Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly Addresses 1916 Commemoration at Arbour Hill, Dublin

Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly delivered a powerful and evocative address on Holy Saturday at the annual 1916 Aontú Commemoration in Arbour Hill, speaking at the graves of many of the leaders of the Easter Rising.

The East Derry representative described the site as “talamh naofa — sacred ground — where every footstep carries the weight of memory,” and reminded those gathered that beneath their feet lay “not just soil, but sacrifice, courage, and the quiet heartbeat of a nation that refused to die.”

Brolly paid tribute to the executed leaders who “imagined an Ireland whole, free, and sovereign,” and said their vision remains unfinished. “They believed that Ireland — all of Ireland — would rise,” she said.

“Yet we must speak a truth that weighs heavily: their work is not finished.”

She reflected on the words of Pearse, Connolly, Clarke and others, noting that their warnings and hopes still echo today.

“Pearse told us that ‘the fools have left us our Fenian dead.’ Connolly reminded us that the cause of labour is the cause of Ireland. Clarke wrote that they had struck the first blow for freedom. Those blows were not struck for a divided nation, nor for a people whose destiny is shaped elsewhere.”

Brolly stated plainly that partition remains “the open wound of our nation,” adding: “Twenty six counties are free. Sé chontae fós faoi chois. As republicans — civic, compassionate, centred on life, unity, and justice — we hold this truth without apology: it is our duty to complete the work they began, through democracy, dignity, and the unshakeable will of the Irish people.”

She questioned whether the leaders of 1916 would recognise the Ireland of today, raising concerns about restrictions on free expression, the erosion of cultural identity, and the struggles faced by working people north and south. “Would Pearse recognise freedom in a country where governments seek to curb free speech, to police thought, to regulate movement, to dilute identity? Would Connolly recognise freedom in a land where working people are undervalued, underpaid, and unheard?”

Turning to the North, Brolly criticised the continued control of finances and justice by Westminster. “In the six counties, a foreign parliament continues to pull the puppet purse strings — a parliament that does not walk our roads, does not live our struggles, does not answer to our people.” She noted that budgets are “handed down like favours,” and that decisions affecting daily life are made “in rooms where the Irish voice is too often an afterthought.”

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She also referenced the anniversary of a young father of four who was shot dead in his bed 37 years ago, saying this remains a stark reminder of the failures of justice and accountability. “A parliament which restricts justice to protect its own government and soldiers first and foremost,” she said, “cannot claim to serve the cause of peace.”

Brolly highlighted inequalities in education, including the disparity between classroom assistants and SNAs across the island. “Na daoine céanna. An obair chéanna. Teidil éagsúla,” she said. “Across this island, workers doing the same job with the same dedication are divided by terminology, divided by pay, divided by recognition. Why should workers in Belfast and workers in Cork fight parallel battles? Why not fight them together?”

She also criticised the upcoming motability scheme in the North, which will charge disabled citizens to travel outside the six counties. “Charging people to cross their own country is a breach of the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement,” she said. “People say terminology doesn’t matter — but language shapes mindset, and mindset shapes destiny.”

Reaffirming Aontú’s commitment to the protection of life, Brolly asked how citizens can be expected to value life “when there are those in positions of power who legislate in ways that diminish its dignity.” She said a nation that cherishes life must protect it “in the cradle, in the nursing home, in the hospital ward, in every corner of society,” invoking the Proclamation’s call to “cherish all the children of the nation equally.”

Brolly warned against “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who undermine sovereignty and sell national resources “to the highest bidder,” and criticised political leaders who “cannot tell us what a woman is — yet claim to speak for Mother Ireland.” She said that without justice, truth, and courage, the Republic envisioned in 1916 cannot be realised.

She closed by urging the Irish people to rise again — not with violence, but with unity, resolve, and democratic purpose. “Ireland is not yet whole. Ireland is not yet free. Ach tá Éire ag múscailt — Ireland is waking,” she said. “Críochnóimid an obair. We will finish the job. Aontóimid an tír. We will unite the country. Éireoimid le chéile. We will rise together.”

Brolly ended with Pearse’s enduring warning: “Ireland unfree shall never be at peace,” adding that until the Irish nation stands whole and sovereign, “Ní stadfaimid. Ní ghéillfimid. Ní thitfimid.”

In closing, Aontú confirmed that Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly, along with other party representatives, will attend commemorations across the country in the days ahead — both quietly, with the permission and blessing of families, and as part of organised public events. The party emphasised that these occasions will be approached with dignity and respect, ensuring that the sacrifices of Ireland’s patriot dead are honoured faithfully and truly remembered.