Tony Gregory, RIP

God rest the man. It seems that people from all sides can agree that he was a decent man who stayed true to his convictions. Such rare consensus is a tribute in itself.

I was trying to find his speech on the banks, and came across a string of Dail questions he had asked on planning and environmental matters, great questions and sharp as knife.

The more I see the more he was an impressive man. What I feel is to be regretted is, firstly, that in his determination to get much needed resources for his constituents he may have sacrificed the wider picture of what was the best government for the country as a whole, and secondly, that because he operated as an individual, it seems probable that all his experience and knowledge will be lost now that he is gone. I may be wrong, and perhaps he had a local support group who will put forward a new candidate - does anyone know the answer to this?

One question I have is why did he leave Sinn Fein ?

Recent interview of Tony Gregory by Aine Lawlor here -

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0609/onetoone_av.html?2385455,null,230

This is WorldbyStorm's account of the funeral of Tony Gregory yesterday, with interesting comments and contributions from others who knew him.

http://cedarlounge.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/tony-gregory-beneath-the-starry-plough/

I was just looking around for the Áine Lawlor interview and see cactus already posted it above.

Indymedia hasn't been linked to here yet so here's the belated reference

Quote :

Friday January 02, 2009 17:48 --author: Justin Morahan

a champion of the underdog in Irish society

Tá Gaeilgeoir a raibh croí mór maith aige básaithe i mBaile Atha Cliath. Slán le laoch

Tony Gregory Independent TD passed away peacefully today after a year's illness at the age of 61.

He was a champion of every good cause you could think of in Ireland throughout his life time.

He fought for better housing for the deprived. Author of the famous "Gregory Deal" in which he received unprecedented benefits for his deprived constituency in Central Dublin in return for his vote to make Charlie Haughey Taoiseach, he immediately astounded the Dáil by putting details of the Deal on the Dáil record. He warned that if the deal was reneged on, he would withdraw his vote.

He was a supporter of all anti-war activities, spoke at anti-war rallies, attended press conferences supporting the Pitstop Ploughshares, opposed the Lisbon Treaty, making a famous appearance on RTE after it had been defeated.
He was a defender of human rights for all the deprived sections of society. He served a short prison sentence for non-violently defending the Moore Street traders who were being rooted out of Moore Street

He fought for animal rights and succeeded in getting legislation against hare coursing accepted in the Dáil.

Ireland has lost a great champion and a powerful voice for justice

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/90395

Worldbystorm starts looking at the immediate afterwards of his death

http://cedarlounge.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/after-gregory-dublin-central-and-other-matters/