Montana Welcomes United Ireland Campaign

AOH Western Rep Mike O’Connor, Rita O’Hare, United Ireland Campaign Rep George Trainor, State President Tom Pahut and Bob Mehrens

Montana welcomed Sinn Féin Representative to the United States, Rita O’Hare to the state’s 2011 Ancient Order of Hibernian’s convention in Missoula, Montana. Rita, the keynote speaker emphasized the importance of a United Ireland. “Our objective is a republic that serves the needs of all the Irish people. The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and all its parts, cherishing all of the children of the nation equally.”

Resolutions calling for Irish reunification by democratic, electoral means, as provided for under the Good Friday Agreement, have been adopted by the New Jersey General Assembly, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Cleveland, Rockland County, New York, The California Democratic Party, The San Francisco Labor Council, and The San Francisco chapter of the Veterans for Peace.

Campaign for a United Ireland representative George Trainor also addressed the AOH attendees. “We need to hear your voice. We need Montana to join the chorus of growing states, counties, cities and organizations whose voices are calling out for a United Ireland.

AOH Western Rep Mike O’Connor observed, “The United Ireland Campaign is very important to Montana because of its history. The Irish came to Montana knowing that they would never be able to return home. It’s important that we support Irish unification.”

There are strong ties between Montana and Ireland. In 1919, when Dev Valera went on a tour of the United States to encourage support for Ireland’s fight for independence, over 10,000 Butte, Montana residents turned out to hear him speak. The next day, Valera addressed a joint session of the Montana State Legislature.

To learn more about the campaign for a United Ireland. Please go to http://aunitedireland.org/.