Campa Naisiúnta Oige

With a successful close to the Scoil Samhraidh, Coiste staff set off almost immediately to hold the first ever Campa Naisiúnta Óige on Oileán Arainn. Unexpected atrocious bad weather almost disrupted plans but preparations were only delayed, not aborted. Last Thursday, with a full size marquee, generator, motor transport and individual tents safely transported onto the island campsite, the staff of Coiste began preparing for the arrival of 50 participants plus speakers. Passers-by stopped to marvel at the transformation of two empty, barren fields into a bustling campsite.

That afternoon, buses brought the participants from as far afield as Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Dublin, Louth, Belfast, Strabane and Monaghan and by then the islanders were well aware that this was no ordinary group of tourists disembarking from the ferry. Word of mouth had quickly carried news of the youth camp.

Stephen McGlade, Youth Officer with Coiste's PNB programme and Mickey Bravander, National Organiser of Ógra Sinn Féin, welcomed everyone to the event. Laurence McKeown, Research Co-ordinator with Coiste, gave the opening address, focusing on vision and how to turn it into reality. "Just a few months ago, the vision of a Youth Camp was only that, a vision," he said. "But it is what we need to begin with. To then move from vision to reality requires a plan, requires people, requires organisation, discipline, ingenuity, energy and all of that is evident in the group of people who have turned this particular vision into a reality. Others could have said, well, why hold it on the Aran Islands? Why not in a more accessible venue? Why make more work for yourselves? But where is the spirit of youth in that? And where would be more fitting for the theme of Tracing Our Roots -Building the Future, than the Aran Islands?"

The sun shone for the next two days and though rain returned on Friday night it didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the participants. During the day they engaged with speakers including Dara Molloy, a local monk; Mike Ritchie of Coiste; Denis O'Hearn of Queen's University; Johnston Price of the Ulster People's College; Catherine Reilly, journalist with Metro Éireann; and Daithí Mac An Bhaistir. At night they partied to the music of Bréag, Cruachán and local traditional musicians.

Stephen McGlade summed up the experience. "It was the first time republicans have held a youth camp, so it was historic. It was a brilliant experience. More importantly, all the participants displayed a very good image of what young republicans are about. Those who live on the island have commented upon that and it's why they so readily came to our assistance when difficulties arose. We worked very closely with the islanders and felt very welcome."