Ógra Shinn Féin Remember Bobby Sands

national | miscellaneous | press release

Wednesday March 01, 2006 21:00

by The Pen - Ógra Shinn Féin

osf6county at yahoo dot com

4 - 5 James Street Omagh Co. Tyrone

028 82 25 30 40

25 Years On

West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin today held a vigil in Omagh town Centre to remember the day which Bobby Sands commenced Hunger Stirke 25 Years Ago.

Ógra Activists holding a vigil in Omagh

Members of Ógra Shinn Fein in West Tyrone held a vigil in Omagh Town Centre on Wednesday March 1st to remember the date which Bobby Sands commenced Hunger Strike. 12 members of Ógra Shinn Féin held posters of Bobby Sands while others bore the message ‘Remember Bobby Sands’.
Approx 2,000 students leaving 3 schools in Omagh Town passed the vigil and many were asking for more information on Bobby Sands showing that 25 Years on, many young people are still captivated by the story of the 1981 Hunger Strike.
The PSNI were present at the vigil and recorded the names and details of the Ógra Shinn Féin members involved.
Commenting on the event Barry McNally of Ógra Shinn Féin said, “This event is the first of many which Ógra Shinn Féin in the west Tyrone area are going to be holding in relation to the 25th Anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike. The event was a success and had the intended effect. Many young people were asking Who Was Bobby Sands? 25 years ago Bobby Sands commenced Hunger Strike and many of the young people asking question today, like myself, were not even born at the time of the 1981hunger strike. So it is an encouraging sign to see them being so fascinated by the sacrifice of Bobby Sands and the hunger strikers of 1981.
“However I would question the need for the PSNI/RUC to be deployed in such numbers in the centre of Omagh during the vigil. 7 members of the PSNI / RUC were present at the vigil. Another carload of 4 PNI/RUC were situated a short distance away filming the proceedings on a hand held video camera. Ógra member’s details were taken. The PSNI/RUC have seen from many times before that their intimidation doesn’t work, and it will fail once again.” Mr. McNally concluded