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