Ógra Shinn Féin joins National Youth Council

The Sinn Féin youth wing last week received a significant boost when the National Youth Council of Ireland accepted its application to join the umbrella organisation. The National Youth Council decided at their annual general meeting, held in Limerick last weekend, to accept Ógra Shinn Féin as delegates to their organisation.

The Ógra Shinn Féin delegation that travelled to Limerick to present the case for membership were North Kerry Councillor Toireasa Ní Fheireasa, Trinity College member Ciarán Doherty, former Ógra National Organiser Cllr Matt Carthy and Munster Ógra organiser Eamon Clancy.

While there never has been a valid reason to prevent Sinn Féin's youth wing from becoming members the decision has rested with member associations who include Ógra Fianna Fáil and Young Fine Gael. In the past they have rejected the Sinn Féin application. On this occasion however there was no difficulty in this regard. As Ciarán Doherty said afterwards "Finally the realisation that you cannot exclude the only all-Ireland party with a youth wing that has a campaigning dimension second to none has hit home."

Cllr Matt Carthy welcomed the overwhelming support Ógra Shinn Féin received for their application to join the National Youth Council. "Talking to members of community and voluntary groups it was clear that they see Sinn Féin as a party that with a record of work and activism within local communities that is unparalleled. It was very positive to see that the role of Ógra Shinn Féin in various campaigns was recognised and credited by many of the organisations."

Councillor Toireasa Ní Fheireasa said afterwards: "I am delighted that Ógra Shinn Féin have been accepted as members of the National Youth Council and that we received such support. It is an important advance for us and will allow us to expand our involvement in youth affairs across the island.

"Ógra Shinn Féin is the second largest party youth wing in Ireland. It is an active youth organisation which plays a crucial role within Sinn Féin also, as was seen by our involvement in this week's Assembly election. It is unafraid to take to the streets of Belfast to demand a new beginning to policing, to the streets of County Monaghan and Dublin to demand a fair deal on insurance for young drivers or to the streets of Drogheda to demand the closure of Sellafield."

Eamon Clancy, Munster organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin, told An Phoblacht that the significance of the move should not be underestimated by republicans. "Ógra has broken into yet another avenue where once we were excluded. We will now take our unique campaigning approach into the National Youth Council and we look forward to working with its member organisations in the future."