Republican Brotherhood group ‘not people we should be celebrating’ says son of murdered prison officer

Cllr Kyle Black was reacting to a motion calling for the bodies of members of the ‘The Invincibles’ (active in Dublin between 1881 and 1883) to be moved to consecrated ground and said “these are not people we should celebrating”.

A motion on the matter was brought to the chamber by independent councillor Barry Monteith.

It read: “Mid Ulster Council calls on the Office of Public Works to carry out the necessary excavation works to recover the remains of Joe Brady, Daniel Curley, Michael Fagan, Thomas Caffrey and Tim Kelly, in what is commonly known as the Invincibles Yard at Kilmainham Gaol.

“The Council extend their support to the relatives of these men in their efforts to have the remains exhausted from Kilmainham Gaol and reinterred in consecrated grounds at Glasnevin Cemetery.”

Addressing Council’s monthly meeting, Cllr Monteith said he was no fan of motions and claimed this was the first one he had made in roughly 15 years.

“This is about the plight of Joe Brady, Daniel Curley, Michael Fagan, Thomas Caffrey and Tim Kelly, whose remains lie in an unmarked grave in Kilmainham Gaol known as the Invincibles Yard,” said Cllr Montieth.

“I was asked to bring the motion forward by the campaign around this time last year. I was asked to do it by the mother of Dr Shane Kenna who was very passionate about the plight of these individuals.

“These men are entitled to a proper burial, for me this is continuing the campaign of these families and with the work this Council has been involved in, I think it highly appropriate.

“Both the legacy councils and this council are highly supportive of ensuring unmarked mass graves in our council area are marked appropriately so I am happy to move the motion.”

Independent councillor Dan Kerr seconded the motion and said he fully supported the Invincibles reinterment campaign.

Sinn Fein councillor John McNamee welcomed the motion and extended his support to all the relatives and campaigners involved.

However, support for the motion was not unanimous. Unionist members of councillors questioned the validity of the motion and questioned if the motion could be seen to “glorify terrorism”.

DUP councillor Kyle Black, whose father David Black was shot on the way to work by the New IRA in November 2012,  said his party would not support the motion.

“Given that these men are buried in another jurisdiction, Council has no competence in this area and the relevance of it coming here tonight has to be questioned,” said Cllr Black.

“If we are to consider the content of the motion, given these men were involved in the murder of the Chief Secretary for Ireland and his permanent undersecretary in Phoenix Park, Dublin  in 1882 we would view this motion through the lens of glorification of terrorism.

“Therefore, these are not people we should be celebrating or upholding as role models within our society. These murders were an attack on democracy and we want no part in commemorating such violent republicanism.

“If these men are to be given a platform as some sort of role models this sets a dangerous precedent for actions that followed in later decades that saw thousands more lose their lives and gives these actions legitimacy.

“It also sanitises what should be the overarching message – murder of a fellow citizen to further a political ideology has always and will always be wrong.

“For these reasons the DUP will be opposing the motion.”

The Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan thanked Cllr Black for his contribution and wonder aloud if the founding fathers of American should be viewed as terrorists.

Cllr Black’s party colleague, Councillor Clement Cuthbertson said he believed the motion should be ruled out of order and rejected by Council.

“These men were terrorists and involved in the fatal stabbings known as the Phoenix Park murders,” said Cllr Cuthbertson.

“I think Chair, republicans would be better putting their time and effort into helping the families of ‘The Disappeared’ here in Northern Ireland and offer up information on the secret burials of those poor victims.

“This is yet again another example of republicans trying to rewrite history and a coat trailing exercise to intimidate the unionist minority in Mid Ulster council area.”

Cllr Cuthbertson then proposed that the motion was overruled and rejected by Council.

While of the belief the actions of these men did little but set back the Home Rule cause, SDLP group leader, Councillor Malachy Quinn did not find himself in agreement with the DUP.

“I would not support the actions of these men, these murders ruined the chances of Home Rule,” said Cllr Quinn.

“However, we will support the motion on the grounds that everyone has the right to be buried in a site of their choosing.

“I don’t see this as a glorification of what those men did, I think this is a simple case of having the right to be buried where they want to be buried.”

Council’s Vice-Chair, Councillor Meta Graham said she wanted to put on record her belief that there is “no reason” for Council to support this motion.

“If we want to be seen as a Council who respects each other’s views and the ability to work for a community as a whole then we should be looking forward, not back 140 years,” said Council’s Vice Chair.

Councillor Naimh Doris said she was in support of the motion and, addressing the issue of relevancy, claimed one of the men was from Tyrone.

“I am not 100 per cent sure which one it is but one of them was born in Tyrone,” said Cllr Doris.

Ulster Unionist group leader, Councillor Walter Cuddy, described the actions of these men as a “hideous crime” but agreed that everyone has the right to a proper burial.

“I understand the point of the families wanting to move the grave, there is nothing wrong with that,” said Cllr Cuddy.

“It is however, the politicisation of the whole thing that would get us as a party. We understand the family is entitled to move the remains but don’t accept the overall notice of motion.

“The Ulster Unionists will not be supporting this motion.”

Councillor Robert Colvin questioned how the motion could be heard given the Council’s standing orders and asked for a ruling on that.

Council’s Chair, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan explained the motion was discussed with him when it arrived.

“As Chair of the Council I have the decision to make and made the decision it can be heard,” said the Council Chair.

“In the past we have discussed various motions that ultimately don’t concern Mid Ulster itself but have wider significance in terms of some of the work we have done.

“There is a local aspect, angle and interest here and under those circumstance I am quite content the motion is valid.”

Drawing the debate to a close, Cllr Monteith thanked members for their contributions and recognised not everyone in the Chamber would be in favour of it.

The motion was passed with the 24 Independent, SDLP and Sinn Fein councillors present voting in favour of the motion.

The 15 DUP and Ulster Unionist Party members present voted against the proposal.

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