Bodenstown 2020

The annual Workers’ Party Wolfe Tone commemoration, scheduled to take place in Bodenstown, Co Kildare on Sunday 28th June, has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic-related travel and social-distancing regulations in force.

However, the annual Bodenstown Oration will still happen on June 28th as an on-line event. Full details will be available closer to the date.

In a statement the Workers’ Party stated “The annual Wolfe Tone commemoration is an important date in our Party’s calendar. It allows us the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our Anti-Sectarian principles as first so clearly enunciated by Tone 230 years ago and developed and expanded by many others since then. In the real-life politics of 2020, our anti-sectarian beliefs are inextricably linked to our commitment to Secularism. While all individuals are entitled to their private religious views the Workers’ Party is committed to the view that the policy and institutions of the state cannot be controlled by, or manipulated by, the beliefs or institutions of any religious grouping.

“This year’s oration will also deal in a comprehensive way with our Party’s view on the current pandemic and also what we believe must happen post-pandemic. Despite the fact that the general election in the Republic of Ireland was held on the 8th February it is not even certain if a new government will be formed before the end of June. The Bodenstown oration will deal in depth with our Party’s programme for real recovery and progress and which will provide a visible alternative to the fusty and failed politics of the proposed government triumvirate.

“Tone was an internationalist. He was inspired by, and liaised with, Revolutionary France. He wrote a pamphlet in support of Irish neutrality and in opposition to Irish involvement in the Peninsular War. In the same Internationalist spirit this oration will offer a cogent analysis of the international situation and the many dangers which are posed to world peace through outright war and to the environment through rampant exploitation in search of maximum shareholder profit.”