Hunger Strike | 30th anniversary events

Cavan/Monaghan pays tribute to Kieran Doherty TD

Shay Duffy, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Shane Duffy, Art Corcoran Halpin, Councillors Charlie Boylan and Damien Brady, and Pat Cusack

THE 30th anniversary Kieran Doherty TD Commemoration was held in Cavan Town on Sunday 31st July by Cavan Sinn Féin Comhairle Ceantair.
Colour parties, bands, elected representatives and supporters made their way through Main Street, College Street and around to the monument at Cavan Courthouse where the Kieran Doherty Sinn Féin Cumann, Bailieboro, unveiled their new banner to coincide with Kieran’s anniversary.
At the Courthouse, Councillor Damien Brady, Chair of Cavan Comhairle Ceantair, presided over the laying of the wreaths.
Julie Corcoran, Secretary of Cavan Comhairle Ceantair, read from ‘The Diary of Bobby Sands’ and concluded with reading out the names of the ten H-Block Martyrs.
Councillor Charlie Boylan, who was Kieran’s election agent in 1981, addressed the crowd along with ex-prisoner Seán Murray. Current TD for Cavan/Monaghan Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin gave an impassioned speech to conclude. Tom Rehil read the Roll of Honour.
Monaghan Sinn Féin held their own commemoration on 1st August at 7pm in Monaghan Town, on the eve of Kieran’s death. Senator Kathryn Reilly chaired and speakers included Michael Doherty, brother of Kieran, and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD amongst others.

Donegal County Council honours Hunger Strikers

ALL-PARTY support for a Sinn Féin motion at July’s meeting of Donegal County Council recognising the courage and the aims of the 1981 Hunger Strikers has been welcomed by Sinn Féin Councillor Mick Quinn.
“Thirty years ago,” Mick Quinn said, “ten young Irishmen endured terrible hardships and suffered horrific, painful deaths with the aim of bringing peace, equality and unity to this island.
“I believe that it is fitting that in a border county like Donegal the bravery of these men has been recognised by all political parties.”
Mick Quinn added:
“The legacy of these men has been the Peace Process and an Ireland relentlessly travelling on a path to a nation in which all our children will be cherished equally.”

Athlone Ógra event in memory of Martin Hurson

DOZENS of young people from Athlone and neighbouring areas turned out for ‘30 Years On: Athlone Youth Remember the 1981 Hunger Strikers’, which took place on the 30th anniversary of the death of Hunger Striker and former general election candidate for Longford/Westmeath, Martin Hurson, in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh on 13th July 1981.
The night of events, organised by Athlone Ógra Shinn Fein, included a book launch of the recently republished ‘Diary of Bobby Sands’, a talk on the topic of ‘Youth in Struggle’ given by Seán Lynch, ex-POW and now MLA for Fermanagh/South Tyrone, and a DVD showing of ‘Blanketmen’, a documentary by Belfast film-maker Barry Curran which focuses on the 1976-81 H-Block no-wash protests that eventually led to the hunger strikes and is told on screen by a number of republican former prisoners.
Local Ógra Shinn Féin member David McWeeney said afterwards:
“It really is heartening to see so many young people from around the town turning up for tonight’s event. It goes to show how much the 1981 Hunger Strike still resonates with people up and down the country who were not even around during the 1980s.
“We have had dreadful government mismanagement for too long on this island and it is up to the young people of this country to start deciding what we want for Ireland’s future. After only a few months in government, Fine Gael and the Labour Party have hiked third-level education fees, cut vital services to Roscommon County Hospital and laid out plans to slash wage protections for the lowest-paid in our society among a plethora of other cuts and u-turns on election promises. That is certainly not the Ireland those ten men died fighting for in the cells of Long Kesh.
“The best way to honour the memory of Martin Hurson is for young people to get involved in campaigning for positive change within their communities in whatever way they can. I encourage any young person between the ages of 15 and 28 to join Ógra Shinn Féin.”

California commemorates Joe McDonnell

MEMBERS of the Joseph Plunkett/Joe McDonnell Ancient Order of Hibernians Division in Long Beach and Orange County, California, met to commemorate Volunteer Joe McDonnell on 9th July, the weekend of the 30th anniversary of his death on the 1981 Hunger Strike.
Noting that all his colleagues are proud to carry the name of Joe McDonnell, Joseph Plunkett/Joe McDonnell Division President Daniel McGowan said:
“Joe McDonnell was an unwavering Volunteer, committed to the republican cause for Irish freedom. We are all honoured and truly humbled to pay tribute to such a sound individual.”

Dungiven remembers Kevin Lynch

Kevin Lynch Commemoration, in Kevin’s home town of Dungiven, Derry, on Sunday 31st July

Wreath laying and vigil in memory of the 1981 Hunger Strikers, Bantry, Cork