No subject

A chairde,

Go raibh maith agaibh as teacht anseo inniu agus as an taca=EDocht a =
thug sibh i rith na mbliana. Feicim thart an seomra go bhfuil =
poblacht=E1naigh =F3 gach chearn den t=EDr. T=E1 aithne agam ar chuid =
agaibh agus n=EDl ar chuid eile. Ta f=E1ilte romhaibh uilig.

Thank you to every one for coming today and for the support you have =
shown =E9ir=EDg=ED over the last two years. This room itself is a credit =
to such a young party and I see here today republicans from all over the =
country, young and old, some I know and some I don't.

You are all equally welcome.

There are a lot of things I could not have predicted in life and in =
politics. I couldn't have known when I became politically aware in my =
late teens, like the rest of you, that the political journey my life =
would take me on would be so broad, would be full of joy and pain, =
success and failure, and endurance.

And my life is average, if not insignificant in terms of the history of =
republicanism.

I have been shaped and changed by the conditions of my time. My opinions =
and views have been moulded by different events in my life. I am a =
republican, political ex-prisoner, who is as devoted today to the =
realisation of Irish freedom, as I was when I first involved myself in =
republican politics.

I could not have predicted the road that would unfold before us. I'm =
sure not one of us could. In forty years of war and struggle we have all =
seen much. Every generation in this room has been inspired by some =
event, or series of events, to become involved in republican political =
activism.

However, some of our people have become tired; some no longer have the =
enthusiasm or the energy they once had and that is understandable. We =
have come through one of the most debilitating and dis-empowering phases =
that republican history has ever endured.


For me, the last ten years of republican activism have been worse by =
far, emotionally and physically, than the ten years I spent locked up. =
And I am sure that there are many who feel the same. =E9ir=EDg=ED has =
been a political ray of hope in that time.

Looking around this room, it is clear that there are comrades and =
friends from all over this island who are not here. The reasons for this =
are many and varied.

We have to find ways to change that and to once again unite all =
republicans under a common banner.

I have engaged in many strands of the republican struggle, from war to =
prison, community politics to party politics. I have tried to play my =
part in the struggle to the best of my ability. My advice for any =
republican seeking radical change in Ireland today would be to knock on =
=E9ir=EDg=ED's door.

That's why I am here.

We in =E9ir=EDg=ED know well the nature of political struggle in =
Ireland. We have stepped out and established what I believe to be a =
disciplined, dedicated and determined political organisation, which is =
willing and committed to achieving republican ideals.

Yet in this sense we are no different to the litany of other small =
groups of people who, throughout the ages of human history and =
republican history, have taken a leap of faith and established and =
spearheaded a new idea.


Full at:
http://www.eirigi.org/ArdFheis08/jackson.html