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Michael Flannery 30th Anniversary Commemoration Report

 

 

A commemoration was held to on Sunday, October 6th to mark the 30th anniversary of the death Michael Flannery. A crowd of over 30 people assembled at Mount St. Mary's cemetery in Flushing Queens. The day began with co-chair Pat Williams asking Padraig Gill, PRO of the NY Tipperary Hurling club, to come forward and place the Michael Flannery Cup beside the Celtic cross headstone. The cup is awarded each year to the victors of the New York Senior Hurling Championship. Tipperary are current back-to-back champions 2023 and 2024. Tipperary are also famously the only New York hurling team to do five in a row 1952-56

 

 

Joe Flaherty chaired from that point forward. He welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending. He made special mention of a commemoration that had occurred earlier that day at home in Ireland to also mark Mike's anniversary. This commemoration was held at the Liam Lynch monument Goatenbridge, Co. Tipperary. Those assembled in New York gave a round of applause to Tom Hennessey and friends for organizing this. Sean Scott of Ballyforan, Co. Galway gave the main oration there.

 

Joe then briefly gave some background on Michael Flannery stating that he, Michael, had fought in both the tan war and counter revolution which followed. That Michael had been captured by Free State forces and was imprisoned during the executions of Mellows, McKelvey, O'Connor and Barrett. All of these events had left an indelible mark on Michael. Joe finished by stating that Mike had never forgotten his oath to the All Ireland Republic nor its people.

 

Roger Slattery was the called forward to read the 1916 Proclamation. Roger is a past President of the Tipperary Association. Michael Flannery himself had once held this esteemed position. Next to step forward was Mairead ni Dhubhda who read out the Easter Proclamation as Gaelige. James McGlashin read a biography of Michael Flannery and he was followed by Yvonne Heneghan reading a biography Pearl Flannery.

 

Then began the wreath laying ceremony. The first wreath, on behalf of the Flannery family was set down by his niece Geraldine Moloney. Brian McCamley then laid a wreath for the O'Donovan Rossa GAA, Queens. Norbert Hennessey was then asked to come forward in order to place his wreath on behalf of the Tipperary N. & B. Association of New York, of which Norbert has recently been made President. Norbert has been a stalwart supporter of all things Tipperary since his arrival in New York in 1972. Mike Costello next stepped forward in order to place a wreath on behalf of Republican veteran activists and the National Irish Freedom Committee. Mike has been an activist for Irish freedom for over five decades. He was a contemporary of Michael Flannery's first in Irish Northern Aid and later the NIFC.

 

Norbert Hennessey then returned in order to give a short oration. In the course of which, he laid down Michael Flannery's history with both the Tipperary Association, the Tippery hurling team and the GAA in general. He said Michael was a steadfast man. He also noted the great importance that county organizations and GAA clubs had, and continue to have, for Irish diaspora in America. Our native games, as promoted by the GAA are the cultural foundations of the Irish American community. Joe Flaherty then stated the closing remarks noting that the day was also the 20th anniversary of the death of George Harrison. George was a great friend of Michael Flannery's and had also been his codefendant in the IRA 5 Trail in 1982. He later co-founded the NIFC with Joe Stynes and Mike Flannery in 1987.

 

The day of commemoration then continued at The Wild Goose in Woodside, Queens. Here an historical/cultural event took place. An historical display of Irish Republican memorabilia was available for viewing prior. This included old photographs, posters, and mementos. A number of copies from the 1970s era An Phoblacht, Noraid and Clan na Gael documents and other material related to the Irish struggle for freedom. Some of the more interesting items were minutes of the founding meeting of Irish Northern Aid and correspondence from Mike Quill of Transport Workers Union to Michael Flannery for the Frank Ryan Committee (1948). Joe O'Broin chaired this portion of the day. He began by welcoming and thanking all who had attended.

 

He then introduced James McGlashin of the Gaelic American. James produced a video editing footage of Michael Flannery. These had originally been filmed by the late Peter Farley of the NIFC. It ended with Michaels last recorded statement to Irish America (1994) on the importance maintaining principle. It is a credit to both McGlashin's production work and the personality of Flannery himself, that the entire room watched silently in rapt attention. This video, along with a number of others is available to view on the Gaelic American youtube page. Joe O Broin then introduced John Ridge, John is noted historian who specializes in the Irish history of New York. He is also the President of the New York Irish History Roundtable. He was also a character witness for Patrick Mullin during the IRA 5 trail. John spoke on the importance of commemorations to the Irish American community. He also noted that the Irish were noted for attending these despite any poor weather. That they were acts of perseverance because the Irish viewed commemorating their patriot dead as a 'sacred duty'. John told of the many organizations that Flannery worked for but making it clear that the cause of Irish freedom was always present. Archives of John Ridge's Irish American historical collections can be accessed thru NYU. After, a rebel ballad session followed by Allen Gogarty which was enjoyed by all.

 

The commemorative day was sponsored by Flannery family members, Cumann na Saoirse Naisiunta (National Irish Freedom Committee), Gaelic American, O'Donovan Rossa GAA, Fenian Graves Association, Radio Free EIreann, Tipperary N. & B. Association and the NY Tipperary Hurling Club. Organizers Joe O Broin, Pat Williams, James McGlashin and Joe Flaherty wish to give Special thanks to the Flannery and Molony family members: Geraldine Moloney, AnnMarie Moloney, Saoirse Moloney-Stevenson and Yvonne Heneghan. Our Guest speaker John Ridge. Musician Allen Gogarty. The excellent staff of the Wild Goose for all their assistance and everyone else who helped make the day such a success!

 

Link to Flannery Video: https://youtu.be/-WoRjUXQT-A?si=FJRe6PauOmQPR9S7

 

“The Rare Ould Times” From The Irish People newspaper, Feb. 9, 1991

 By the late Joe Stynes

It was the year 1922, and the IRA was split in two. The Company I belonged to, C Company of the 2nd Battalion, had several of its members go over to the Free State Army. Several became neutral, and the rest remained in the IRA, loyal to their oath of allegiance to defend the Republic against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The IRA had taken over the Four Courts when they established their headquarters.

On June 27,1922, C Company of the 2nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, meeting at 42 North Great George's Street, were ordered to remain for the night. Next morning, on orders from Lloyd George, Prime Minister of England, the Free State Army with British cannon attacked the Four Courts and the fight was on between the Free State and the IRA. The 2nd Battalion took over O'Connell Street and Parnell Street.

 Our Company C was assigned to Healy's Public House in Parnell Street, where we set up barricades inside and outside the building. Before we left 42 N. Great George's Street, I cycled home to get two Lee-Enfield rifles. Our equipment was very poor; we had only five or six rifles, seven revolvers and one machine gun. The first night we were attacked by the Domestic Enemy with two armored cars. We withstood the attack, but not before they had blown away the barricade on one of the windows. We began boring holes in the walls connecting the building. When there was sufficient opening, I went into the next house, and crouched up in the corner was a young woman and her children. I assumed nothing would happen and brought her food and milk. She was so grateful she gave me a piece of caul (it's something that comes with the birth of a baby) and told me it would keep me safe. I still have it.. --- continue

 

Saoirse Newspaper

Saoirse – Irish Freedom is the voice of the Irish Republican Movement. The monthly newspaper of the Republican Movement, it takes its name from Irish Freedom – Saoirse, a Fenian paper which first appeared in November 1910 and continued as a monthly publication until December 1914 when it was suppressed by the British authorities. Among the contributors to that paper were Bulmer Hobson, PS Hegerty, Terence McSwiney, Pádraig Pearse, Ernest Blythe, Piaras Beaslaí, Pat Devlin, Fred Cogley, JW Good and Roger Casement.

Irish Republicans have always attempted to produce a newspaper, as a means of speaking to the people. As revolutionaries we have had to rely on our own resources to counter-act the status quo message promoted by the Establishment media.

More than 200 years ago, on January 4, 1792, the first number of the Northern Star appeared. The paper, produced by the Belfast Society of United Irishmen, promoted unity among Irish people of all religions. It was a popular target for the opponents of Irish unity and freedom. The proprietors of the Northern Star and its printer, John Rabb, were charged with sedition in January, 1793. Its offices were again raided on September 16, 1796 in a general clamp-down on the United Irishmen in Belfast. The presses of the Northern Star were smashed by a pro-British militia on May 19, 1797.

A new paper, The Press, appeared on September 28, 1797.

In a short article in the first issue of The Republic, on December 13, 1906, produced by the Dungannon Clubs, Bulmer Hobson wrote:

Ireland today claims her place among the free peoples of the earth. She has never surrendered that claim, nor will ever surrender it; and today forces are working in Ireland that will not be still until her claim is acknowledged and her voice heard in the councils of the nations.

To that end The Republic has been started. It has not been brought into existence to make a party among the political parties of Ireland, nor to carry on a party propaganda nor to waste time quarreling with any political party. It has been started to gather together all that is best and greatest, most progressive and far-seeing in Ireland round the Republican banner and to build up, not a Republican party, but an independent Irish Republic.

We stand for an Irish Republic because we see that no compromise with England, no repeal of the Union, no concession of Home Rule or Devolution will satisfy the national aspiration of the Irish people nor allow the unrestricted mental, moral and material development of our country. National independence is our right; we ask no more and we will accept no less.

An independent Irish Republic, then, is our aim – governed by the whole people of Ireland in the interests of the whole people, without let or hindrance, supervision or interference on the part of any other power under heaven. We owe allegiance to no country save Ireland, and we will yield none to any other.

The old hate and the old bigotry that have kept Catholic and Protestant divided – the old grovelling spirit of Toadyism must be killed and forgotten by the people. The ineffective and outward political movements, Unionist and Nationalist, must be superseded and silenced and, in their place, a national movement, virile and militant, that recognises no creed save that of Irishman, and no party save the nation, must be established.