The San Francisco Sentinel
March 2006

The Rossport Five, residents of County Mayo, served as honorary grand marshals of this year's San Francisco St. Partick's Day parade. Assisted by the Irish Northern Aid (INA), which raises funds to help support families of imprisoned Irish political prisoners, two of the men were invited to the Bay Area event.

Local INA parade contingent will recall the 90th anniversary of the Easter Uprising, the 25th anniversary of the H-Block Hunger Strike, and honor the Rossport Five, INA President Seamus Collins told the Sentinel.

"In honoring those brave men and women who gave their lives for future generations, we chose to honor the Rossport Five who are present day examples of courage," Colins explained.

"These give men and their communities are standing up to Shell Oil and the Irish government and saying, 'The lives of our families and the well being of our beautiful country is not up for sale to the highest bidder.'"

"This is an appropriate time to raise awareness regarding the continuing struggle in Ireland for reunification and independence," Collins said.

Parade Grand Marshall Bob Baker joined hands with O'Seighin and McGrath on the revue stand. A banner urged support for the men and targeted the arrogant attitude of Shell. Denny Larson of the Global Community Monitor, based in San Francisco, also joined the men on the revue stand. GCM has worked with the Rossport residents since 2005 to internationalize their struggle against Shell (see www.shellfacts.com).

"The St. Patrick's Day Parade is a day of joyful celebration and a treasured expression of culture and heritage in our language, literature, games, poetry, music, and dance," said Pilar Barton of Irish Northern Aid after the event.

The Rossport Five were invited to send representatives to participate in the San Francisco St Patrick's Day Parade by the event organisers, The United Irish Societies of San Francisco; an organisatuon dedicated to preserving and perpetuating "the democratic principles of the Irish people, and of those for the freedom of Ireland and of the United States of America".

Two of the men, Mr Micheal O'Seighin and Mr Vincent McGrath lead the city's parade as honorary Grand Marshals on Sunday, March 12.

The fact that the men spent 94 days in Cloverhill prison last year for breaching a temporary High Court injunction preventing them from interfering with work by Shell E&P Ireland (SEPIL)on the controversial onshore Corrib gas pipeline did not create difficulties for them when they encounter US emigration authorities at San Francisco International Airport.

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