15 January 1998 Edition
By-election springboard for West Tyrone
By Mick Naughton.
HOPES are high in West Tyrone that Sinn Féin candidate Terence Brogan will win a council seat in a by-election in Omagh.
Commenting on the Sinn Féin prospects, councillor Sean Begley said, ``Judging by the votes cast in the Mid-Tyrone Electoral area last May, Sinn Féin has more support than all of the other parties contesting this by-election added together.''
In last May's election Sinn Fein polled 3856, with the SDLP only managing 1605.
Speaking with the benefit of having played a key role in Martin McGuinness's successful Westminister election last summer, Begly reminded voters that for the first time the area was being fully represented following Sinn Fein's stunning victory over the DUP's Willie McCrea.
That success was speedily followed by Begley's election as the first nationalist chairperson of the neighbouring Cookstown District Council.
``We are taking this by-election very seriously indeed,'' he continued. ``Above all, we see this as a chance for nationalists to give a vote of confidence in Sinn Fein's stewardship of the peace process and to use it as a referendum on Ulster Unionist MP Willie Thompson's time in office from last May.
``Terence has pledged to reinforce the strongest political team on Omagh council. To this end that team is busy working to have the British government re-direct the millions spent on militarisation in the Omagh area towards the cash starved County Hospital, the local roads infrastructure and schools,'' Begley said.
Gerry Adams added his endorsement to the Brogan candidature in an address to party workers in Carrickmore.
As the election campaign gains momentum, Brogan has called on the Elctoral Office to end its ``discrimnatroy practice of using Orange halls as polling stations.''
The halls, adorned with Union Jacks and banners depicting the Queen, are not seen as neutral venues for nationalists and create a charged atmosphere, he said.
Sinn Féin is taking legal advice on the matter.
Terence Brogan and his family are no strangers to the threat of loyalist death squads or state oppression. Indeed, he successfully prosecuted the British government over his illegal detention in the late 1980s. In July 1994 his then 69 year old mother, while alone in the isolated family farm, was `buzzed' repeatedly by a Wessex helicopter. The aircraft then dropped a squad of RIR troops who positioned themselves around the house terrorising the widow.
The January 21 election follows the death of Unionist councillor, Dessie Anderson.
HOPES are high in West Tyrone that Sinn Féin candidate Terence Brogan will win a council seat in a by-election in Omagh.
Commenting on the Sinn Féin prospects, councillor Sean Begley said, ``Judging by the votes cast in the Mid-Tyrone Electoral area last May, Sinn Féin has more support than all of the other parties contesting this by-election added together.''
In last May's election Sinn Fein polled 3856, with the SDLP only managing 1605.
Speaking with the benefit of having played a key role in Martin McGuinness's successful Westminister election last summer, Begly reminded voters that for the first time the area was being fully represented following Sinn Fein's stunning victory over the DUP's Willie McCrea.
That success was speedily followed by Begley's election as the first nationalist chairperson of the neighbouring Cookstown District Council.
``We are taking this by-election very seriously indeed,'' he continued. ``Above all, we see this as a chance for nationalists to give a vote of confidence in Sinn Fein's stewardship of the peace process and to use it as a referendum on Ulster Unionist MP Willie Thompson's time in office from last May.
``Terence has pledged to reinforce the strongest political team on Omagh council. To this end that team is busy working to have the British government re-direct the millions spent on militarisation in the Omagh area towards the cash starved County Hospital, the local roads infrastructure and schools,'' Begley said.
Gerry Adams added his endorsement to the Brogan candidature in an address to party workers in Carrickmore.
As the election campaign gains momentum, Brogan has called on the Elctoral Office to end its ``discrimnatroy practice of using Orange halls as polling stations.''
The halls, adorned with Union Jacks and banners depicting the Queen, are not seen as neutral venues for nationalists and create a charged atmosphere, he said.
Sinn Féin is taking legal advice on the matter.
Terence Brogan and his family are no strangers to the threat of loyalist death squads or state oppression. Indeed, he successfully prosecuted the British government over his illegal detention in the late 1980s. In July 1994 his then 69 year old mother, while alone in the isolated family farm, was `buzzed' repeatedly by a Wessex helicopter. The aircraft then dropped a squad of RIR troops who positioned themselves around the house terrorising the widow.
The January 21 election follows the death of Unionist councillor, Dessie Anderson.