Strabane Ógra Shinn Féin Remember Bobby Sands!
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news report 
Tuesday May 09, 2006 17:19
by Ógra B - Ógra Shinn Féin
Ógra Shinn Fein in Strabane held a white line vigil in the town centre on Saturday 6th May. The vigil was part of a weekend of events organised across the country to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the death of bobby sands on Hunger-Strike in 1981.
Spokesperson for Ogra Shinn Fein, Sean Mac Giolla Easpaig commended the good attendance at the vigil and called on the people of Strabane especially the youth to get involved in similar events planned for the year to commemorate this hugely significant anniversary.
He said,
“25 years ago ten Irish Republicans gave their lives on Hunger-strike to defeat the British policy of criminalisation of political prisoners. It is of great importance that 25 years on, people the length and breadth of Ireland continue to remember these brave Irish patriots with pride, and that oppressed people throughout the world continue to be inspired by their courage and determination.”
Saturday also saw the unveiling by Ogra Shinn Fein, of ten murals dedicated to the 1981 Hunger-strikers which are situated at Meetinghouse street. Speaking at the unveiling, Sinn Fein councillor Brian McMahon commended the hours of work put into the murals and described them as a fitting tribute by the young people, some of whom were not even born at the time of the 1981 Hunger-strike. Brian McMahon echoed Ogra Shinn Fein’s calls for more young people to educate themselves on this event, which was a massive turning point in Irish history, and to get involved in commemorative events planned for the duration of 2006. He also called for more people to play their part in the struggle for which these ten Irish Revolutionaries gave their lives. ENDs