Fermanagh Ógra Shinn Féin recreate Pearse Column Walk

A large crowd of over 20 young republicans gathered at Altawark monument outside Roslea early on Sunday morning. Their purpose was to retrace the heroic escape across the mountains from Altawark in Fermanagh to Monaghan after the famous 1957 raid on Brookeborough RUC Barracks in which Seán South and Feargal O'Hanlon lost their lives.

The event, which was organised by Fermanagh Ógra Shinn Féin, sought to better inform young republicans of the heroic activities of the members of the Pearse Column and to commemorate the two gallant men that lost their lives in the attack.


Republicans from across Ireland are aware of the Brookeborough raid from the songs "Sean South" and "The Patriot Game", but there is much more to the story than is told through these folk songs, and it is only by doing things such as taking part in this gruelling challenge that one can appreciate the challenges that the volunteers faced that fateful night.

Over the last number of years, local republicans have put a lot of work into remembering those who were members of the Pearse Column, including rebuilding Micky Joe Mulligan's house, where the volunteers sought refuge across the border in Co Monaghan, as well as the restoration of a Bedford lorry, which is identical to the one used on the raid.

Once the walk had been completed, the crowd gathered at Derrygannon Hall for a barbeque and a discussion with Bobby Storey, Chairperson of Belfast Sinn Féin, and a close friend of the late Eugene Cosgrove, who played a key role in organising many of the commemorative events for the Pearse Column volunteers.