Wear an Easter Lily | Micheál Martin is stalling on Unity | Donegal /The Swallows Tail – A song by Davie Furey

Wear an Easter Lily

Easter is only days away. This Sunday will mark 110 years since the momentous events of Easter Week 1916 and the declaration of Independence and equality contained in the Proclamation. It is also the centenary of the sale of the first Easter Lilies which were designed in 1925 by Cumann na mBan to raise funds for the Irish Republican Prisoners Dependants Fund.

In the 100 years since then thousands of women and men have been imprisoned in defence of the Irish peoples’ right to national self-determination and each year Easter Lilies are sold in their tens of thousands to support them and their families and to honour the sacrifice of those who died in pursuit of freedom.

Micheál Martin is stalling on Unity

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin was the first guest to participate in a new six part series of the podcast, ‘How to Gael’ under the title – ‘How to Unite Ireland?”

The 40 minute interview - can be heard on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/01Mg0w8UDawINdgeX45IvV

It was conducted by Doireann Ní Ghlacáin and Louise Cantillon, who in her opening commentary described their series as an exploration of the “lived experiences that shape how people feel about unity. It’s a complex and sensitive topic, and the series creates space for open, informed and respectful conversation."

The interview with Micheál Martin provided an opportunity for the Fianna Fáil leader to restate his long standing position on issues as diverse as the history of Fianna Fáil, his refusal to work with Sinn Féin, the Shared Island project, reconciliation and Irish Unity, the Good Friday Agreement and border poll, and talking to loyalists.

The surprise of the two interviewers at Martin’s claim that Fianna Fáil is a republican party was genuine and an interesting insight into how that party is viewed by many young people. Time and again Martin returned to his central thesis of reconciliation as a pre-condition to reunification. He said: “My philosophy is it has to be about the unity of people, insofar as you can go, it’s not just about territory.”

Donegal /The Swallows Tail – A song by Davie Furey

Next week my first expedition into the recording world of music will be launched when singer and songwriter Davie Furey releases ‘Donegal/The Swallow’s Tail’, his first single of 2026.

I have known Davie a long time. When I sent him a copy of a small book of poems I had written he especially liked ‘Tir Chonaill Thuaith.’ He asked me if he could include it in a new song he proposed writing around the poem. I said yes. But then he asked if he could record me reciting the poem as part of the single.