Granemore Ballymacnab Sinn Féin

26/05/2026

“What is this? … That is my name.”

In December 1982, Fr. Pól Mac Seáin, a priest from our local parish, Cill Chluana was arrested and interrogated by the RUC. His only ‘crime’ was that his name was Irish. According to his own public statement, he was stopped at an RUC checkpoint in South Armagh, mocked, threatened with arrest unless he translated his name into English, and later detained under the Emergency Provisions Act.

This vindictive and provocative harassment prompted a courageous response from the local community. Parishioners, neighbours and republicans stood together and published a powerful open letter condemning the harassment, describing it as an attack on Irish identity, language and culture. The letter was signed by members of the local community who refused to stay silent in the face of State harassment.

Copies of the statement and protest letter were sent directly to the highest levels of the British and Irish establishments of the time including British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Taoiseach Charles Haughey, Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich, Archbishop Ó Fiaich’s office, and media organisations across Ireland and Britain.

This episode reminds us how the Irish language was treated by the RUC and the Orange State. It was regarded as suspicious, alien and something to be suppressed. Irish speakers were harassed and our culture criminalised and ridiculed. Far from a shared national treasure, our language was viewed as a threat to the political order in the Six-Counties.

Fast forward to 2026, and the transformation is profound through decades of struggle by activists, parents and communities. Today the Irish language has legal recognition in the Six-Counties, an Irish Language Commissioner, growing Gaelscoileanna, dual-language street signage, Irish-medium broadcasting, and a new generation proudly speaking Gaeilge in every county.

The courage shown by Fr. Pól Mac Seáin and those who signed that letter in 1982 helped pave the way for the progress we see today. They stood firm at a time when doing so carried severe and brutal consequences.

Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. ✊

16/05/2026

Vol. Raymond McCreesh - 45th anniversary

The annual parade and commemoration to mark the sacrifice of Raymond, who died on hungerstrike in Long Kesh takes place in Camlough on Sunday 17th May. 🇮🇪

30/04/2026

A busy month for Bróna in our council area, get in touch if you need help with anything....

☔ 𝘼𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙥 🌳

An update on some work I have been doing this month...

🚌School bus issues
🤰Maternity pay queries
✈ Passports, there seems to be a delay in processing 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙭 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚
🙏 Attended local Easter Commemorations
🐗Dealing with multiple animal welfare issues
💜Attended Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Conferences in Armagh and Cavan
🍫Hosted community litter pick
⛔ Dealing with anti-social behaviour, liaising with PCSP and local groups
🎤Attended the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis and brought motions to support farmers, the Irish Language and spoke on supporting families through the cost of living crisis
🛣 Following up on local roads issues
👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 Supporting local community and early years groups

Always here to help! ✨

26/04/2026

Motion 25 Passed - Standing Up for Our Hill Farmers

The Caraher/McCreesh Cumann and Cllr Bróna Haughey are proud to have tabled Motion 25, which was successfully passed at this weekend’s Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, a strong and positive step for farmers across our local community.

The Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) payment has long been a vital support for farmers working the most disadvantaged land, including Granemore, Ballymacnab, Clady and throughout south Armagh. Its removal in 2017 was a major setback for local farmers.

We commend the ongoing work by Declan McAleer MLA to restore this essential payment, which will provide much-needed stability for farming families facing the continued pressures of Brexit, fluctuating farm incomes, and rising costs for fuel, feed and fertiliser. The restoration of the ANC payment will be a lifeline for hundreds of farmers across County Armagh and beyond.

This motion represents a clear commitment to supporting rural communities and protecting the future of family farming, urging other political parties and MLAs to support this legislation at Stormont.

15/04/2026

Pigs shot by officials left for public to discover, says Cllr Bróna Haughey

Families had been feeding the pigs and were shocked to find them shot and left in a field.

10/04/2026

“The tax on fuel must be cut and a serious financial support package introduced for families, farmers and businesses.” - Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin has contacted Keir Starmer again on the need for urgent action to support workers, families and businesses struggling with rising costs of heating, petrol and diesel.

The power and financial ability to cut these costs lies with the British government.

Starmer’s continued refusal to act on the cost of living crisis is a clear political choice.

People cannot wait any longer.

The tax on fuel must be cut and a serious financial support package introduced for families, farmers and businesses.

09/04/2026

'Sinn Féin has made a detailed submission to the Inquiry outlining our opposition to the planning application'

West Tyrone MLA Declan McAleer has welcomed the reconvening of the Curraghinalt Goldmine Public Inquiry next week, saying it will provide an important opportunity for the local community to have their voices heard. The Public Inquiry will resume next Monday...

08/04/2026

2 Abandoned animals, shot dead.

I learned that 2 pigs had been abandoned at Carrickatuke last week. I contacted a few people to see if they had escaped but to no avail. I didn't post online as they were safe and well fed (by a loving local family) and I didn't want anything to happen to them until I was able to have them rescued.

I am sorry to say, that some horrible person took it upon themselves to go and shoot these innocent creatures. They're now lying in a pool of blood at Carrickatuke. I have contacted Council, who will have to wait for an external contractor to come and collect these gorgeous animals who were doing no harm.

I honestly despair at the cruelty.