Barry McColgan
National Organiser
Ógra Shinn Féin
As we enter into 2009, and 100 years following the formation of the first Irish Republican Youth Organisation, Na Fianna Éireann, it is important to remember the role, and sacrifice of all young activists who give their time, their liberty and the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of Irish freedom.
The burning vision and energy behind the past 100 years of struggle have been young people and particularly youth activists trained, skilled and empowered through republican youth movements.
Whether it be revolutionary cadre like Liam Mellowes and Frank Ryan graduating through Na Fianna, or confident and astute activists like Eoin O’Broin, Pearse Doherty and Toireasa Ferris cutting their political teeth in Ógra, republican youth movements, most notably Na Fianna Éireann and Ógra Shinn Féin have proved their worth and will continue to provide a steady stream of invigorated and visionary youth.
Throughout this year we will have many actions commemorating this significant anniversary and many personal reflections from key activists involved in Ógra and Na Fianna, and so to start the ball rolling, I will begin by outlining my own personal experiences and thoughts as an Irish Republican Youth activist.
I joined Ógra Shinn Féin four years into its existence, in the summer of 2001.
I had a community conscience and was already involved in a local drugs and alcohol awareness peer leadership group, from a republican family, and like any young person living in a republican estate at that time; we would regularly come into conflict with the Brits and the RUC.
Although all these things helped politicise me, I didn’t have an interest in current affairs, and was unaware of the daily politics of the peace process and internationally.
One of the other young lads doing the peer leadership programme asked me would I be interested in helping establish a Sinn Féin Youth in Omagh, he described some of the campaigns Ógra where involved in, and the action gripped my attention. I jumped at the chance to help out.
At that time I was 16, and was still at school, interested in boxing and was always about in the community and local discos, this helped recruitment and promotion of Ógra – I remember our first meeting had about 15 people at it, largely from my local area, Strathroy.
Our first big protest was for an Ógra National Day of Action on ‘Disband the RUC’, we got 40 to 50 young people on the main street of Omagh for an hour, holding up placards and distributing leaflets.
The then, National Development Officer for Ógra, Sean Pól Begley was in attendance and I remember apologising to him because I thought protests needed hundreds of people, and we didn’t have a good turnout.
He told me to wise up and said this was a great crowd. I remember thinking he was just trying to keep my spirits up, but I now realise that it was indeed a good crowd and any area would struggle to get those sorts of numbers to any protest today.
That summer when we joined was filled with activity, an appetite to learn about the struggle, but mostly action.
We met every Saturday in the then Sinn Féin office which was aptly named the ‘Duhul’, our meetings where largely dominated around activity, organisation and campaigns and as a result, our profile was quickly raised and with that came new recruits and increasing support.
The first time we encountered young republicans from other areas was when we attended a ‘Demilitarisation Weekend’ in South Armagh in October 2001.
I’ll be honest, the two things that appealed to me on the Clár was the rebel night and the protest at the Brit Spy post, but the actual debates and discussions where an eye opener for the 8 or so that travelled from Omagh.
It broadened our perspective as it was the first time we had been asked our opinions on political issues and confidence was gained from the knowledge that we where surrounded by other young people exactly in our position.
That Sunday we assisted the local residents from South Armagh in organising a large demilitarisation rally at a local Brit Spy post, Glassdrummond. There was a great sense of empowerment as we cut away the perimeter fencing and marched towards the spy post with the aim of dismantling it.
If the Brits were not going to live up to their demilitarisation commitments, we where gonna do it for them.
The rally attracted huge publicity and similar actions clearly put the lack of demilitarisation of the British war machine in the media spotlight and public conscience.
Having lived under the shadow of a huge Brit Camp in Omagh, the experiences of South Armagh inspired the local Ógra in Omagh to step up the campaign on Demilitarisation and within a year in October 2002, we hosted a National Demilitarisation Weekend.
We hit the headlines of the media that weekend when a suspect device was planted at the venue we where using, the attention obviously highlighted the issue and also made us more resilient in our campaign.
Our campaign for Demilitarisation gathered a lot of steam following the weekend and not only did it set the backdrop for the emergence of a very active and strong West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin, with many Ógra cumann establishing throughout the area, but we finally got our demands met in 2006 when the British MOD announced withdrawing their war machine from the occupied prime development land in Omagh.
Although West Tyrone Ógra was going from strength to strength, the story of National Ógra was much different, with very few Ógra groups nationally and very little communication between groups.
At the beginning of January 2004, Mickey Bravender became the National Organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin and a lot of the structural and communicational problems where remedied.
The National Executive under Mickey also ensured a vibrant campaign on ‘A President for All’; the increased communication and action had the knock on effect of new Ógra cumann setting up across Ireland.
I was 6 County Organiser for Ógra Shinn Féin during this time and we too witnessed huge growth, going from 3 active cumann to 20 in the space of 18 months.
Many things made this possible, the new focus driven by a fresh National Executive and Cuige structures but also the increased importance of political struggle ensured a vibrant and motivated youth movement.
After a successful 2 year tenure, Mickey Bravender moved on from the position of National Organiser. In the summer of 2006, on my 22nd birthday and 5 years after joining Ógra Shinn Féin I was appointed National Organiser.
From that time we have continued to grow and continued to professionalise the organisation. We are building communication, activity and discussion.
We have daily actions organised throughout Ireland, continuing to engage Irish youth on republican and social issues that affect their everyday life.
We now have a daily updated website and blogspot, weekly circular, bi-weekly newsletter, constant stream of films, and are soon launching the republican youth e - zine Spark.
The past 2 years have been difficult for republicans, we have had a number of elections, the Lisbon Treaty referendum and of course the policing debate.
It was a time of high emotions, strain and doubt, but the huge level of debate that took place and the extraordinary levels of comradeship has ensured that we remained united, and focussed on the task at hand.
Ógra Shinn Féin voted in opposition to the Ard Comhairle motion and submitted an alternate document proposing municipal policing and a separation of state and policing.
The mature level of debate and confidence of Ógra was evident at the Special Ard Fheis and this was further demonstrated by the fact that the overwhelming majority of Ógra activists, while disagreeing, respected the outcome of the Special Ard Fheis and have remained committed activists since.
Despite these difficult times, Ógra continues to make huge strides forward. The young confident Ógra activists have demonstrated huge leadership, and it is this that will ensure Ógra remains the radical campaigning edge of the party.
Ógra Shinn Féin, a young political organisation, only 10 years into existence.
Over those 10 years, many significant things have happened in Irish Republicanism, from the Good Friday Agreement, to the IRA calling for an end to their armed campaign, the story of the peace process has been an interesting one and at times testing.
Ógra Shinn Féin faced these huge challenges head on, and moved forward stronger every time.
We have provided a revolutionary youthful voice from our existence, we have recruited many fine young activists who are now leadership, we have campaigned on many relevant and crucial issues, and we continue to spark and lead discussion on the future of the republican struggle.
Ógra will continue to provide the activists of tomorrow, the leadership of tomorrow and it will be this generation of Ógra activists that will ensure ‘the liberation of all and final defeat of the oppressors of our aged nation!’
Tiocfaidh ár lá!
Cen fáth nach gcuireann píosa Gaeilge ar an bhlog!!?!?
Film review Che: Part One – The ArgentineCert (15) 126 mins
The Sinn Féin Assembly Member continued,
