New plaque unveiled to Fian Tobias Molloy

A LARGE NUMBER of republicans from Strabane and Lifford gathered at midday on Saturday 16th July at the unveiling of a new memorial plaque to mark the 39th anniversary of the death of Fianna Éireann member Tobias Molloy, killed by a rubber bullet fired by the British Army at the ‘Camel’s Hump’ checkpoint on 16th July 1972.
In a ceremony jointly organised by Ógra Shinn Féin and Strabane National Graves, the new memorial plaque was unveiled close to the spot where Tobias had been fatally injured and replaced the original plaque which had been damaged.
Proceedings were chaired by John McDermott and fellow Ógra member James McMackin recounted the events surrounding Tobias’s death and his funeral saying:
“Tobias Molloy was 18 years old when, returning from his girlfriend’s home in Lifford, he was struck above the heart by a rubber bullet fired by the British Army. The British propagandists were quick to claim that Tobias was shot while taking part in a riot but these claims were disputed by local eyewitnesses who were adamant that he was nowhere near the riot and was shot down in cold blood without reason.”
Local youths helped carry the injured Tobias to Lifford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
“As his body was taken home from across the border, accompanied by hundreds of mourners, it was attacked by British soldiers as it passed by their army base. Mourners were forced to fight their way through as they were attacked with batons and rubber bullets, some of which hit the hearse which carried the dead Fianna boy’s coffin.
“The funeral, which was attended by thousands of people from the west Tyrone area stretched over five miles to the Donneyloop graveyard in Donegal. As the remains reached the cemetery it was surrounded by hundreds of Free State soldiers and gardaí.”
Speaking on behalf of the Molloy family, Anne Caldwell thanked the organisers of the commemoration and expressed pride in the fact that, 39 years on, so many people had turned up to remember Tobias.
The ceremony ended with a minute’s silence in memory of Tobias and in memory of all those who have given their lives in the cause of Irish freedom.