This morning John and I sacrificed the precious Saturday morning at home to travel to Belfast for a Sinn Féin Candidate Conference. So glad we did. We heard from our candidates for the Westminster elections next year, most notably Michelle Gildernew MP and Gerry Kelly MLA. Bobby Storey brought his own wonderful and witty style to the proceedings. Martin Mc Guinness and Mary Lou Mc Donald spoke briefly on the electoral opportunities ahead. But two speakers were particularly powerful and memorable in my own opinion. Gerry Adams spoke twice; once in a keynote speech where the media were present in which he again reiterated his position regarding claims made by Mairia Cahill and politicians and press in recent weeks. Later he spoke to the conference outlining his analysis of our campaign for the next few years in terms of the economy, political challenges, elections, and the Uniting Ireland agenda. I never fail to be hugely impressed by his intellect, insight and ability to inspire. I found myself feeling very glad to be there. But when the niece of Volunteer Mairead Farrell, RIP, 24 year old Galway Councillor Mairead Farrell addressed the Conference, as Gaeilge and in English, she definitely delivered the WOW factor! She spoke honestly and movingly of what had made her a Republican, and her experience of being elected in May 2014 as the youngest ever Galway Councillor, and the difficulty this posed for the male, middle aged political opponents..... We returned home feeling very reassured that our struggle is and will continue to be in safe hands.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 20:30:37 +0000
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