Peadar Clancy commemoration dispute
Deputy Crowe presented a petition from Clancy descendants objecting to a local Sinn Féin cumann using Peadar Clancy’s name without family consent. The Chair said it was not a policy question, and the Taoiseach suggested it might be better addressed during a later statement on the Good Friday Agreement.
I have an unusual question. Today I have brought a petition from County Clare, which has been signed by 113 family descendants of the late Peadar Clancy, who was a great Irish patriot. These are the signatures of grand-nieces, grand-nephews, great-grand-nieces and great-grand-nephews. There is a Sinn Féin cumann in Ennis, County Clare, that uses his name without family consent. They have written to the Sinn Féin headquarters and they have been flatly ignored. Commemoration has to be done with the consent of families. We cannot just pick names out of the air and claim lineage that does not exist. We cannot exploit history for one's current political programme. We have to respect families and we have to respect the dead. I submit this petition today to the Leader of the Opposition. I do not know if there is whole lot that can be said in this Chamber, but perhaps she would like to comment.
Comment on this
That did not stop anyone else, a Cheann Comhairle, in fairness to Deputy Crowe. In fairness to Deputy McDonald, it would be out of order for her to respond to the question, but I know she is a making statement later on the Good Friday Agreement, so perhaps that will be an appropriate opportunity for her to respond to the petition and Deputy Crowe's appeal.