Harris denounces threats against politicians at ceremony marking Collins’ death

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Taoiseach Simon Harris has criticised attempts to silence elected politicians through violence and intimidation at a ceremony marking the death of Michael Collins.

Mr Harris said the Irish revolutionary’s death 102 years ago, when he was finance minister, marked a turbulent time in Ireland.

He said lessons learnt from that time now inform Irish values that “are gifts to the world, if we have the courage to live by them ourselves”.

Fidelma Collins, a grandniece of Mr Collins, was amongst those in attendance at the commemoration in west Cork on Sunday.

Mr Collins was shot and killed during an ambush by anti-Treaty forces on August 22nd, 1922, near Béal na Bláth in Co Cork during the civil war.

The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, which was negotiated and signed by an Irish delegation including Mr Collins, provided a pathway to establish an Irish Free State.

There was strong pushback against the treaty’s provision for an oath of allegiance to the British monarchy and for partition, which led to a civil war.

Mr Harris said Ireland has learnt from its history: by standing for self-determination in Ukraine, for dialogue in the Middle East and for improving conditions in countries suffering from civil wars and famine.

“These are the values that Ireland brings to the world: a dedication to peace, a respect for diversity, and a steadfast belief in the power of dialogue over discord,” Mr Harris said.

“True strength does not lie in force.

“The world would be in a much better place if some countries had the courage to realise this.”

Emphasising the importance of democracy, Mr Harris criticised threatening and abusive behaviour towards politicians.

He took aim at the “separate worlds” on social media and said “hate and violence” had become “common responses to difficult decisions”.

“We unite in defiance of those who try to silence elected politicians, who try to thwart the will of the people by violence and intimidation,” he said.

“In the 102 years since Michael Collins’ assassination, the methods of silencing voices may have evolved, but the intent, the implied violence and insidious effects on our society have not changed.”

He added: “Today we must protect that sacred flame (of democracy) by fostering a culture of critical thinking, one where truth is valued and where debates are conducted openly with respect, and not in the shadows or the sewers.”

Ireland’s two main political parties for the past 100 years – Mr Harris’ Fine Gael party and Fianna Fáil – were forged from pro and anti-Treaty sides in the civil war, respectively.

It was hailed as a significant moment when the two parties entered into a coalition government together, along with the Green Party, in 2020.

Mr Harris also pledged during his speech to solve the “national malaise” of housing and to create equal educational opportunities for young people.

He also said Ireland needed to unite against attempts by a small group “to divide and distort” issues around migration.

“There are some who wave a tricolour and claim patriotism while betraying the founding principles this country prides itself on – freedom, equality, opportunity,” he said.

“It is up to each of us to use our voice to call out the racism, the hate, the ugliness we see.”