RAILWAY RALLY FAILS TO DRAW SUPPORT FROM LOCAL PEOPLE
December 1989
ALTHOUGH there are some famous faces in the crowd, locals largely ignore a ‘People’s Rally’ in Oriel Park, a peaceful protest against the bombing of the railway line.
It is inspired by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions as part of a campaign to protect the Dublin-Belfast rail link.
An historic occasion, it is the first time that unions from north and south of the border join together for a public protest.
The event follows the ‘Peace Train’ of early November and is organised by the ICTU against terrorist action which has brought so much disruption to the railway line over the past year.
‘Ongoing threats to the lives and livelihoods of workers in Northern Ireland Railways and Irish Railways have forged a unity of purpose and determination not to be intimidated among rail workers on both sides of the border,’ says Jimmy Blair, president and Chris Kirwan, vice-president ICTU, in a joint statement.
At least 50,000 people sign a petition as part of the campaign.
However, it is estimated no more than 50 local people turn up, and some of these are public figures.
The organisers do their best to hide their disappointment at an overall crowd of no more than 600.
Some 400 people from Dublin and another 80 from Belfast travel on special trains, and on arrival at Clarke Station they march to Oriel Park behind the De La Salle Boys Band.
The rally isn’t short of support from well-known faces. Pete St John leads the singing, and others in attendance include Emmet Bergin (Glenroe’s Dick Moran), Senator David Norris, Workers’ Party leader Proinsias De Rossa TD, former NI Minister Paddy Devlin, columnist Sam McAughtry and local Dáil deputies Dermot Ahern and Brendan McGahon.
All the country’s major unions are represented.
Mr Blair reveals that while he is disappointed at the turn-out, there is the backing of all trade unionists, north and south, for their campaign to keep the line open. In addition, there is the big response to the petition.
Addressing the rally, Syl Rogers, chairman of Dundalk Trades’ Council, calls on the men of terror to ‘get off the backs’ of ordinary people who want nothing more than to get on with their lives.
Mr McGahon notes afterwards that he is disappointed at the representation from Dundalk, and says people in the town are too complacent about violence in the north.
‘We hardly even think twice about the death of someone in Northern Ireland, whereas when the violence started the situation was a lot different.
‘It is the same with the railway line, until the authorities announce – which they will if the attacks continue – that the line is closing, there will be indifference to the campaign.’
Mr McGahon points out that the IRA exploit this apathy and are doing so with the north-south rail link.
The Fine Gael TD had also accused locals of this indifference for failing to support the ‘Peace Train’, but was criticised for that statement as there was little or no notice given that the ‘Peace Train’ would stop here.