Unveiling of Drumkeen monument to 1981 Hunger Strikers
2 December, 2007
1981 Hunger Strikers commemorated by new Drumkeen monument.
A new monument to the 1981 Hunger Strikers was unveiled yesterday (Sunday December 2nd) in Drumkeen. Over 200 local republicans were in attendance at the event. Sinn Féin, Foyle MLA and former Hunger Striker, Raymond McCartney unveiled the monument and the main speaker, Cllr Pádraig Mac Lochlainn then addressed those assembled.
In his address, Cllr Mac Lochlainn said:
"The 10 young men who sacrificed their lives to demonstrate to the world that the struggle for Irish independence was not criminal as Margaret Thatcher and many in Britain and Ireland at that time were perpetuating, are an eternal inspiration to people in struggle everywhere".
"Their sacrifice also sowed the seeds for the peace process we have today. During that Hunger Strike, Bobby Sands was elected MP for Fermanagh/ South Tyrone. Two other Hunger Strikers, Kieran Doherty and Paddy Agnew were elected TDs for Cavan/ Monaghan and Louth. Other Hunger Strikers received huge support across the 26 Counties. This popular mandate paved the way for republicans to consider a political and peaceful alternative to armed struggle. Over time Sinn Féin garnered more and more support and eventually the peace process was born".
ATTEMPTS TO CRUSH SINN FÉIN
"However, I am saddened to say that not all people who would call themselves republican have welcomed the peace process and the popular mandate for Sinn Féin and those who endured the dark days of the prison protests and the Hunger Strikes. There are ongoing attempts today by Fianna Fáil to crush Sinn Féin. It is clear to us now that after 2004 and the tremendous success that Sinn Féin witnessed in the local and European elections of that year, rather than building towards a United Ireland with us, Fianna Fáil set out to continue the work of Margaret Thatcher. They unleashed Michael McDowell and his friends to once again attempt to demonise and criminalise Sinn Féin. Despite the huge support given to Sinn Féin by the nationalist and republican people of the six counties earlier this year, the relentless attacks on Sinn Féin by Fianna Fáil and their friends in some sections of the national media eventually hurt Sinn Féin at the Dáil elections in May 2007 where our organisation was not strong enough to withstand the tirade of lies".
"Donegal Sinn Féin have shown that a strong organisation can withstand the lies. Here we have built a formidable grass roots political movement. We have shown the way to republicans in Dublin, Galway, Wexford, and elsewhere of how to build for the fight back. And fight back we will. Already we have completed an unprecedented and exhaustive review of the elections the length and breadth of the 26 Counties. We have revamped the entire organisation to make it fit for purpose and over the next year we will work like tigers to offer an alternative to the tribunals, the cancer care scandals, the broken promises on taxes, and the Me Féin society championed by the very people who tried and are still trying to crush us. And in the elections of 2009, Fianna Fáil will get their answer. They should have learned from the Hunger Strikers. We will not be criminalised. We will not be crushed. We will not be defeated".
ENDS
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