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Andy Connolly
(???? - 2021)
REPUBLICANS throughout Ireland,
and comrades in England and abroad, were saddened to learn
of the death on January 22, 2021 of Andy Connolly.
Originally from Holy Cross,
Tipperary, Andy came to Dublin in the late 1960s. He trained
as an electrician and worked for the ESB. Always a union
man, in the late ’60s he was involved in the Dublin Housing
Action Committee (DHAC) formed in response to housing
shortages in Dublin.
The DHAC was set up by Sinn Féin
in May 1967. At first it picketed Dublin Corporation
meetings and organised demonstrations. It soon moved towards
direct action, resisting evictions and occupying houses and
buildings designated for demolition. The group arose in
response to a serious shortage of affordable housing,
despite a large number of properties standing empty. In some
cases inner city tenements collapsed, leading to deaths.
There were 18,000 individuals on Dublin Corporation’s
housing list, with activists claiming the real total was
much higher. Further, unscrupulous landlords and speculators
were plentiful, as they are today, and we see with the
housing crisis today nothing has changed. As the French say:
“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Andy was also involved in the
Civil Rights Movement and took part in the marches and
protests all over the Occupied Six Counties as the
nationalist people fought for an end to unionist
gerrymandering, lack of housing and many other inequalities.
He joined Sinn Féin as the war in
the Occupied Six Counties erupted. He was deeply involved in
the Dublin Comhairle Ceantair of Sinn Féin for many years
and was very active in all activities to support the
struggle as it progressed. He was to the fore during many
protests in support of Republican POWs in Dublin and outside
Portlaoise jail during the 1970s when the Fine Gael-Labour
coalition government imposed draconian measures on the
prisoners (and on Republicans in general).
He also strongly believed that
Sinn Féin should be involved in local politics and was to
the fore when Sinn Féin contested the local elections in
1974 and 1979. His organising skills were outstanding.
When the British removed
political status from the prisoners in the Occupied Six
Counties in 1976 Andy was again active in organising
protests both through Sinn Féin and the Dublin H-Block
Committee. Andy lost most of his eyesight progressively
during the 1970s due to Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) but this
did not stop his work for justice and the freedom of his
country. During a H-Block march in Dublin during the Hunger
Strike in 1981 which was attacked by the 26-County police in
riot gear, Andy was one of those who were beaten with batons
and injured.
In 1986 when the Republican
Movement was once again betrayed from within by
constitutionalists, Andy remained faithful to the
All-Ireland Republic of 1916 and 1919. He was one of those
who reorganised Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach in the
Dublin area. In the years following and up to very recently,
even during his long illness, he continued that work.
No job was too small or too big
for Andy. He organised and chaired the Easter commemorations
each year; contacted people interested in joining Sinn Féin
Poblachtach and did a lot of fundraising work connected with
the Dublin raffle. He sold the SAOIRSE newspaper for years
and An Phoblacht before that. In short, he was indispensable
and the Republican Movement in Dublin will deeply miss him.
He was always to the fore at the
Annual Ard-Fheis and had something of value to contribute.
He sang Amhráin na bhFiann to conclude the proceedings, as
he did at commemorations and events.
Andy loved music and had a
notable singing voice, which was greatly in demand at
functions and social gatherings. He never missed the annual
Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann and attended many local fleadhanna
also.
The Republican Movement extends
deepest sympathy to Andy’s wife Rose and to his family
circle.
I measc Laochra na bhFiníní go
raibh sé.
Ní beidh a leithéid ann arís. | 
