Ógra On The Move

A vibrant atmosphere was in the air on Saturday, 17 June as a new branch of Ógra Shinn Féin was launched in Castlederg, County Tyrone.

Barry McColgan, Six County organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin opened the meeting and gave a brief outline of the important role of republican youth throughout the struggle for freedom.

Members of the newly formed Cumann then identified key issues in Castlederg in which they will be active in the coming months. These included drugs awareness, demilitarisation, collusion, suicide prevention, proper policing Orange marches in the County Tyrone town.

Castlederg Ógra Shinn Féin spokesperson Grace Lynch said: "The youth in particular, in this area have always been to the forefront of the struggle for Irish freedom. If we look at IRA Volunteers such as Seamus Harvey, Gerard McGlynn and Josie Connolly, after whom we have named our Cumann, we can see the resistance here to the British occupation of Ireland. These were all young men, so it is fitting that we will be use the name of James Joseph Connlly for the new cumann.

"Today's republican youth will continue this long and noble struggle and we hope to be the generation which will see it through to a successful conclusion. We have identified a number of campaigns and hope to contribute to the achievement of the type of free Ireland that Seamus, Gerard and Josie died for.