Kelly linked with Fine Gael after Collins oration

FORMER GAA president Sean Kelly added fuel to speculation about his political ambitions after delivering the oration yesterday at Fine Gael’s annual Michael Collins commemoration.

Mr Kelly called on politicians to put civil war bitterness behind them and spoke about other issues such as power-sharing in the north, gun crime and society’s treatment of the elderly.

The speech, at such a symbolic event in the Fine Gael calendar, could be seen as a signal of his intention to stand for the party in next year’s European elections, something that has been rumoured, but not confirmed, by the party or Mr Kelly.

The commemoration took place at Béal na mBláth in Co Cork where Collins was killed on August 22, 1922.

Mr Kelly said both Collins and Eamon De Valera should be honoured by the GAA. He said it was “appalling” that the organisation had never honoured Collins “who admired and loved, played for, worked for, supported and praised the GAA”. “This is an appalling aberration that needs to be corrected. The GAA through the name of its trophies, clubs, fields and stands has honoured many great Irish patriots, but the name of one of the greatest patriots of all and one of the best GAA men of all is conspicuous by its absence.”

Mr Kelly also spoke about the need to “consign to the scrap-heap any semblance of bitterness and poison that might still remain after the Civil War”. He said to be true to the name of Collins and his legacy “that big picture of what is best for Ireland must always be before us, our guiding light, our benchmark”.

Fine Gael said it has not asked Mr Kelly to contest a seat in Europe for the South constituency and party sources close to him say he had not committed himself to running.

Mr Kelly unsuccessfully contested a seat for Fine Gael in the local election in 1991.