International Day of Remembrance for Hungerstriker Mickey Devine

by Maeve Sun Aug 20, 2006 23:42

The above response from Ógra Shinn Féin to some of the families of the hunger strikers who expressed a wish for their relatives and family members not to be used as a marketing ploy by ÓSF is insultingly arrogant. It is a disgrace that you respond in such an appalling condescending manner. I presume the above was written by a very young person, but I have to point out nonetheless, that the families of the hunger strikers should not be treated in such a dismissive and condescending tone and you should have a bit of respect for them, and labelling their objections to the use of their family members by your organisation as "cheap criticism" is an absolute disgrace. You really have a nerve!!!

Bí cúramach.!

by Ógra B - Ógra Shinn Féin Sun Aug 20, 2006 22:48 osfnational at yahoo dot ie

We are young Republican Socialists inspired by the sacrifice of Mickey, and all his comrades, we are a new generation who continue on the fight with vigour and determination, we have a strategy that we pursue with vigour, we suggest you do the same without getting bogged down in cheap criticism.

Unity!

Onwards to the Socialist Republic!

Ógra Shinn Féin Remember The Hungerstrikers with pride!

by Charlie Clarke - IRSP Sun Aug 20, 2006 09:35

I call for Ográ Sinn Fein to cease using the images of INLA Hungerstrikers to further their own political gain. Our dead volunteers would turn in their graves at the thought of being abused in this way. Here are the sentiments of the Devine and O Hara families, I suggest you read them carefully.

The Family of Volunteer Patsy O'Hara, Irish National Liberation Army
• 11 August 2006

The Sinn Fein 81 Committee have organised 'Night of Remembrance for Hunger Striker and INLA Volunteer Mickey Devine', in Derry's Guildhall on the evening of August 19th.

We call upon The Ex-Lord Mayor of Derry City, Lynn Fleming (Sinn Fein), to use this opportunity to formally apologise, on behalf of the provisional Republican movement, to the Devine and O Hara families for the harassment and attacks which both suffered at the hands of their members, during many months, which in turn contributed to the imprisonment of Patsy and Mickey in 1976.

It was due to death threats from the provisional movement upon the Republican Socialist Movement, which in turn directly led Mickey and Patsy to raid an arms shop in Lifford Co Donegal. During this raid they took 28 medium to low calibre rifles, to protect both themselves and the Movement to which they belonged.

Both (along with two others) were later arrested in Derry and charged with possession with intent.

The charges against Patsy were dropped due to no evidence. The other 3, including Mickey, were later sentenced to 12 years.

If no threats had been made upon the membership and extended families of the RSM, then it would have been unlikely that Mickey would have found himself imprisoned during this period in time.

Patsy had received a beating from a group of up to 13 of the provisional movement a few weeks previous to these threats.

As a family, we have enormous admiration for the Volunteers of the IRA who fought the British war machine to a standstill. But the actions of some of those members (including its Derry leadership) fell far short of the noble aims, objectives, and conduct of that which a freedom fighter's should be.

It is a truly sad reflection upon this organisation that they were busier harassing, threatening and attempting to prevent Irish Republican Socialist revolutionaries like Patsy and Mickey from conducting attacks against British army and RUC personnel.....than they were persuing republican objectives themselves.

We also acknowledge the genuine people involved in the above committee who have worked tirelessly for months in setting up fitting commemorations for the ten H Block Hunger Strikers.

And, as they have taken it upon themselves to organise this night of remembrance for Republican Socialist freedom fighter Mickey Devine — a leading member of the Irish National Liberation Army (without, we may add, any invitation to the RSM to participate in, or formally attend the event!), let them take the opportunity to formally acknowledge and apologise to our families.

by gerry - - Sun Aug 13, 2006 17:57

with a name like shay he has to be irish doesn't he?

If it sells, it sells! SF are experts at ripping people off. Anytime you see them there out with a box shaking it in your face. Support the revolution!!

They should have enough by now to start it...

by Cumannaí Fri Jul 14, 2006 22:15

Phil

When Ché Guevara left Cuba in 1965 (due to his disillusionment over the non-approval of some of his economic policies) he went to Africa with some black revolutionary Cubans to the Congo to help the Congo Liberation Movement, he left the Congo disillusioned and went to Prague to recuperate for four months, eventually leaving there to go to Bolivia in 1966 and set-up a guerilla school to help the Bolivian communists with their revolution and lead and orchestrated this revolution. He was executed in Bolivia on 8 October 1967 at the hands of a Sergeant in the Bolivian (US trained/CIA backed) army. His mutilated body was put on public display at Vallegrande and he was then buried in secret and there is on-going efforts to this day to locate his burial place.

I was not aware that Ché ever came to Ireland and help found Ógra Shinn Féin, you certainly are more knowledgeable than I!

With regard to the poster, I can't see how it would encourage anyone to join, there's no positive message on it, when I saw it first it just conjured-up for me an overwhelming feeling of sadness.

While I am not in agreement with the road the modern PSF movement took, I wish anyone holding commemorations for such men the best of luck with the commemoration, they should always be remembered, and I admire these men greatly as they were selfless young men who made the ultimate sacrifice for their ideals and for the betterment of others coming after them (may they all rest in peace).

by H5 Fri Jul 14, 2006 20:46

Actually Phil Che was Irish on his Father's side. His beloved Grandmother, Ana Lynch was born in Galway in 1868. He was executed [Murdered] by the CIA in Bolivia on Oct 1967.
An Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick painted the famous portrait of him.

I'm sure that he, Bobby, Red Micky and the other Hunger Strikers are having some grand yarns about World wide revolutions and how some erst-while comrades deserted those revolutions when corrupted by Politics and Power.

by Phil Fri Jul 14, 2006 20:22

Cumannai you seem to know little about Che Guevara. He was actually captured and executed in Bolivia and as far as I know he did set foot in Ireland as his Mother was Irish.

As for Sinn Fein and Ogra hijacking him and the 10 Hunger Strikers well if it sells, sell it!

by Cumannaí Fri Jul 14, 2006 20:02

I don't understand the "10 Reasons to join Ógra Shinn Féin" poster which portrays pictures of the dead hunger strikers and Ché Guevara (may they all rest in peace) who all tragically died young for their respective causes (one of which was never a member of Sinn Féin - what an earth is Ché Guevara doing on the poster, I know he went missing in action for a few years when he left Cuba, (but I thought he went to Africa), he certainly never set foot in Éire (don't think Ché would be pleased at private organisations and individuals making money and profiting from his image the world over).

The question I pose is this, what is the positive enticing message here to the youth of Ireland - join Ógra Shinn Féin and you could end up like all these young men - dead!

by Saoirse Fri Jul 14, 2006 16:43

Maybe people in the South don't know this, but some of the families of the INLA hunger strikers have not been too happy with the way that New Sinn Fein have taken over all ten of the dead men and implied that they [the hunger strikers] would be happy with the SF sell-outs on the North.

Have Ógra Shinn Féin been in touch with the Devine family before starting on this?

by Seaicilín Fri Jul 14, 2006 00:01

I wish Ógra the very best with their commemoration for hunger striker Mickey Devine (Dia go deo leis).

Here's an idea for ye, why don't you show some support for the Maghaberry Prisoners of War who are languishing under appalling conditions and denied basic human rights in a British imperialist internment camp. I would have thought this would have been to the forefront of your mind, surely, considering ye are commemorating Mickey Devine who suffered such an agonizng death at the hands of the same system. I am sure Mickey Devine and all the other 9 brave hunger strikers and Ché Guevara himself, would have been the first to have suggested it. A few placards showing support for Irish political prisoners and citizens suffering at the hands of British imperialism surely would not be too much to ask of ye.

All the best anyway with the commemoration.

Beannacht Dé oraibh!

Slán anois!

by Sean Oglach Thu Jul 13, 2006 22:50

I think that brave men and women like Micky should be commemorated but their memories should not be sullied by Propagandists for Sinn Fein who hijack these anniversaries and use them as platforms for Party Political Broadcasts.