Sean Russell Commemoration 2026
Fronta Poblachtach held a commemoration for former IRA Chief of Staff Seán Russell last weekend.
The colour party, under the direction of Diolún MacConmhaoil, was led by a single flag bearer, carrying the flag of the Irish Republic, and proceeded in formation from the North strand fire station to the Seán Russell monument at Fairview Park.
Adam Ó Raghallaigh leading the colour party down the North Strand Road.
The event was chaired by Rob Steenson, who spoke about Sean's life and the attempts by globalist lackeys to tarnish his name and the image of Irish Republicanism.
Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Republican movement and by others who wished to pay their respects to a revolutionary hero.
A young member of Fronta read the 1916 Proclamation, and the main oration was delivered by Nathan Hastings.
Proclamation being read by Anthony
Rob Steenson delivering his oration.
Rob Steenson's Oration:
"We are gathered here, of course, to commemorate the life of former Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army, Sean Russell. Sean was born just a couple of minutes' walk from here; his family ran a business where Paddy Powers on the North Strand currently stands, and Sean lived in a flat above it. In 1916, as a young man, Sean fought in the successful battle of Annesley Bridge, 30 seconds from where we are now standing.
We remember Sean today on the 86th anniversary of his death. A man utterly wedded to his role as a Republican and completely committed to the liberation of his country.
There have been many attempts over the years to vandalise this monument, in some cases from so-called Republicans. Local Republicans have assured us they will not tolerate this level, or any level, of disrespect towards a man who dedicated his life to the cause for Irish freedom.
The disrespect shown by these counter-revolutionaries towards Republican leaders like Sean Russell shows them up for exactly what they are. Globalist lackeys intent on doing the donkey for work both Britain and Brussels by aggressively supporting policies that are at odds with the Republican ideology, policies that are in the process of destroying the very fabric of this island and culture that exists on it.
Ireland and its people are in need of a strong Republican grouping now as much as ever, and the Republican Front is a welcome home to the many Republicans disillusioned with their leadership, Republicans who have pled their case time and time again only to have their words fallen on deaf ears in favour of a continued obsession with a liberal ideology that is detrimental to the Irish people.
Like Russell before us. Fronta Poblachtach is committed to the establishment of a 32-county sovereign Irish Republic, as declared on the steps of the GPO.
Diolún MacConmhaoil prepares to lay wreath.
Nathan Hasting's Oration:
"A chairde,
I would like to begin by thanking you all for attending this commemoration today organised by Fronta Poblachtach.
We are here to commemorate Seán Russell, one of Ireland's many brave patriots who dedicated his life to the cause of Irish freedom.
Seán, like so many others, sought to overthrow foreign rule in Ireland and build a Republic which would see the freedom and material wellbeing of the Irish people put first.
The circumstances in which we find ourselves today are not far removed from those which existed in Seán Russell's time. He was among a small band of committed Republicans who continued the struggle in the face of overwhelmingly adverse conditions. Not least of all the military opposition and unfavourable public opinion. British rule had been normalised to a great extent. Adverse conditions are, of course, not alien to us here. In spite of these circumstances, Seán and others kept the flame alive. With previous generations he fashioned the stake which we hold today to be driven into the heart of those who would see the Irish people held in chains.
Seán and others understood Irish Republicanism for what it is. An ideal which stipulates a free and sovereign Ireland, with the wellbeing of its people guaranteed and the protection and promotion of our language, culture, history and traditions. Our objective remains to build an Ireland which is governed based on these principles.
This does not mean that we consign ourselves to recreating the past. The spirit of those who went before us serves as an inspiration; the principles that they laid down are the essence of Republicanism and illuminate the path we must follow. However, we are in different times, with different factors currently impacting the struggle for the Republic proclaimed in 1916.
Our primary aim at present is, of course, to build a force capable of furthering the Republican ideal. This means promoting Republicanism and drawing on what has always been its lifeblood: the working and dispossessed peoples, "The Men of No Property". Those of us who have committed ourselves to Republicanism must continue to spread its message to these people so that we may form a movement capable of furthering the ideals of Tone, Emmett, Pearse and Connolly.
To make Republicanism a popular and effective force, we must acknowledge the current difficulties we face in terms of its image among working-class communities and shirk the practices which have been attached to it, making it appear repugnant to those who must make it a living, breathing and popular force. This means returning Republicanism to what it actually is. It is not a niche subculture for the purposes of recreation. It is not some abstract ideal to which we can attach whimsical degenerate ideas surrounding so-called identity politics. It is not something to be used as a cloak for self-gain-based thievery and anti-community activities. It is not some morbid tradition to be carried on for the sake of it.
We must deal with the exigencies of our time and relate Republicanism to these. The great evil faced by Republicans, and by the working and dispossessed people of the world, is not the British Empire alone. It is now merely a small cog in a global project to draw wealth increasingly to a small, borderless, globalist elite. Key to this has been the project of mass immigration and economic emigration. Irish workers and renters are to be replaced with those who are easier to exploit; our very existence as a distinct ethnicity is to be undermined, our sense of community solidarity, with our traditions, language and culture, are to be uprooted through gentrification so that our country may be conquered and converted to a grey, cosmopolitan hellscape with no unity or backbone to resist the will of the globalist elites.
The forces responsible for this will, where they cannot engage in such soft conquering of a native population, resort to sheer military force. The elites responsible for this control the government of our age-old adversary in Perfidious Albion, and also the USA, EU, the Zionist entity which calls itself Israel, and their allies. They are spear-headed by the NATO imperialist alliance. This is why we must give support to the countries and forces which resist the aggression of these entities. We share the same enemy.
Considering all of this, the challenges we face internally and externally, the importance of decisive action cannot be understated. This is our Thermopylae. The forces of imperialism are at the Hot Gates; those who have tried to ruin Republicanism from within are our Ephialtes. We must push back these forces, or at least provide the groundwork for those following us to do so.
In terms of the theory on what must be done, it is straightforward. Irish Republicanism in its modern sense is codified in the 1916 Proclamation and the Democratic Program of the First Dáil. These lay out the principles by which a Gaelic and free Ireland must be governed. Our goal as Republicans is to set the concrete objectives, establish the strategy and build the vehicle capable of following that strategy to fulfil the ideals laid out by those who planted this idea as a seed and watered it with their blood.
Let us follow in Seán's footsteps until victory.
Beir Bua agus Tiocfaidh Ár La
Nathan Hastings alongside Diolún MacConmhaoil.
