Ardee Welcomes

African community in Dundalk appeal for unity, compassion and calm

The African community in Dundalk have released a statement condemning the recent knife attack that took place in Belfast last week. In it they appeal for calm following the unrest and tensions that have occurred in the city over the past week.

The appeal comes in the wake of a knife attack by a 30 year old Sudanese man in Belfast which was quickly followed by violent protests across the city with buses, cars and houses set on fire with people being targeted based on their race. The victim of the knife attack is recovering in hospital.

"We the African community in Dundalk are deeply saddened and disturbed by the recent knife attack that has shocked the city of Belfast. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim, his family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic incident.

"We condemn all forms of violence. Such acts have no place in our communities and do not reflect the values of respect, dignity, peace, and mutual support that we seek to uphold.

"At this difficult time, we stand in solidarity with the victim and all those impacted. We support the ongoing work of the authorities and trust that the legal process will be allowed to proceed fairly and thoroughly.

“We also wish to make it clear that the actions of an individual should never be used to judge entire communities. We reject any attempt to associate our communities with the alleged actions of one person. The African communities in whole Ireland consist of people from many backgrounds who contribute positively every day as healthcare workers, business owners, students, professionals, parents, volunteers, and neighbours.

“Violence, intimidation, and hatred only create further victims and deepen divisions. We are concerned by reports of unrest and tensions that have emerged following this incident. We appeal to everyone to remain calm, reject retaliation, and work together to preserve the safety and unity of our shared community.

“Belfast is strongest when its people stand together. We call on community leaders, residents, faith groups, and public representatives to continue promoting dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect during this challenging time. Our hearts remain with the victim and his loved ones. We pray for healing, justice, and peace for all affected,” concluded the statement.

UAR Press Statement issued to the local media today.

Please share .

Rally For Unity- Unite Against Hate.

Local campaign group United Against Racism have called for the people of Derry to come out to support a rally against the racist violence that has spread across parts of Northern Ireland.

The rally will take place at Guildhall Square on Saturday 13th at 2pm .

A spokesperson for the group explained why they were taking this initiative:

“ The shocking and brutal attack on a man in North Belfast was a cruel and appalling crime.

Unfortunately knife crime seems to be more and more prevalent on our streets .

UAR send our love and solidarity to the victim and wish them a full and speedy recovery.

There have been many violent acts of appalling cruelty that have not triggered the kind of response we have seen over the last few days.

There were no riots and shut downs over the senseless killings of young women by their former partners.

Two women in this city have been brutally murdered in the last two years, the racist rioters won’t even know their names because their alleged killers were white men.

Racists exploit tragedies like the horrific events of Monday night to push their warped agendas.

They see human misery as something to be exploited.

There is no empathy in their actions or responses, they are solely driven by racist hatred.

We know all too well about pogroms in this place.

The images of the houses burning in Bombay Street as innocent people fled with their belongings are etched into our collective consciousness.

After 40 years of conflict in this place we know all too well that no group should suffer collective punishment for the actions of one individual.

Those who riot and destroy claim to be opposed to ‘ illegal immigration, ‘ yet their targets have been anyone who lives here and has a different skin colour or religious identity.

The reaction to the awful events in North Belfast has been exclusively racist.

UAR will stand with all immigrant communities in the face of such terror.

We know the people of Derry will stand with us.

Right wing politicians will not be allowed to whip up hatred and then claim to be shocked by the violence they have instigated.

We will not allow the scapegoating of immigrants. The people who live here and love here will always be our friends and neighbours.

We will not be divided.

Statement Ends

When Jackie McCarthy O’Brien was taken from her mother, her childhood was stolen too...

Jackie was two months old when police officers, a nun and a priest came to her unmarried mother’s door in Limerick, Ireland, to take her away.

“The image of my mum running barefoot, screaming for her child through the streets of Limerick - it just breaks my heart," Jackie says.

Jackie's mum had moved from Ireland to Birmingham, UK, in the early 1960s. There, she became pregnant with Jackie by a Jamaican man.

"It was frowned upon for a white woman to date, let alone have a child or be pregnant from a black man," says Jackie.

But Jackie’s mum couldn't have been prouder of her. Back in Limerick, she dressed Jackie in white to show off her beautiful dark hair and big brown eyes.

Jackie puts what happened next down to the power of the Catholic Church, and the racist attitudes of the time.

"For a priest to come along and see an illegitimate black child being wheeled around Limerick - that was not going to happen," Jackie says.

The church applied for a section 55 court order, which allows the state to take guardianship of a child who is orphaned, or it is argued the remaining parent can't care for them.

Jackie's mum pleaded with the police, saying her child wasn't an orphan and was well taken care of. All to no avail. Jackie was taken to Mount Industrial School, to be raised by Catholic nuns.

At the age of three, Jackie had to scrub stairs on her hands and knees. She threaded rosary beads on wire until her fingers bled. If she wet the bed, she was denied breakfast.

Jackie and her friend Lillian devised a plan to sleep in the same bed so that one bed stayed dry and at least one of them could eat in the morning. The other would be told to stand against the wall with their food bowl on their head, holding their wet blankets.

Jackie was punished for everything. Playing. Running. Making a noise. At bath times, she was made to use the bath last, because the nuns said her skin colour would dirty the water.

Every Saturday, a woman with "sad eyes" came and visit Jackie. Nobody told her this was her mum. "I didn't know what a mother was," she says.

After more than five years, Jackie was allowed home - but she thought it was yet another punishment. The first night, she tried to stay awake, terrified she'd wet the bed.

"Kindness was alien. Love was alien. I didn't even know what love was."

It took Jackie two years to feel safe.

By the time Jackie returned home, her mum had married a former All-Ireland handball champion, Mickey O’Brien. Mickey took her to play Irish handball and football, and was fiercely protective of her - especially when she was taunted about her skin colour.

When Mickey heard about one horrible incident, he told Jackie she could either fight all her life – or she could make something of herself. “Hold your head up high,” he said.

Jackie went on to follow Mickey’s advice.

She became the first mixed-race woman to represent her country in both football and rugby, holding her head high as the Irish national anthem played.

🎧 Hear her story on Lives Less Ordinary: https://bbc.in/4tXzVD0

We stand with Senator Eileen Flynn ✊️

Eileen has been subjected to a torrent of misogynist and racist abuse in the past weeks. This has happened on the back of her taking a brave stand against racism and nationalist propaganda.

We need more principled politicians like Eileen, not less. But women face significant barriers to entering and staying in politics, including online and offline abuse. The abuse is compounded for Traveller women and women from other minority groups.

❤️ Sending you our love and solidarity, Eileen.


Read the full statement from the Alliance for Gender Quotas here: https://www.nwci.ie/learn/article/alliance_for_gender_quotas_statement

We Are Hiring! 🌟

We’re excited to announce three new opportunities to join our team:
- Finance Manager
- Communications Coordinator
- Social Media Officer

If you’re committed to promoting inclusion, driven by a sense of fairness, and ready to make an impact advocating for the rights of migrants, we’d love to hear from you.

Check out the full job descriptions at www.immigrantcouncil.ie

Please share this post with your network or tag someone who might be a great fit!