Wicklow Sinn Féin held its annual Easter 1916 Commemoration in Bray on Easter Monday, with a large crowd gathering to honour the men and women who gave everything in the cause of Irish freedom. The event included a reading of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, a wreath-laying ceremony to honour our patriot dead, and a powerful oration delivered by Councillor Dermot “Daisy” O’Brien.
Speaking after the event, Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady said:
“Easter is a time of remembrance, but it is also a time of recommitment. It is a moment to reflect on the ideals that were so clearly laid out in the 1916 Proclamation — ideals of sovereignty, equality, and justice — and to rededicate ourselves to finishing the unfinished business of 1916. That means building a true Republic — one that cherishes all the children of the nation equally.”
Brady continued:
“Our goal remains clear: to see a United Ireland take its rightful place amongst the nations of the world — a nation rooted in the values of the Irish people. A nation that rejects the imperialist mantra that might is right, that stands firmly against war and oppression, and upholds international justice and peace. As James Connolly’s Irish Citizen Army declared: ‘We serve neither King nor Kaiser but Ireland.’ That remains our guiding principle.”
“Today, Ireland’s military neutrality — a cornerstone of our foreign policy and a moral stance we can be proud of — is under sustained attack from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Sinn Féin will oppose any attempt to dismantle this cherished principle. If the government believes the people support their plans, let them put it to a vote. The Irish people will give them their answer.”
Turning to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Brady was unequivocal:
“The Irish people know the pain of dispossession, of occupation, of colonialism. That’s why we stand in unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine. Right now, in Gaza, we are witnessing genocide — entire families wiped out, children buried under rubble, a nation being annihilated before the eyes of the world. This slaughter is funded and backed by the US, the EU, and Britain. The international community has gifted Israel impunity for too long.”
“In the cries of Palestinian children and the heartbreak of their parents, we hear the call of humanity — for justice, for peace, for freedom. That call cannot be ignored. Israel must be sanctioned. The Irish people will not be silent. We will continue to raise our voices for a permanent ceasefire, for an end to the occupation, for a free Palestine.”
Deputy Brady concluded:
“This Easter, we remember. But more importantly, we act. We stand together to honour the past, to confront the injustices of the present, and to build a better, fairer, united Ireland — a true Republic that lives up to the vision proclaimed in 1916 and which takes its place in the world as a beacon of justice, peace, and equality.”
In his speech at the Commemoration Bray MD Cathaoirleach, Sinn Féin Cllr Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien reminded those in attendance that 109 years later the Proclamation of the Republic is still the Mission Statement, a moral compass, and a call to action in defiance of oppression.
O’Brien told the crowd that “change is happening. Across the island, a new Ireland is being born. We are in the end days of partition and the Irish people demand the chance to shape their future.”
He called on the Govt to establish a Citizens Assembly on Irish Unity and to prepare for a referendum to allow the will of the people to shape Ireland’s future. “A new and united Ireland is not a dream; it’s a destination and we are on our way there.”
Cllr O’Brien also criticised the dismantling of the Triple Lock and called for the continued support for Palestine “because our history demands it, and our humanity insists on it.” Ends
For more information contact: Deputy John Brady 085-8546464, Cllr Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien 086-0635195
