Donegal Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

National Hungerstrike Commemoration

17 August, 2008

The National Hungerstrike Commemoration will be held for the first time in Derry this year on August 17th. The March to commemorate the 1981 Hungerstrike has traditionally been held in Belfast. However Derry has lobbied to hold the event this year and look forward to having a host of events to commemorate the 27th Anniversary of the Hungerstrike. Five out of the ten men who died in Ling Kesh were from derry so it is fitting that the National commemoration has come to the city and county.

Former Hungerstriker and Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney has urged everyone to mobilise to make it a huge event.

Mr McCartney said,

"The Irish Hungerstrikes were monumental, not only in defeating britain's criminalisation policy but in also giving inspiration to many other revolutionary groups acoss the globe. I would urge people to engage in the series of events particularly young people so that they can learn of that dark period in Irish history and how it opened up opportunities not only for the prisoners but for the whol;e republican struggleto move