West Tyrone Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Large Tyrone contingent at Hunger Strike Parade.

Published: 17 August, 2010

A large number of Tyrone Republicans made their way to Bellaghy on Sunday for the annual Hunger Strike rally. The commemoration marked the 29th anniversary of the Hunger Strikes of 1981.

Buses from Tyrone ferried supporters from Dromore, Omagh, Loughmacrory, Carrickmore and Greencastle to the commemoration. Other areas in Tyrone also organised buses in the West and East of Tyrone.

The Tyrone contingent joined a crowd of 10,000 republicans in Bellaghy. The parade took place from the homestead of second Hunger Striker to die, Francis Hughes to a field just outside the county Derry village.

Amongst those present was Omagh town Sinn Fein councillor, Marty McColgan. Speaking after the commemoration he said:

"The commemoration on Sunday marked the 29th Anniversary of the Hunger Strike of 1981. From March until August of that year we watched 10 young Irish Republicans die on Hunger Strike in Long Kesh. This was against the backdrop of nightly vigils, intense negotiations and parades in support of the Hunger Strikers and their five demands throughout Ireland and abroad.

"29 years on we were once again on the streets for our annual Hunger Strike commemoration. Although 29 years have passed since these momentous events the emotions and memories of that period are still raw for many of those directly affected by the Hunger Strike.

"The deaths of the Hunger Strikers acted as a catalyst for the resurgence of the age old demands of Freedom and Justice in Ireland. This huge resurgence was demonstrated by the election of Gerry Adams as an abstentionist MP in 1983 and we have seen the growth of republicanism for that period until today.

"The events of 1981 are a watershed in Irish History and the sacrifice of the Hunger Strikers remains an inspiration to Irish Republicans the world over. The huge challenge facing republicans is to finish the struggle for which they gave their lives. That is the establishment of a 32 county Irish Republic free from British rule. That is the only fitting monument which can be established in their memory.CRÍOCH