George McBrearty commemoration in Creggan Tribute Garden

A commemoration to remember Volunteer George McBrearty is to take place at the Tribute Garden in Rinmore Drive in Creggan.

George McBrearty was shot dead by British soldiers, on May 28, 1981, along with Volunteer Charles ‘Pop’ Maguire.

The event, which will also remember all “volunteers and comrades” from the Derry district and the Hunger Strikers, is taking place on Sunday, May 28, at 2pm.

It will be chaired by Tyrone Republican and ex-POW, Frankie Quinn and the oration will be delivered by John Crawley, from County Monaghan, author of The Yank.

George’s brother, Danny, described Sunday as an “all inclusive Republican event”.

He added: “The McBrearty family would appeal to all Republican political parties and organisations and community groups to attend the annual commemoration to honour not only Volunteer George McBrearty but all the Volunteers and their many comrades, those who were imprisoned for many thousands of years combined and the women and men of the Derry area who stood behind and helped those Volunteers.

“There are 18 new comrades who will be added to the montage this year. We can never forget their sacrifice in our struggle for the Republic.”

Speaking to Derry Now, John Crawley said all Republicans knew what was meant by an Irish Republic when George Mc Brearty was killed in action in May 1981.

“That was an Ireland unfettered by foreign control or domestic divisions cultivated by the foreigner. It does not defer to Britain for terms or conditions regarding its unity and independence. The Republic is a 32 county, sovereign and secular democracy, to which Irish citizens of all traditions give allegiance,” said John Crawley.

“The Republic stands for freedom, social justice and national unity across the sectarian divide.

“Also, we knew what it didn’t mean. It didn’t mean pretending that the British Government supported the principle of consent, a principle it never granted Ireland as a whole.

“It didn’t mean claiming there was a democratic alternative within an artificial statelet, gerrymandered specifically to deny Ireland the right to national self-determination.

“It didn’t mean recognising that British crown forces retain a sole monopoly on the right to bear arms and the lawful use of force.

“And, it certainly didn’t mean attending the coronation of the colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment as he was crowned king of Derry, West Belfast, East Tyrone, South Armagh and other parts of occupied Ireland,” said John Crawley.

“Republicans understood what it meant then and I think Republicans understand what it means now,” said John Crawley.
He added that the picture had been skewed by the nationalist support for the Good Friday Agreement, in which “the model of Ireland as one nation is a discredited concept.”

“Many Republicans look on the Good Friday Agreement as a delusion,” said John Crawley, “as it entangles us in a web of terms and conditions regarding Irish unity that only Britain can interpret and adjudicate.”

He added: “It invites the delusion that British legislation will pave the way to a national democracy within an all-Ireland Republic, which is a political outcome Britain has strenuously rejected and sabotaged at every opportunity in Ireland’s history.

“The Good Friday Agreement annuls the Republican concept of national unity across the sectarian divide because it guarantees that Unionists will remain British into perpetuity, as opposed to sharing equal citizenship with the rest of their countrymen.

“A genuine Republic recognises and tolerates diversity but it should never encourage and embrace conflicting national loyalties within its territory.

“Above all, the Good Friday Agreement is an attempt to ensure that we remain permanently divided, even in a so-called united Ireland. That Unionists will remain forever in Ireland but not of it. It guarantees that the political malignancy, through which Britain historically manipulated and controlled Ireland, will remain intact,” said John Crawley.

The former US Marine emphasised that he “like the vast majority of Republicans, supported the peace.

“My criticism is of the process,” said John Crawley, “and where it is leading us to.”

He added: “It is not leading to the Irish Republic, to the One Nation Republic we fought for. It is leading to a two nations united Ireland, probably within the British Commonwealth and most likely within NATO.

“I wouldn’t encourage a return to armed conflict but, we have to be honest with ourselves, as Republicans and we have to be critical of the process if we find criticism is warranted.”

Commenting on the outcome of the recent local government elections, John Crawley said it was a good result for Sinn Féin.

“I believe it was the tribal vote coming out, very much against the DUP and their stance.”

He continued: “But the DUP are also making the valid point that the Nationalist vote, in fact, has not risen. Nationalists are voting for Sinn Féin but many Nationalists are not Republicans and never were.

“One of the major facts of the situation is, the Union is existential to Unionism. You can’t be a Unionist without the Union but can be a Nationalist without the Republic.

“I think Sinn Féin is sweeping up the Nationalist vote but a large part of that vote is not a Republican vote and, of course, as a Republican, we would be pursuing Republican objectives.”