections Politics of Northern Ireland Political parties Elections

Saoradh (Irish, meaning "liberation") is an Irish republican political party formed by dissident republicans in 2016.

History

Foundation

The party was founded in 2016. It held its first ard fheis in the Canal Court hotel in Newry on 24 September 2016, which was attended by about 150 people. The 12-person national executive of the party sat at the top table under a banner of the signatories of 1916 Proclamation, the national executive included Risteard Ó Murchú, Sharon Rafferty, Dee Fennell, Nuala Perry (former PIRA prisoner), David Jordan, Mandy Duffy (sister-in-law of Colin Duffy) and Kevin Murphy, a former RIRA prisoner. A third of the executive was female, while out of all 150 in attendance men outnumbered women 10 to 1. Prominent dissidents including Colin Duffy and his brother Paul, Sharon Girvan and Thomas Ashe Mellon were also in attendance. A message of support from veteran republican leader Billy McKee was read out and a statement from New IRA prisoners expressing their support for the party was read out by Mellon. David Jordan said being elected chairman of the party was “humbling, daunting, intimidating yet empowering”. Chair of the Association of Palestinian Communities in Scotland (APCS), Issam Hijjawi also spoke. ^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

On the same day Saoradh issued the following press release.

Today, Saturday the 24th of September 2016, we a significant collective of Irish Republican activists, who for a number of years have acted autonomously, have after a number of years of debate, consultation and organisation today in Ard Fheis organised, constituted and launched a Revolutionary Irish Republican Party, the Party’s name is Saoradh.

Saoradh believes that Ireland should be governed by the Irish People with the wealth and wealth producing mechanisms in the ownership of the Irish People. This can not happen while British imperialism undemocratically retains control of Irish destinies and partitions our nation, this cannot happen while a neo-colonial elite in a subservient supposed indigenous administration sell’s the nation’s labour and natural resources to international capital.

Saoradh does not believe that British imperialism or capitalist exploitation can be confronted in the structures they have created to consolidate their undemocratic control of the Irish nation. As such we believe any assembly claiming to speak for the Irish People without being elected by the united people of the Irish nation to be illegal. Saoradh will seek to organise and work with the Irish People rather than be consumed and usurped by the structures of Ireland’s enemy’s

Standing on a long and proud revolutionary Irish Republican history of resistance, inspired by the actions and words of Tone of Connolly of Mellow’s of Costello and of Sand’s, upholding the founding documents of our forefathers – the 1916 proclamation, the declaration of independence and the democratic programme of the first Dáil, Saoradh hereby declares its commitment to the unfinished revolution, the liberation of Ireland and the social emancipation of the Irish People.

Reaction

SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon said it was "the first step in a journey that every militant group in the history of the Irish republican tradition has ever taken" and that "They should now take steps two, three and four to avoid unnecessary and unwanted violence that the people of Ireland have rejected at every opportunity."

DUP MLA Lord Maurice Morrow said that the action showed that dissidents “realise they are failing to gain support in their campaign and have moved into the political sphere” he added that “It will be very interesting to see what, if any, support this new political party will have,”

UUP claimed it welcomed anyone engaging in the political process and added that Saoradh have adopted “a tired and outdated abstentionist programme that has failed in the past and will fail again”.

TUV leader Jim Allister said that former IRA members have for years been “lauded as statesmen and elevated to the highest offices in the land after gaining their status off the back of the Provisional IRA terror campaign”. He asked “Will Saoradh follow the trajectory of Sinn Fein and gain politically from violence?”

Sinn Fein said that its vision and analysis have won the support of half a million voters and that they "encourage genuine political debate within republicanism” ^[7]

James McDaid controversy

In November 2016 the wife of IRA volunteer, James McDaid who was shot by the British army in 1972 criticised Saoradh after they named a Derry branch on Chamberlain Street after her husband. She said nobody had invited her or told her the branch would be named after him, she added that she didn't know if he would have approved of it.^[8][9]

Policies

Saoradh is opposed to the current power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. It is highly critical of Sinn Fein, whom the party's chairman David Jordan describes as "false prophets who have been defeated and consumed by the very system they claim to oppose".^[5] Saoradh supports the release of all republican prisoners.

The party's constitution says that it may in the future contest elections, though if its candidates are elected to either Dáil Eireann or the Northern Ireland Assembly they will not take their seats.^[10]

Saoradh is against water taxation.

Emblem

Soaradh's emblem combines the sunburst flag with the national colours of Ireland, green and orange, the socialist red star and a pike

Wider links

A report in the Sunday Life claimed that Saoradh is linked to the "New IRA", a group formed in 2012 by the merger of the Real Irish Republican Army with several smaller paramilitary groups. However Jordan has stated that the party is "stand alone" and has no links to any other organisation. Locals in Ardoyne have called the organization known as the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) a front for the party.^[5][11] Political magazine, The Phoenix claims that the group also includes members of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM) and the Republican Network for Unity (RNU).^[12]

See also

• 32 County Sovereignty Movement
• Irish Republican Voice
• Republican Sinn Fein

References