Sheena Campbell Cumann Remember Former Student

Students of Queen’s University Belfast gathered on Wednesday the 6^th of March in remembrance of former QUB student Mairéad Farrell. Mairéad was a member of the cumann at the time of her murder 25 years ago.

The memorial opened with the showing of a documentary recording the events surrounding the fortnight of tragic occurrences which began on the 6^th of March 1988. This was both informative and emotional for the audience. The documentary (as seen below) detailed the attack, by Michael Stone, on the funeral on March 16^th and the bravery shown by those who attempted to stop him. Tributes were paid to Thomas McErlean, John Murray and Volunteers Kevin McCracken and Caoimhín Mac Brádaigh who died protecting their community.

 

Barry McElduff, who was a student at QUB at the time, addressed the event as did Jennifer McCann, a close friend of both Mairéad Farrell and Dan McCann, Seán Bateson, chair of QUB SF, chaired the event.  

McElduff gave an account of the university cumann’s reaction to the murders in Gibraltar. He recounted the cumann occupying the Chancellor’s Office at Queen’s in an attempt to have the murders marked by the university. Upon the death of a student it was common practice for QUB to lower the flag to half mast; however, they refused to do so for Mairéad, labelling her a ‘terrorist’. McElduff and others, in an act of comradeship, took over the office and lowered the flag to half mast themselves. He also spoke of the tough and tense times at the University in the months that followed.

Jennifer McCann spoke of Dan McCann, Seán Savage and Mairéad Farrell, describing them as ordinary young people, full of life, who happened to live in extraordinary times. She detailed their dedication to the struggle.

Seán Bateson, speaking after the event, stated “We are delighted with the turn out and interest shown in tonight’s proceedings. As a cumann, we felt that it was important to remember all that happened in March 1988 and in particular Mairéad, as a former student. The speakers were very informative and I think everyone left this evening better educated as to what happened 25 years ago this week.”