Cork Ógra remembers na Fianna at Manchester Martyrs Commemoration.

A Fianna Éireann colour party consisting of members of Cork Ógra led the annual Manchester Martyrs commemoration in Bandon this Sunday the 8th of November.


The annual commemoration was the culmination of a weekend of events in West Cork, which included a tour of west Cork, and the performance of 'The Great Escape with Bobby Storey, Gerry Kelly, and Bik mcFarlane.

The Manchester Martyrs, Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien, were hanged in Manchester in 1867 after being convicted of shooting a policeman in the attempt to free IRB members Thomas J Kelly, and Timothy Deasy. There has been a long running campaign to have the men's bodies reinterned in Glasnevin Cemetary, as they now lie in a mass grave in Blackley Cemetary in Manchester.


The commemoration on the Sunday evening was led by a Fianna Eireann colour party to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Na Fianna, and included members of Ógra from Cork City and one from the UL cumann.

The oration was given by Fra McCann, MLA for West Belfast, and he along with a number of the other speakers took the time to commend Ógra on their display in hounour of Na Fianna.

Cork Ógra spokesperson, David Collins, had this to say 'Throughout the year Ógra has played a leading role in remembering the centenary year of na fianna, and we in cork are proud to have the opportunity to commemorate their struggle and their sacrifice. As the republican youth movement, Ógra will continue to fight for the ideals Na Fianna espoused, and to commemorate our patriot dead.'

Ógra colour Party with Cllr Noel Harrington (Kinsale), Mayor of Youghal Sandra McLellan, Paddy Adams, Fra McCann MLA, Cllr Rachel mcCarthy (Bandon), and Cllr Donnacha O' Seaghdha (Skibbereen).