POBLACHT NA H EIREANN

PROCLAMATION OF THE IRISH

REPUBLIC 100th YEAR EDITION
To all the people of Ireland, this is a call to a better life.
One hundred years ago today our ancestors demanded freedom, equality and a
united homeland, free from British greed and control.Through their Proclamation,
they fuelled the fires of Irish Independence. With each generation, an overbearing
melange of ambitions and dreams was thrown into the fires and among the colourful
flames a spirit danced swiftly and rose to dominance. This was the spirit of the
people were one and had one aim: To get Ireland back to her people.
One hundred years later I pledge, along with the people of Ireland, that another
melange of stashed away hopes and aspirations be poured down on the flames of
the Irish Fire, which once swam with the trout in turquoise waters and tickled with
amber wisps over the yellow buttercups that lined green meadows. Suddenly it
surpassed its expectations and burst into a million glistening flames of amber,
orange, crimson and tuscan sun to fill the souls of all Irish people. Over time these
flames of hope and happiness were quenched as problems arose and dreams
turned to haunting nightmares.
My brothers and sisters, I stand before thee today, just as my late brethren of the
Easter Rising did 100 years ago and I strike for a change in our modern society.
Just because we have our own homes does not mean we can pass by those on the
streets of Dublin curled up in sleeping bags and soggy cardboard boxes. Every town
should have hostels and homes for the homeless to stay in. Everyone deserves to
be safe and happy!
But most of all I wish that we all prosper together as one nation, no matter how
different we may appear to be and live together as the proud Irish people we are.
Because, at the end of the day, it doesnt matter where you have come from, what
you look like or even what your view of the world is.
We should stretch out our palms and welcome our visitors with utmost pride. It was
our own ancestors who left the lands of their inheritance to travel to America and
Britain as The Great Famine struck. We of all people should welcome our visitors
and refugees with a deep sense of understanding.
And what about all the native forests disappearing under an axe to build a few
roads? Nonsense. Why can't we make use of all of those abandoned areas and
buildings in our urban areas and reform them? We need to remember that we arent
the only ones on the planet. God wanted the animals to inherit the earth along with

us.We should be replanting trees alongside the roads or in unused areas to help
make Ireland more economically and environmentally clean.Efforts should be made
to collect and recycle rubbish lying around towns and urban areas and competitions
should be held for the cleanest areas.
Have we forgotten our native language which once rolled off the tips of our tongues
with such perfection? We should be encouraging our young people to learn Gaeilge
from an early age and to revive Irish culture, literature, music and history. We should
be setting up well acclaimed Irish societies and groups that boast fine talent and
achievements to educate our people of the Irish ways. It is essential to reconstruct
the educational curriculum to make the Irish language compulsory to every citizen of
Ireland in order to prevent our old language from dying out. After all we have been
speaking Irish a good bit longer than English, at least a good few thousand years
more! Tr gan teanga, Tr gan anam!
More organisations should be set up for the adolescent generation of Ireland to
prevent young people succumbing to abuse substances. Youth centres and projects
should be organised because, lets face it: there are no places for teenagers to go!
The last thing I wish for the nation is equality. Hasnt this been the desire of Irish
citizens for many years? I believe that with all the good that has already come from
this world, WE CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER! Isnt the
old saying many hands make light work a good old Irish phrase? So let us come
together as one and make Ireland the country The Seven Signatories would be
proud of!

EMMA BOYLE