Ógra Shinn Féin last weekend claimed back Omagh British army base by erecting an Irish national flag at the front entrance to the base. The action was part of a demilitarisation protest held at the base as a part of an Ógra Shinn Fein national demilitarisation protest.Young people from throughout the 32 counties of Ireland and representatives from the troops of movement, the Wolfe Tone society and the SLP also travelled from England for the weekend. It was the fifth annual demilitarisation protest and according to Ógra chairperson in west Tyrone, Barry McNally was held to ‘Claim Victory on the issue of British demilitarisation’ in the county Tyrone Town.
The weekend began on Friday evening with a ‘woman in struggle’ event. Local Women Poilin Quinn spoke to the young republicans of her contribution to the freedom struggle. She also spoke of her experiences in prison and the brutality, which she herself experienced while incarcerated. Following the talk delegates then watched a DVD on the contribution of women to the freedom struggle in Ireland.
It was an early start on Saturday morning for many. The inaugural Vol. Dermot Crowley memorial lecture was the first event of Saturday morning. A close friend and comrade of Dermot’s, Tyrone Hunger Striker, Tommy McKearney delivered the inaugural lecture. He spoke of knowing Dermot and how Dermot could have so easily sat idly by in Co. Cork, however, he spoke of the flame of freedom being present in Dermot Crowley. So in his teenage years, Dermot, along with Vol. Tony Ahern moved to the north to take part in the freedom struggle. He said Dermot realised that the freedom struggle fought on the streets of cork in the early 1900’s, against the British was the very same fight he took part in during the 1970’s on the streets if the 6 counties.
Shortly after Tommy had finished the memorial lecture young people took centre stage to have a panel discussion on the 1981 hunger strike. Representations were made on behalf of the SLP (From Britain), The Socialist Youth, SDLP Youth and Ógra Shinn Fein.
Ógra Shinn Féin delegates then converged at the entrance to the British army base in Omagh, having caught the British army and PSNI/RUC ‘off guard’. The entrance to the British army camp was in the capable hands of Ógra Shinn Fein who quickly erected a tri colour at the site and claimed the land back in the name of the Irish republic. Chants of Slan Abhaile were clearly heard from Ógra Shinn Fein activists, bidding a good riddance to the British army from Omagh.
The Republican Tour Of West Tyrone was next on the agenda. Delegates visited the site on the Gortin Road where 3 IRA volunteers were killed in 1973. Vol. Patrick Carty, Vol. Sean Loughran and Vol. Dermot Crowley were transporting explosives to an unidentified location in Omagh hen the bomb exploded prematurely. A local man played a lament at the spot on the Gortin Road before the convoy continued on the republican tour. The spot of the Drumnakilly ambush was the next destination o the tour. There, local councillor, Declan McAleer addressed delegates and explained the events leading to the execution of brothers, Vols. Gerard and Martin Harte and Foremass man, Brian Mullin. Declan explained of how the SAS lay in wait for the men and cut them down in a hail of over 200 bullets. The demilitarised site of the joint British Army/RUC base in Carrickmore was the next port of call for the tour. There a local man told those gathered of how the barracks was erected in Carrickmore after the IRA took over the town and set up various checkpoints on roads leading to the village for a BBC Panorama team in 1979. He also spoke of how the barracks was never welcome in the area and eluded to the numerous attacks on the barracks by the IRA throughout the duration of the barracks being present in Carrickmore. The garden of remembrance wad the second last stop on the tour with locally elected assemblyman Barry McElduff welcoming the Ógra Delegation to Carrickmore. He spoke of the long and continued tradition of Irish Republicanism in the area and recounted many memorable moments for Irish republicans in the area.The last stop on the tour was the graveside and home of 2 of the Drumnakilly martyrs, Gerard and Martin Harte. There the Ógra delegates got a much needed rest and reflected on the tour.
Following this delegates returned to their accommodation and donned their glad rags and prepared themselves to dance the night away to the music of ‘The Spirit Of Freedom’. The singing and dancing last in to the ‘wee hours’ of the morn before the exhausted delegation returned to have their must needed sleep in the accommodation.
On Sunday morning the Ógra delegation formed up in the Strathroy estate to take part in a parade to remember the conclusion of the 1981 hunger strike 25 years beforehand. Led by an Ógra Shinn Fein colour party, responding to commands in Irish the parade took off on the parade around Strathroy shortly after 1:30pm. Also in attendance was the Strabane memorial flute band. After the short parade to a monument in Strathroy dedicated to Vols. Dermot Crowley, Sean Loughran and Patrick Carty, local councillor Martin McColgan opened the commemoration. The various speakers included Ógra Shinn Fein, both in West Tyrone and a statement was read by a member representing Cork Ógra Shinn Fein, The Tyrone Roll Of Honour was read aloud as was the H-BLOCK hunger strike roll of honour.
Pat Doherty was the main speaker at the event. He spoke of the heroism of the H-Block martyrs and that the best way to remember the men who died in 1981 was to recommit ourselves to the struggle for which they gave their lives and make their vision of a 32 democratic socialist republic a reality. Following this the parade continued around Strathroy and a newly erected monument to the 1981 hunger strikers was unveiled at the entrance to Strathroy.The parade marked the conclusion of the Ógra Shinn Féin weekend 2006.
Speaking following the Ógra Shinn Fein weekend, local chairperson Barry McNally said,
“I would like to thank everyone who travelled to Omagh this week to claim their victory on British demilitarisation. For five years we have asked people to help us raise the issue and now they are seeing the fruits of their commitment. We also held this weekend to remember the conclusion of the 1981 hunger strike 25 years ago this week. We held a parade in Strathroy with this purpose and it was a very successful event. However in the run up to this weekend elements in the DUP were trying to raise tensions with our decision to march in this area even though it is a 100% republican area. There is no contention, however I would ask the DUP what is their stance in relation to contentious marches in places like Newtownstewart and Castlederg. Indeed the south Down DUP flute band have breached parades commission determinations on several occasions including playing the sash at the entrance to Ferguson crescent on Saturday 16th September, when the Parades commission didn’t not permit this. The DUP should put their own house in order before trying to lecture others in relations to parades”
Check out video of weekend at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPFoZlUtSy0
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