Remember the POWs this Christmas

Barry McNally

It is all to easy to get wound up in the festive cheer and hype in the run up to Christmas and while I do no advocate going ‘cold turkey’ (excuse the Pun) on Christmas altogether I do ask everyone as you sit around your table this Christmas spare a thought for republican prisoners who spend yet another Christmas away from home and loved ones.

In years gone by Christmas for republican POWs were a time of comradary, prisoners understood each other’s position. During the festive season candles would glow on windows throughout Ireland, in memory of the republican prisoners.

However 8 years on from the signing of the GFA agreement and over 10 years on from the IRA cessation the fact still remains that these men have to face Christmas in the bleak dark setting of a prison cell. The decision by the leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann in July 2005 in calling an end to that phase of the armed conflict removed and precondition for IRA POWS to be held incarcerated. History has shown that the end of any military campaign heralds the release of political hostages, why so is this not the case in Ireland.

The Dublin government, in particular have yet to fulfil its part in releasing IRA POWS in Portlaoise and Castlerea. Other prisoners who face Christmas behind bars are our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends and comrades.

Ógra Shinn Fein have been campaigning, along with it other groups to ensure the men do not have to spend another Christmas away from home and loved ones.

This Christmas we will again highlight their plight by having protests and vigils in the west Tyrone area in the run up to Christmas to show our support to our republican comrades who face the dreadful task of facing Christmas away from home.

The onus is firmly on the London and Dublin Governments to ensure that these men are released so that they too can enjoy Christmas with friends and family.