Ógra Shinn Féin Visit Basque Country

international | miscellaneous | news report

Friday September 23, 2005 19:07

by Ógra Shinn Féin

Ógra Shinn Féin have just returned from the Basque Country recently. The purpose of the visit was to build and maintain links with the Basque youth movement, Segi.

Tuesday 6th September
The 15 strong delegation arrived in the Basque region on Tuesday and were treated to a traditional Basque meal when we arrived in Donestia. Donestia is a picturesque seaside tourist resort on the north of the Basque country. The Ógra delegation was based here for the week of events.

Wednesday 7th September
It was a 9:00am start on Wednesday morning for Ógra as we had several engagements lined up throughout the day. We were scheduled to meet with Segi in the morning and later with the Basque party Batasuna.
After these engagements Ógra addressed a gathering in Zarautz on the Irish republican struggle after the recent statement (28th July) by Óglaigh Na hÉireann. A large crowd had gathered to hear of the current situation in Ireland given the recent groundbreaking declaration by the army. The address was followed by a question and Answer session.

Thursday 8th September
On Thursday the Irish delegation met with LAB, a Basque trade union group in which Segi are actively involved in. We also met a representative from a Feminist group in the Basque region.
We then travelled to Baiona where the Ógra Shinn Féin delegation addressed another large gathering on the situation in Ireland; once more this was followed by a Question and Answer session.
We returned to Donestia were Ógra and Segi had a joint press conference. It was the first press conference the Segi were involved in them since they were deemed ‘illegal’ by the Spanish government. Therefore the media were there, two television cameras and several national newspapers were present. They also asked the Ógra delegation about the situation in Ireland after the Statement (28th July) by the IRA.

Friday 9th September
On Friday Ógra held meeting with a number of different organisations on the issues of Social Struggles, the importance of Languages and the importance of the students union movements worldwide.
In the evening we travelled to Iruná to address another gathering of Basques in that area. A reporter from a national newspaper accompanied us. She asked us various questions in relation to both the Irish and Basque struggles and once more she asked about the recent IRA initiative of calling an end to the 35 years of the armed campaign in Ireland.

Saturday 10th September
On Saturday we visited Durango. Banners proclaimed ‘Failte Ógra Shinn Féin’ greeted us. Not only banners welcomed us, the Basques had painted wall murals with the Ógra Shinn Féin symbol next to the star of Segi. A reporter interviewed members of Ógra in Durango on our visit to the Basque country and the current situation in the Irish Peace Process. Following this we were taken to a Basque music festival just outside Durango. There were upwards of 5,000 Basques present at the event. The Ógra Shinn Féin delegation joined in the craic agus ceol.

Sunday 11th September
On The Sunday of our visit we attended a Basque traditional festival in Donestia. There were upwards of 30,000 Basques present. The festival ran from 10:00am right through to 12:00 midnight. During the day the Basques had a procession to draw support for their prisoners, however not long after it had begun the Gardio civil had been deployed to try and break up the demonstration. However they were no match for thousands demanding equality, justice and freedom, and so the demonstration carried on unaffected.

Monday 12th September
On Monday the delegation were treated to a day off any political engagements. We toured the various sites and scenes around the Basque seaside resort.

On Tuesday the Ógra Shinn Féin delegation returned to Ireland. We went out to learn from the Basque struggle and particular learn from Segi. We went out to build and maintain links with the Basque youth movement however we returned to Ireland with much more. The trip will now be reversed in a number of months when the Basques will send over a delegation to Ireland to do a 7-day tour of Ireland. We are looking forward to hosting them and returning the hospitality and welcome that we got in the Basque County.

The Ógra Shinn Féin delegation to the Basque Country 2005 were: Barry McColgan, Barry McNally, Brian Keane, Cara McShane, Daithi McKay, Damien Daly, Emmet Mullin, Jack Murray, Joe Keegan, John McDermott, Maria Perkins, Mickey Bravender, Patsy McShane, Robbie Marron and Ryan O’Neill

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Comments (10 of 10)

Spend>>>>>!

by Chuky our 24 million!

Sat Sep 24, 2005 15:29

I suppose when you have £24,000,000 million to spend, whats a few junckets for the kids??

Nationalists are obsolete. Socialism and free union are the way forward

by Under the cover of darkness, a socialist lurks

Sat Sep 24, 2005 17:33

I am amused that the supporters of vicious thugs from Ireland went to the northern Spanish Basque region to offer support and friendship to vicious thugs there. It completely ignores the fact that the parties of the souverniste movemnet were rejected earlier this year in a braekthrough that meant that the people of the Basque Country can start ridding their lives of poisonous regional nationalism. People can be Basque and Spanish, can speak both languages. there is no need for an independent Basque Country. It is desired by nobody. Greater autonomy id the answer.

Freedom is about being free to work with others towards a common goal. A united Spain is a good thing for all of us in Europe. Europe does not need any more pathetic small nations. The age of the little nationalists is coming to an end and we must look to the future and build something new and worthwhile.

Desea vivo un País Vasco libre y socialista

Desea vivo una España libre, unida y socialista

Desea vivo una Europa libre, unida y socialista

Under the covers...

by Observer2

Sat Sep 24, 2005 18:01

Did you not know? The Shinners no longer support "vicious nationalist thugs". They are now manouvering to be part of a government which will do it's utmost to keep such thugs securely under lock and key. They will, in the great tradition of their "republican party" counterparts in Finance Forus stamp out any such physical force nationalist notions. No doubt Gerry will find a similar use for the Curragh that DeValera did. Perhaps they were sending the kids over to Spain to indoctrinate the young Basque nationalist in their new ideology. Personally I'd prefer to see those young Basques coming over for a visit to Ireland where they could speak with young Irish youth such as Saoirse Breatnach.

arrogance gets nowhere

by Con Carroll

Mon Sep 26, 2005 16:13

Nice one to ogra on their visit tothe Basque region
arroganceand ignorance neverseems tofailme or surprise me.
no doubt some with the attitude they have displayed here, would be in FineGael or Pds.
one is entitled to have political critcism of the leadership. without the snide comments
hopefully we will see Ogra at theDail in support with people who are asylum seekers Wednesday

by SEAN

Mon Sep 26, 2005 16:44

Does anyone have an email for Ógra

Is Eircom sponsoring Ogra Shinn Fein?

by Jim Cynic

Tue Sep 27, 2005 12:58

I see that two of the OSF delegation are wearing Eircom T-shirts. Is Eircom now sponsoring that organisation? Also have they decommissioned the petrol bomb from their OSF logo?

Maith shibh

by Iraultza-Reabhloid

Thu Sep 29, 2005 17:35

Well done Ogra Shinn Fein. I think it doesn't worth to pay any attention to these ignorants. Keep on in the struggle for independence and socialism and for a better world. There we'll meet Irish, Basque, Brazilians, Argentinians, Mexicans, Palestinians...etc. who are truely fighting to destroy imperialism and capitalism.

PD: Please keep Irish informed about the genuine revolutionary struggle of the Basque youth from wich all of us have a lot to learn.

Mhaith?

by observer2

Thu Sep 29, 2005 18:46

Since when are ogra sinn fein involved in anything other than preparing to assist their elders in government both north and south. These are people who sit down with the occupiers. Revolutionaries? you must be joking! Just look at the adults, Mary Lou? somehow I don't see her fitting the revolutionary mould, career politican maybe.

I think this link might be a more relevant organisation in regards to young Irish revolutionaries.

Dissidents

by Michael

Thu May 04, 2006 22:26

Stop talking dissident talk - join Sinn Féin

....talk like this -

by Sharon - Individual

Fri May 05, 2006 00:54

"stop talking dissident talk - join Sinn Féin "

" Republicans are prepared to work an Executive . We are really prepared to administer British rule in Ireland for the foreseeable future . The very principle of partition is accepted "
- Francie Molloy , Provisional Sinn Fein , in an interview with 'The Sunday Times' newspaper , 28 March 1999 .

It was 25 years ago , on May 5th , that a 'dissident' died on hunger-strike . Do you believe he gave his life for that which Mr. Molloy and company have accepted ?

Sharon .

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Ógra Shinn Féin Visit Basque Country

Comments (10 of 10)