Ógra activist Liam Lappin introduced the lecture and gave a brief summary on the life of Vol. James Sheridan. James had once studied at UUJ when it was known as a technical college, so it was therefore a fitting tribute to him that the college cumann was named after him when it was formed almost four years ago. James Sheridan went on to join Oglaigh na h'Eireann and became one of the first volunteers in the south Derry brigade to be killed on active service in December 1971 when a bomb he was transporting exploded prematurely killing himself and two other volunteers in Magherafelt.
Ian Milne, a former republican prisoner of war and long standing republican activist gave a detailed account of what life was like growing up in south Derry in the 1960's. He spoke about the injustices and the oppression suffered by the people at the hands of the British government. These circumstances then led him to join the republican movement as a means of defending his community.
Ian admitted that although he first became involved through reactionary means, he later developed his politics and became a revolutionary activist. Like many other republicans, Ian worked hard at developing Sinn Fein in the south Derry area, making it the great machine that it is today where he now serves as a Sinn Fein councillor in Magherafelt council.
Flash McVeigh also gave an account as to the reasons which led him becoming involved after the hungerstrike in 1981 and spoke about the importance to branch out and bring more republicans into our organisation. The event ended with a presentation being made to Ian Milne in honour of James Sheridan and his comrades by the James Sheridan Ógra Shinn Féin Cumann, Jordanstown.
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