Monday, July 14, 2008

Martin Hurson and Tyrone Volunteers Remembered with Pride

“A guiding light to lead the fight to free my green Tyrone,
The voice of truth for Irish youth to rid of the British throne.”

Sunday 13 July marked the 27th Anniversary of Tyrone Hungerstriker Óglach Martin Hurson. And it is also the calendar date selected by the Tyrone National Graves to honour all Tyrone Volunteers who have given their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom.
As every other year, the commemorative day kicked of with the annual Martin Hurson Memorial GAA cup final which was played at Galbally Pearses Football Field. The Hurson’s team the eventual victor’s overcoming a spirited Aghaloo side.

Following the completion of the match and the trophy ceremony, thousands of Republicans, including family, friends and comrades of Martin’s, lined up at Galbally GAA Centre to march to the Tyrone Volunteers Monument in Cappagh Main Street.

A strong contingent of Ógra Shinn Féin activists from counties Tyrone and Derry contributed in the parade, many in the bands, while others carried banners.


The main speaker on the day was Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff, who spoke of the enormous courage of men like Martin Hurson and Martin McCaughey, and how the IRA in Tyrone showed great ingenuity in fighting a very intelligent war.

He also spoke of the resilient community who opened up their hearts and homes to the IRA, and aided immeasurably to the success of the IRA campaign.

Turning his attention to today, he said young people must think in an All Ireland context and through small anti-partition actions they can change mindsets and bring about meaningful change, one particular initiative he urged was to ensure that Tyrone’s post boxes and other such red ones across the north should be painted green, to harmonise post-boxes across Ireland.

Barry McElduff said that the struggle must continue that we must stay united as one republican movement and progress to the Republic for which our fallen comrades died to achieve.

“Through tortured nights your prayers brought light and soothed my fears and pain,
And though I'm gone you must fight on till Ireland is free again.”


(Ógra Shinn Féin activists at Martin Hurson's Monument with his Brother Brendan)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A Chairde Óga,

I have always admired the enthusiasm of Ógra in terms of ending the imperialism and injustice in our country. Your commitment to revolutionary politics has always been A1 and I commend you for this.

I have met with many of your members and have always felt enthused after speaking with them about Socialist Ideology and the world in which we live in today.

I think you need to break free from Sinn Féin totally and even to change your name to something more radical. In doing so, it would mean that you would need to break free completely from the Status Quo (that is or to be) that is Sinn Féin. In fact, if you are genuine about persuing an end to the Status Quo that took Martin Hurson and the rest of our patriot dead, then its important that you break the link with Sinn Féin, become autonomous and really fight for an end to imperialism. For example, Ógra have been fantastic in terms of their internationalism, yet Martin McGuinness was up meeting, smiling and from all account certainly not challenging the representative from the most evil country in the world in his recent visit to Stormont. Now surely, for all of you angry young revolutionaries, that is a contradiction and its wrong??

Fulfill you potential Ógra, go for it. IF you find yourself asking questions about why SF are doing something that you disagree with, don't wait to be spoken to or convinced about something that is fake but ask the question again and again and if your not happy then ask yourself are we doing the right thing for the struggle.

Go raibh maith agaibh a chairde Gaeil! Viva la revolucion!

Anonymous said...

Pity you have used censorship to stifle debate, reminds me of a certain bearded guy!!