25 November 1999 Edition
Volunteer Michael McVerry honoured
The Volunteer Michael McVerry Memorial Lecture was delivered by Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin at Cullyhanna, Co. Armagh on Friday, 19 November. IRA Volunteer McVerry died on active service on 15 November 1973 at the age of 21. He was widely known and respected in the South Armagh community.
Addressing the large gathering at the Cullyhanna event, the Sinn Féin TD said that the young Volunteer ``had lived through experiences which very few people have to encounter. His courage was legendary but he was a very real person, not a legendary figure, and his was a real and irreplaceable loss to all who knew and loved him''.
During the course of his lecture, Ó Caoláin said:
``The most fitting memorial to Michael and to all those who have given their lives in the struggle for freedom will be the achievement of their goal of Irish unity and independence. Until that goal is achieved, the republican struggle will continue. Our struggle for freedom is not over, and will not be over, until the 32-County republic is established.
``The form of struggle changes, we go through many phases of struggle, and we adapt our strategy and tactics to suit new political circumstances - and indeed to create new political circumstances - but we remain steadfast in pursuit of our ultimate goal.''
Paying tribute to the people of South Armagh he said:
``No community has been more faithful to that ideal than the republican people of South Armagh. It is has been my privilege to know and work with this community over many years. The republicans of this part of our country have been to the fore in the resistance against oppression.
``You have inspired people throughout Ireland and beyond our shores. I salute your courage and ingenuity through three decades of struggle. I salute also the key and central role you have played in ensuring the success so far of the republican peace strategy.
``The continued presence here in South Armagh of the heaviest concentration of British military forces and installations in Europe is a shame and a disgrace to the British government. I pay tribute to the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee for their work to highlight the scandal of ongoing militarisation in South Armagh. Progress on removing these bases which blight the lives of the people of South Armagh will be one of the acid tests of the Good Friday Agreement in the months ahead.''
Addressing the large gathering at the Cullyhanna event, the Sinn Féin TD said that the young Volunteer ``had lived through experiences which very few people have to encounter. His courage was legendary but he was a very real person, not a legendary figure, and his was a real and irreplaceable loss to all who knew and loved him''.
During the course of his lecture, Ó Caoláin said:
``The most fitting memorial to Michael and to all those who have given their lives in the struggle for freedom will be the achievement of their goal of Irish unity and independence. Until that goal is achieved, the republican struggle will continue. Our struggle for freedom is not over, and will not be over, until the 32-County republic is established.
``The form of struggle changes, we go through many phases of struggle, and we adapt our strategy and tactics to suit new political circumstances - and indeed to create new political circumstances - but we remain steadfast in pursuit of our ultimate goal.''
Paying tribute to the people of South Armagh he said:
``No community has been more faithful to that ideal than the republican people of South Armagh. It is has been my privilege to know and work with this community over many years. The republicans of this part of our country have been to the fore in the resistance against oppression.
``You have inspired people throughout Ireland and beyond our shores. I salute your courage and ingenuity through three decades of struggle. I salute also the key and central role you have played in ensuring the success so far of the republican peace strategy.
``The continued presence here in South Armagh of the heaviest concentration of British military forces and installations in Europe is a shame and a disgrace to the British government. I pay tribute to the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee for their work to highlight the scandal of ongoing militarisation in South Armagh. Progress on removing these bases which blight the lives of the people of South Armagh will be one of the acid tests of the Good Friday Agreement in the months ahead.''