Fergal O’Donnell Speech at ‘Murder Triangle’ Talk in Pomeroy

Fergal O’Donnell
(Brother of Vol. Dwayne O’Donnell)

I would like to thank the Dwayne O’Donnell Ógra Shinn Féin cumann for organising tonight’s event to coincide with the 20th anniversary of those murdered at Boyle’s Bar, Cappagh, twenty years ago.

I also want to thank Seana and Marie Claire for approaching my family and asking us to endorse the naming of the new local Ógra cumann after Dwayne.

It is fitting in different ways that Dwayne is associated with this new youth wing of Sinn Fein – he himself was one of the youngest volunteers to be killed, at only 17 years of age.

Our mum is also a Pomeroy woman and Granny still resides in Shanroy so the connection with this area is a strong one. It will also ensure that the memory of Dwayne will be honoured and remembered for years to come and for that I am delighted.

As a youth worker by profession, I also firmly believe in the potential of young people and such initiatives are extremely important if we are to promote republican values amongst young people and to ensure that we have highly skilled and articulate people within the republican movement.

Despite Dwayne’s being on 17, he did in many ways belie his young age. He was extremely mature, had a great presence, was very focused and ambitious, and had a fierce determination to succeed in life. Like his father he was a gifted engineer and was undoubtedly destined for great things. He was also a fantastic older brother to us all, and was always obliging in supporting us in whatever way he possibly could.

When we talk now of making big decisions at a young age we think of making choices around education, about travels, employment and relationships perhaps. But Dwayne’s choice to join Óglaigh na hÉireann surpassed all these, by what are most standards, important decisions – he was willing to dramatically change his life, he was willing to put his own safety in jeopardy, knowing full well of what consequences he might face.

And it is important to try and understand why such young men like Dwayne, and many others including his comrades Malcolm and John who died alongside him, decided to take such a stance.

You only have to look at the situation in which they found themselves – they grew up at a time where their own community was being treated unfairly and unjustly – being treated as second class citizens in terms of housing, employment and electoral practices.

The average day consisted of harassment, insults, interrogation and abuse by the British State forces. They had seen other young men and women, many of whom where friends and neighbours, being imprisoned or killed by the out workings of an unlawful and sectarian Government.

At only 14 Dwayne was arrested and charged for taking number plates of RUC officer’s cars as the left Dungannon barracks. Whilst perhaps not fully understanding the consequences of what he was doing, it did demonstrate Dwayne’s intention to try and redress the situation his community faced.

At a personal level Dwayne’s loss for the family was a tragedy. Mum and Dad lost their eldest son and we had lost a loving brother. There was now to be a void in our family that could never and will never be filled. We have nonetheless nothing but respect and pride for what Dwayne lived for and what he died for.

We also have the additional burden of knowing that British State forces colluded with loyalist gangs to facilitate the murder in Cappagh and I know Francie will explore this a little further later. To be honest when you look at the history of British occupation in the North of Ireland it is clear that this was just one of so many different murders in which loyalist gangs where provided with the local knowledge, weaponry and accessibility to republican areas like Cappagh.

Loyalist gangs like the UVF would not have dared to enter a community such as Cappagh without such assistance. It is ironic but not surprising that no one was ever charged with the murders.

Ten years later whilst on a night out in Belfast as a student I was caught short whilst attending a bar in the city centre. I was reprimanded by a police officer, had my name and address taken and had probably been in line for either a fine or perhaps just a telling off. But one officer who had obviously verified my details with HQ, approached me and made a comment “your boy got it with Baldy John”.

This was obviously to antagonise the situation (which it did) but also showed that ten years from losing Dwayne, and living in this new era, that there was still very sectarian attitudes within security forces.

Much has changed however in the republican movement since Dwayne died in 1991. Only a number of years after losing Dwayne a different approach was deployed by republicans which was unanimously supported at that time. It was to forge ahead on a political agenda and try bringing some stability to this area. It was a significant change in tactics and one which was to challenge us all.

It required a building of relationships with those that had suppressed our community for so long. It was to radically change the political landscape, and we have seen this manifest itself over the last number of years. In these negotiations we have seen Sinn Féin grow to become the biggest nationalist party and perhaps soon to be the biggest party in Government.

Negotiation, by its very definition, means we have to compromise on certain disputed areas. It is my opinion however that we have made significant progress, particularly in areas of equality, in protecting the most disadvantaged, in demilitarisation, and in increased representation – on an all Ireland level – as the count in the south is showing today.

One of the greatest steps perhaps has now been the decision to engage in local policing structures and in light on what we are here for tonight, it can be understandably difficult to accept such a move.

I do not feel however that this is a concession, and rather a step towards ensuring that we place ourselves in positions whereby we can scrutinise and hold to account the actions of the police service going forward, the level of accountability upon policing has never been greater.

Abstaining from such structures will not serve to root out the sectarian attitudes which have been prevalent in the past. By not being involved we perhaps will only serve to maintain the status quo of a largely sectarian police force which has not served us well in the past. It does not also prevent us from continuing to seek the truth about collusion and in my opinion strengthens the opportunity for doing so.

I understand why and for what reasons people find the current situation challenging – I understand this as much as anyone. Which I firmly believe that we need to continue celebrating and reflecting upon those that have been at the forefront of this struggle – like we are doing tonight – we also need to ensure that more families do not endure the pain and suffering that we ourselves have experienced.

We need an alternative which I believe we now have and I am confident in our leadership that true republican values will be upheld as we press ahead.