Ogra Shinn Féin make history

Last weekend Ógra Shinn Féin held a very successful commemorative event in honour of the 1981 hunger strikers. It was the first time in decades that a republican parade marched through the ancient city and it was well received by locals and visitors alike. A rally held outside Kilkenny Castle was chaired by ÓSF local organiser Peader de Bluit and the main speakers were Lisburn City Councillor Paul Butler and Carlow/Kilkenny SF General Election candidate Kathleen Funchion. Speaking in the aftermath of the weekend's events, de Bluit said that the large attendence Ógra activists in Kilkenny for the event "will indeed indicate to people, especially the youth of Kilkenny that Ógra Shinn Féin are active in a big way and that we offer a progressive, radical alternative".

Ogra expansion in Down

South Down Ógra Shinn Féin held a launch of a new cumann at Warrenpoint Town Hall on 21 July. The MP for Newry and Armagh Conor Murphy and South Down MLA Caitriona Ruane both spoke at the event welcoming over 60 members of the Pádraig Pearse cumann of Mourne and Crotlieve Ógra Shinn Féin. Ogra representatives at the event noted the remarkable growth of the youth group which has established seven new branches in the Six Counties alone this year and said they would continue to campaign on and highlight priority issues such as suicide prevention, political policing, Six-County representation in the Dáil and the promotion of the Irish language. After the meeting, Ógra Shinn Féin activists joined Caitriona Ruane MLA at a protest against political policing outside the town's PSNI station.