Éirígí Campaign Update: Over 45,000 Proclamations Distributed
The number of copies of “The Proclamation of the Irish Republic” distributed by Éirígí activists has now crossed the 45,000 barrier. The full colour, poster-size copies, of the 1916 Proclamation are being distributed, on a not for profit basis, door to door across the city. Areas which recently received copies include the Quarryvale, Ronanstown and Neilstown areas of Clondalkin and the Sheepmore, Parslikstown, Corduff and Whitestown areas of Blanchardstown.
Substantial numbers of Proclamations have now been distributed across all twelve constituencies in Dublin with an average of 3,000 being handed out each week. Éirígí activists are well on the way to distributing the target of 60,000 Proclamations. This means that roughly one house in six in Dublin will have received a copy of the Proclamation from Éirígí by the end of 2006. This places the “Reclaim the Republic” campaign as arguably the single most significant and far-reaching initiative by any group or party in Ireland, to mark the ninetieth anniversary of the 1916 Rising.
Speaking during the recent distribution of Proclamations in the Neilstown estate Éirígí activist and spokesperson Daithí Mac An Mhaistír commented on how positively the campaign is being received -
“Its amazing to see how many people are interested in having a copy of the 1916 Proclamation. Every time we are out we have people coming out of their homes asking for more copies, to give to family and friends who are often living in England, Australia or the U.S I’ve lost count of the amount of people who have told me that they are going to frame the Proclamation and put it up in their kitchen or sitting room.”
Speaking about the campaign in general he continued - “The “Reclaim the Republic” campaign is asking people to read the Proclamation and compare how the Irish Republic declared in 1916 compares to the Ireland of today and by distributing copies of the Proclamation we are giving them the means to do so. Where people feel that today’s Ireland falls short we are asking them to become politically active – to play a part in reclaiming the Republic and in creating a new Ireland based upon the principals of Irish Freedom and Justice for all contained in the Proclamation”