Joe McCann Commemoration April 14, 2012
Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.trackback
Repost from last week
Sunday, April 15th, Participants will from-up at 2:15hrs in Upper Stanfield St, in the Markets area of Belfast and march to the Hamilton St./Joy St. junction. Ciaran McCann will open and close the proceedings. These will consist of an oration on behalf of the family given by Feargal McCann and a song in memory of their father will be performed by Aine McCann. Joe’s wife Anne McCann will lay a wreath at the spot were Joe died.
Non party political, all groups invited to attend to remember Joe.
Organised by the McCann family
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
The Ballad Of Joe McCann
~
in the city of Belfast Joe was born
and his surname was McCann
but because of fighting qualities
he became known as “the bakery man”
~
And unlike Adams and McGuinness
his name will linger on
down through Ireland’s story
an engaging victim of the crown
~
Yes young Joe took up arms
to free his native land
like many of his country folk
since the British first came in
~
And like many other patriots
he made the ultimate sacrifice
so that the Irish people could
self determine their nation’s life
~
In time he became a legend
for his fearless leadership
epitomising “Fight on-
for freedom is a right”
~
So let’s remember “the bakery man”
from working class Belfast
and bravely follow in the steps
of brave young Joe McCann.
I remember him with pride that we were friends.
Our day will come!!!
Iiam Ó Comáin
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It was a great event yesterday, really dignified and very well organised by Joe’s family. There was a good crowd for it too, about 400 I’d guess, and a fair mix from all shades of left republicanism – éirígí, IRSP, ORM, SF and WP, and maybe a few others too.
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Yesterday was a great tribute to a great freedom fighter, r.i.p joe, pity we had’nt more like you.
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hs anyone any pictures form the event ?
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With a bit of luck, there’ll be photos and stuff about the commemoration going up here either this evening or tomorrow.
Like others here, I thought the family organised a very dignified and successful commemoration for their father.
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Sadly I was unable to attend the event. But I look forward to seeing any of the photos of it. But I remember Joe with both pride and admiration. A great Republican fearless and true.
Ed
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How old was Joe when he died? Somehow, I thought I remembered reading somewhere that he was only 26. But that can’t be right, given what I’ve read here, can it?
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He was 24.
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I’m glad things went well, and that there were a cross-section of republicans there. Joe was one of the good guys I would say.
Excuse my ignorance – is this the first of such commemorations or have they taken place fairly regularly?
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Joe was 24 when he was killed.
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Proud and honoured to have been there on Sunday. I knew Joe and attended several, similiar commemorations in the early 70s. I also attended the one 15 years ago when a plaque was erected by his sister, Colette, in Joy St. at the place where he was murdered.
I would have put the attendance at more than 800 and most shades of Republican Socialism were represented. I talked to Anne (Joe’s widow) and their sons and daughters and a more warm and dignified family that you could ever meet, all spoke well and Áine sang a beautiful song about her father.
A lot of photograph’s are on various sites but most are on the Workers Party facebook site, I’m sorry that I can’t direct you to others. In one photo that I saw that captured the uniqueness of the day was of Feargal McCann, May MacGiolla, Gerry Adams and Anne McCann!
With such a large crowd it was obviously impossible to spot everyone who attended but I saw Mick Ryan, John Lowry WP, Bobby Storey SF, Cathal Óg Goulding, Padraig Yeates, Tom Hartely SF, Tom Crilly & comrades WP, Bobby McKnight ex WP (Annes brother mentioned several times in ‘The Lost Revolution’) and various political parties and groups as mentioned by Ciarán (above). Notable by his absence was Baron Kilclooney!
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* Fionnuala sang the song, her and her sister are very alike as when you see more photo’s you’ll understand my mistake!
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A you tube video of events here
sound missing for the first few minutes
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Fionnuala penned the poem and Áine sung the song.
Yes we do look alike!!
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