MICHAEL GALLAGHER CONFRONTS FUNDRAISER ON TONIGHT PROGRAMME
Michael Gallagher confronts fundraiser on Tonight programme
BY: JOHN McCUSKER
THE father of one of the victims of the Omagh bombing confronts an American Republican fundraiser during an in-depth documentary to be screened next week.
A crew from ITVs 'Tonight' programme filmed the head-to-head during a week-long visit to the US by Michael Gal-lagher, who lost his son Adrian in the 1998 bombing of Market Street.
During the trip, Mr. Gallagher lobbied Democrat and Republican politicians in a bid to have the Real IRA outlawed in the US. The objective of his campaign was to have the dissident Republican grouping included on a list of foreign terrorist organisations, therefore halting it from legitimately raising funds in America.
Veteran correspondent, Michael Nicholson and a crew, from Granada's 'Tonight' programme accompanied Mr Gallagher during his stop-over in New York and Washington.
In the documentary, Michael Gallagher confronts Republican fund-raiser, Dorothy Robinson during a debate, which, according to Mr Gallagher, became heated at times.
Mr Gallagher said: "For me personally it was quite difficult to take part in the programme. However, I felt I had to let that woman know how people in Ireland felt about what was happening in Irish America in relation to fund-raising for dissidents.
"I pointed out that I felt it was easy for her to raise funds without taking into account the devastating effect it was having in Ireland, three thousand miles away.'
"During our discussion, she claimed she didn't know where the money she raised, went to, or for what purpose it was used.
"It was probably the first time she had come face to face with one of the victims of violence in Ireland and I felt she carried a grudge which had been handed down by her parents and grandparents throughout the past 150 years."
Mrs Robinson (57), an American mother-of-three, initially refused to be interviewed in the presence of Mr Gallagher. But after the Omagh representative confronted her in the lobby of a New York hotel, she reluctantly consented to facing the cameras together.
Mr Gallagher said he believed Ms Robinson had her mind firmly focused on her own beliefs of the situation in the North.
"She was very contemptuous of the way she believed the Sinn Fein leadership had changed direction and the fact that Gerry Adams, who had once collected money in the States in a bid to smash Stormont, was now accepting the British Government's seat of power.
"She also refused to accept the Dublin Government or acknowledge the Gardai as a recognised police force which was quite incredible. That meant that we in Ireland were therefore denied justice.
"Although she condemned the bombing of Omagh, she still defended her position as regards her fund-raising activities for those involved in those sort of atrocities.
"I assured her that we had no political agenda and that we were in America for justice and to deny funding to those bent on causing more destruction."
Mr Gallagher said the vast majority of Irish Americans he had spoken to were supportive of the peace process.
During his itinerary, the chairman of the Omagh Self Help Group spoke with senior personnel attached to the National Security Council at the White House. He also met with representatives at Senator Ted Kennedy's office on Capitol Hill and Democratic Senator John Kerry.
Mr Gallagher also had meetings with the Irish Ambassador in Washington, Dr Peter Smyth at the Northern Ireland Bureau and with members of the US Defence and Foreign Policy Committees.
In New York, he took part in a radio interview on Radio Free Eireann, hosted by former Castlederg man, John McDonagh. The station regularly broadcasts to an audience of up to 50,000 Americans.
"With the forthcoming change in administration in the US, it is vitally important that Ireland is kept in focus," Mr Gallagher said.
"It is up to us to make sure Americans are well informed and supportive of the peace process and we intend to continue pressing them on the justice issue," he added.
BY: JOHN McCUSKER
THE father of one of the victims of the Omagh bombing confronts an American Republican fundraiser during an in-depth documentary to be screened next week.
A crew from ITVs 'Tonight' programme filmed the head-to-head during a week-long visit to the US by Michael Gal-lagher, who lost his son Adrian in the 1998 bombing of Market Street.
During the trip, Mr. Gallagher lobbied Democrat and Republican politicians in a bid to have the Real IRA outlawed in the US. The objective of his campaign was to have the dissident Republican grouping included on a list of foreign terrorist organisations, therefore halting it from legitimately raising funds in America.
Veteran correspondent, Michael Nicholson and a crew, from Granada's 'Tonight' programme accompanied Mr Gallagher during his stop-over in New York and Washington.
In the documentary, Michael Gallagher confronts Republican fund-raiser, Dorothy Robinson during a debate, which, according to Mr Gallagher, became heated at times.
Mr Gallagher said: "For me personally it was quite difficult to take part in the programme. However, I felt I had to let that woman know how people in Ireland felt about what was happening in Irish America in relation to fund-raising for dissidents.
"I pointed out that I felt it was easy for her to raise funds without taking into account the devastating effect it was having in Ireland, three thousand miles away.'
"During our discussion, she claimed she didn't know where the money she raised, went to, or for what purpose it was used.
"It was probably the first time she had come face to face with one of the victims of violence in Ireland and I felt she carried a grudge which had been handed down by her parents and grandparents throughout the past 150 years."
Mrs Robinson (57), an American mother-of-three, initially refused to be interviewed in the presence of Mr Gallagher. But after the Omagh representative confronted her in the lobby of a New York hotel, she reluctantly consented to facing the cameras together.
Mr Gallagher said he believed Ms Robinson had her mind firmly focused on her own beliefs of the situation in the North.
"She was very contemptuous of the way she believed the Sinn Fein leadership had changed direction and the fact that Gerry Adams, who had once collected money in the States in a bid to smash Stormont, was now accepting the British Government's seat of power.
"She also refused to accept the Dublin Government or acknowledge the Gardai as a recognised police force which was quite incredible. That meant that we in Ireland were therefore denied justice.
"Although she condemned the bombing of Omagh, she still defended her position as regards her fund-raising activities for those involved in those sort of atrocities.
"I assured her that we had no political agenda and that we were in America for justice and to deny funding to those bent on causing more destruction."
Mr Gallagher said the vast majority of Irish Americans he had spoken to were supportive of the peace process.
During his itinerary, the chairman of the Omagh Self Help Group spoke with senior personnel attached to the National Security Council at the White House. He also met with representatives at Senator Ted Kennedy's office on Capitol Hill and Democratic Senator John Kerry.
Mr Gallagher also had meetings with the Irish Ambassador in Washington, Dr Peter Smyth at the Northern Ireland Bureau and with members of the US Defence and Foreign Policy Committees.
In New York, he took part in a radio interview on Radio Free Eireann, hosted by former Castlederg man, John McDonagh. The station regularly broadcasts to an audience of up to 50,000 Americans.
"With the forthcoming change in administration in the US, it is vitally important that Ireland is kept in focus," Mr Gallagher said.
"It is up to us to make sure Americans are well informed and supportive of the peace process and we intend to continue pressing them on the justice issue," he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0730
Published Date: 18-Jan-01
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