Ógra activists in Lurgan played a vital role in organising fundraising events to mark the 25th Anniversary of the British ‘Shoot to Kill’ atrocities in North Armagh , this past weekend.
Ógra activists, who are part of the 25th Anniversary Committee, helped organise a sponsored walk and function on Saturday 25th August. The sponsored walk saw around 50 people of all ages, walk from the Ballinary North Road outside Derrymacash, into Tullygally. This was to coincide with where Michael Tighe was shot, outside Derrymacash, and also were Volunteers Gervase McKerr, Eugene Toman and Sean Burns were ambushed, at Tullygally.
The sold out function on Saturday night, saw Derek Warfield of the Wolfe Tones entertaining around 500 in the Sports Bar, at Centrepoint in Lurgan.
Ógra activist, and Upper Bann Sinn Féin Councillor, Johnny McGibbon spoke at the event,
“We in the Anniversary Committee feel that the 25th Anniversary of the events of 1982 must be given a fitting tribute. We feel the sacrifice of these men must be remembered and that the strategy of the British Government must be exposed.”
He continued,
“These ambushes in North Armagh were not isolated incidents, but instead were part of an orchestrated strategy by British Government. They were an attempt to incite fear in our communities and to defeat the republican movement. Our presence here tonight shows they failed.”
“While the memories of Volunteers like Sean Burns, Eugene Toman and Gervase McKerr live on; people like Margaret Thatcher slip into history being held in nothing but contempt.”
The 25th Anniversary Committee will be organising more fundraising and commemorative events in the build up to the November Anniversaries. Please support these events by visiting
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