BUNDORAN ANGER AT HUNGER STRIKE MARCH
Omagh bomb prompts scaling down
Bundoran anger at Hunger Strike march
by Peter Campbell
The annual Hunger Strike Commemoration march, planned for Bundoran on Saturday next, will not take place, but according to Republican Sinn Fein Urban Clr. Joe O'Neill "a smaller service" will be held in the town.
There was much media interest in the event this week after a call at a special meeting of Bundoran Urban Council for the march to be abandoned this year. Locally there has been a groundswell of opposition to the holding of a Hunger Strike march in view of the Omagh outrage. There was also a proposal made at the Urban Council meeting that if the parade went ahead, a counter peace protest should be held. Meanwhile a political row surrounding the whole issue has broken out among Urban Councillors on the matter.
At the Urban Council meeting, CIr. Joe O'Neill, a member of the organising committee, agreed to bring a request to the organisers to have the march postponed. He also told the meeting that plans were in train to scale down the commemoration this year and that no bands would be present. However, this week, Clr. O'Neill told the 'Democrat' that it was not intended to have a march, and that a decision to that effect had been made on the 17th August, two days after the Omagh bombing.
"The issue has been hyped up and some people, and I would stress not everybody, is trying to make a political football out of the issue. We had already decided on Monday, 17th, two days after Omagh, that the commemoration would be scaled down, but some people in the town are using it for their own ends. I would stress also that quite a number of the people in the town who would object to the march are genuine in their opposition.
"I believe that everybody has the right to make a protest, especially if they are using it for the right reasons".
Clr. O'Neill, referring to his refusal to use the word "condemn" in relation to the Omagh bomb stated:
"I have been singled out for not using the word condemn, but I used the word unjustifiable which is a much more meaningful word. The word condemn has been introduced by the British, but they themselves are unable to use the word unjustifiable," said Clr. O'Neill.
Clr. O'Neill said that the commemoration would consist of a group gathering together to remember all of the dead. "The names of the hunger strikers we are commemorating will be read out; we read out the proclamation and say a decade of the rosary for all the dead, including those of Omagh."
Clr. O'Neill added that it was also decided that a concert with the Wolfe Tones planned for the weekend had also been cancelled.
Speaking to the Democrat this week, Clr Frankie O'Gorman, who had suggested a counter-protest if the march went ahead, felt that there was no need for such a protest now.
"Once there wasn't going to be a march, there is no need to have a counter protest. Our idea was to hold a prayer meeting well away from the march, which would show solidarity with the people of Omagh. It was never our intention to have any sort of protest which would confront the hunger strike march. However, that whole scenario doesn't arise once the march is not going ahead," said Clr. O'Gorman.
POLITICISED
Clr. O'Gorman, however, felt that whole issue had been politicised, especially with the media attention the town was getting over the issue, blaming the Fine Gael councillors in the town.
"I feel that because of Ulster Television coming to the town this week, that the Fine Gael Clrs. McElhinney and Connolly have stepped over the line on the matter in making it a political issue. "I also feel that the second motion, put forward by Clr. McElhinney, at the Urban Council meeting, subsequently ruled out of order, was not helpful at this stage," said Clr. O'Gorman. The motion referred to by Clr. O'Gorman read: That this Council calls organisations to renounce violence as a means for political ends and to support the democratic decision of the vast majority of people of this island for the peace process. In reply to Clr O'Gorman claiming that Fine Gael had brought UTV to the town, Clr. McElhinney slated: "Ulster Television weren't invited by Fine Gael or any member of Fine Gael to Bundoran and that's a fact. You can contact Ulster Television to confirm. "It would be bit more helpful if Clr. O'Gorman would criticise Republican Sinn Fein, a party who hasn't condemned the Omagh bombing, as opposed to criticising the Fine Gael party in Bundoran," said Mr. McElhinney.
In relation to the motion which was ruled out of order at the Bundoran Urban Council meeting, Clr. McElhinney said: "I'll answer to the people that voted for me and supported me and I am no problem in representing their views and that's where that motion came from.
"I'm very surprised at Clr. O'Gorman and I feel he would be better directing his criticism at Republican Sinn Fein," said Clr. McElhinney.
Saying (hat he would like politics taken out of Bundoran altogether, Clr. McElhinney said: "This is an event being organised by a political grouping who do not condemn the Omagh bombing and do not support the peace process.
"There's an onus on the people elected in Bundoran to put forward the views of the people who elected them and the message of the people who support me is that they do not want this parade."
NOT BE AFRAID
"I think it's a time for people to stand up and say what their beliefs are and not be afraid of the implications of that. We have to be brave now and make a change in this country and bring peace.
On a UTV programme this week, local businesswoman, Peggy Fitzgerald, was critical of the march and felt that the event should be boycotted in support of those people killed or injured in the Omagh bombing.
"We should be supporting our friends in Omagh, Buncrana and Spain. It is unacceptable and actually obscene that these people are thinking of holding any form of celebrations during this time," she said.
Bundoran anger at Hunger Strike march
by Peter Campbell
The annual Hunger Strike Commemoration march, planned for Bundoran on Saturday next, will not take place, but according to Republican Sinn Fein Urban Clr. Joe O'Neill "a smaller service" will be held in the town.
There was much media interest in the event this week after a call at a special meeting of Bundoran Urban Council for the march to be abandoned this year. Locally there has been a groundswell of opposition to the holding of a Hunger Strike march in view of the Omagh outrage. There was also a proposal made at the Urban Council meeting that if the parade went ahead, a counter peace protest should be held. Meanwhile a political row surrounding the whole issue has broken out among Urban Councillors on the matter.
At the Urban Council meeting, CIr. Joe O'Neill, a member of the organising committee, agreed to bring a request to the organisers to have the march postponed. He also told the meeting that plans were in train to scale down the commemoration this year and that no bands would be present. However, this week, Clr. O'Neill told the 'Democrat' that it was not intended to have a march, and that a decision to that effect had been made on the 17th August, two days after the Omagh bombing.
"The issue has been hyped up and some people, and I would stress not everybody, is trying to make a political football out of the issue. We had already decided on Monday, 17th, two days after Omagh, that the commemoration would be scaled down, but some people in the town are using it for their own ends. I would stress also that quite a number of the people in the town who would object to the march are genuine in their opposition.
"I believe that everybody has the right to make a protest, especially if they are using it for the right reasons".
Clr. O'Neill, referring to his refusal to use the word "condemn" in relation to the Omagh bomb stated:
"I have been singled out for not using the word condemn, but I used the word unjustifiable which is a much more meaningful word. The word condemn has been introduced by the British, but they themselves are unable to use the word unjustifiable," said Clr. O'Neill.
Clr. O'Neill said that the commemoration would consist of a group gathering together to remember all of the dead. "The names of the hunger strikers we are commemorating will be read out; we read out the proclamation and say a decade of the rosary for all the dead, including those of Omagh."
Clr. O'Neill added that it was also decided that a concert with the Wolfe Tones planned for the weekend had also been cancelled.
Speaking to the Democrat this week, Clr Frankie O'Gorman, who had suggested a counter-protest if the march went ahead, felt that there was no need for such a protest now.
"Once there wasn't going to be a march, there is no need to have a counter protest. Our idea was to hold a prayer meeting well away from the march, which would show solidarity with the people of Omagh. It was never our intention to have any sort of protest which would confront the hunger strike march. However, that whole scenario doesn't arise once the march is not going ahead," said Clr. O'Gorman.
POLITICISED
Clr. O'Gorman, however, felt that whole issue had been politicised, especially with the media attention the town was getting over the issue, blaming the Fine Gael councillors in the town.
"I feel that because of Ulster Television coming to the town this week, that the Fine Gael Clrs. McElhinney and Connolly have stepped over the line on the matter in making it a political issue. "I also feel that the second motion, put forward by Clr. McElhinney, at the Urban Council meeting, subsequently ruled out of order, was not helpful at this stage," said Clr. O'Gorman. The motion referred to by Clr. O'Gorman read: That this Council calls organisations to renounce violence as a means for political ends and to support the democratic decision of the vast majority of people of this island for the peace process. In reply to Clr O'Gorman claiming that Fine Gael had brought UTV to the town, Clr. McElhinney slated: "Ulster Television weren't invited by Fine Gael or any member of Fine Gael to Bundoran and that's a fact. You can contact Ulster Television to confirm. "It would be bit more helpful if Clr. O'Gorman would criticise Republican Sinn Fein, a party who hasn't condemned the Omagh bombing, as opposed to criticising the Fine Gael party in Bundoran," said Mr. McElhinney.
In relation to the motion which was ruled out of order at the Bundoran Urban Council meeting, Clr. McElhinney said: "I'll answer to the people that voted for me and supported me and I am no problem in representing their views and that's where that motion came from.
"I'm very surprised at Clr. O'Gorman and I feel he would be better directing his criticism at Republican Sinn Fein," said Clr. McElhinney.
Saying (hat he would like politics taken out of Bundoran altogether, Clr. McElhinney said: "This is an event being organised by a political grouping who do not condemn the Omagh bombing and do not support the peace process.
"There's an onus on the people elected in Bundoran to put forward the views of the people who elected them and the message of the people who support me is that they do not want this parade."
NOT BE AFRAID
"I think it's a time for people to stand up and say what their beliefs are and not be afraid of the implications of that. We have to be brave now and make a change in this country and bring peace.
On a UTV programme this week, local businesswoman, Peggy Fitzgerald, was critical of the march and felt that the event should be boycotted in support of those people killed or injured in the Omagh bombing.
"We should be supporting our friends in Omagh, Buncrana and Spain. It is unacceptable and actually obscene that these people are thinking of holding any form of celebrations during this time," she said.
Further Information
Publisher: DONEGAL DEMOCRAT
Ref: DOD/024
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
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