Flags initiative for 1916 centenary kicks off... at Taoiseach’s old school

IRISH soldiers have begun visiting the country’s 3,200 primary schools to present them with Tricolours – starting with Enda Kenny’s old alma mater.

The initiative, part of the Government’s commemorations for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, will see all of the country’s primary schoolchildren learn more about the Rising when the Defence Forces come to each school to present the flags.

At St Patrick’s National School in Cornanool, in the Taoiseach’s native parish of Islandeady, Co. Mayo, Mr Kenny was joined at yesterday’s inaugural ceremony by Heritage Minister Heather Humphreys, who is heading up the centenary programme, and Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan.

Rear Admiral Mark Mellett, Chief of Staff, represented the Defence Forces. Pupils at St Patrick’s were presented with a Tricolour and a copy of the Proclamation.

However, Fianna Fáil last night complained that neither they nor any other opposition politicians were invited.

Party spokesman Seán Ó Fearghaíl called on the Taoiseach to explain why the opposition arts spokesmen and local TDs were not invited to the launch of the national ‘Flags for Schools’ initiative.

‘The Government has repeatedly assured the public that it will not seek to hijack the national commemorations of the 1916 Rising for narrow party political advantage, but the decision to launch this national event, developed for our schoolchildren, with only Government representatives present, raises a serious question mark over this commitment,’ Mr Ó Fearghaíl said.

‘Fianna Fáil has made it clear that we fully support the Flags for Schools initiative – we see participation of our schoolchildren as a key component of a successful commemoration.

‘We are also strongly supportive of anything that encourages a greater and positive sense of ownership of our national flag.

‘It is therefore extremely disappointing that the Government would launch the initiative and not show the basic courtesy of inviting opposition arts spokesmen,’ he said.

‘The 1916 Rising does not belong to any party or any sectional interest, it belongs to the entire Irish nation.’

FOR all its high-profile female representatives over the years, such as Mary O’Rourke and Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, the simple fact is that Fianna Fáil has traditionally been something of an old boys’ club. The hierarchy might not care to admit it but there has always been a macho air about the Soldiers of Destiny.

After the bloody nose it received in the last election, the party has been desperately attempting to shake off the inglorious past and reinvent itself. But there is no sign at all of Fianna Fáil trying to appeal to the female vote by doing the obvious thing of putting forward more woman candidates.

Micheál Martin might like to think he is the only alternative taoiseach. But that looks like a pretty remote prospect if he is intent on delivering an implicit snub to 50 per cent of the electorate.