2 October 1997 Edition
Ahern and Crowley remembered in Cork
Garda Special Branch detectives were intent on disrupting events organised to mark the anniversary of IRA Volunteers Tony Ahern and Dermot Crowley in Cork last weekend. However, the weekend proved a great success.
Corkmen Ahern and Crowley were killed within a month of each other in 1973 while on active service with the IRA in County Tyrone.
Martin Meehan from Ardoyne in Belfast delivered the Ahern/Crowley memorial lecture on Saturday. Outside, Special Branch officers maintained an obvious presence and stopped and questioned a number of people on their way out.
A social event later the same evening was disrupted by gardai who claimed to have received a bomb warning. Local republicans are in no doubt that the alleged warning was a hoax which originated with the Special Branch. The search of the bar was at best cursory. Premises on either side were not evacuated and people were permitted to stand around on the street outside.
There was further Garda harassment at the commemoration ceremony the following day at St Finbarr's Cemetery ,where the main oration was delivered by Cireall Mac Curtain.
Corkmen Ahern and Crowley were killed within a month of each other in 1973 while on active service with the IRA in County Tyrone.
Martin Meehan from Ardoyne in Belfast delivered the Ahern/Crowley memorial lecture on Saturday. Outside, Special Branch officers maintained an obvious presence and stopped and questioned a number of people on their way out.
A social event later the same evening was disrupted by gardai who claimed to have received a bomb warning. Local republicans are in no doubt that the alleged warning was a hoax which originated with the Special Branch. The search of the bar was at best cursory. Premises on either side were not evacuated and people were permitted to stand around on the street outside.
There was further Garda harassment at the commemoration ceremony the following day at St Finbarr's Cemetery ,where the main oration was delivered by Cireall Mac Curtain.