Several hundred people attended a protest march from Strabane to Lifford on Saturday 7 December in support of the Free the Castlerea Five Campaign. Jay McCauley, chairperson of the group, was delighted at the level of support. He said it will be the first of many planned activities in the coming weeks and months designed to highlight the continued detention by the Dublin government of the five republican prisoners, including local man Pearse McCauley, despite the fact that they clearly qualify for release under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
Speaking about Saturday's march Jay McCauley said: "The excellent turnout exceeded our expectations. It will send a message to the Irish government that its hypocrisy on the Castlerea Five issue is going to continue to be challenged until it releases these five political hostages. While these men remain incarcerated, the Dublin government's claims of being guardians of the Good Friday Agreement lack any integrity whatsoever.
"This is a straightforward human rights issue. The Good Friday Agreement legislated for the release of all political prisoners, both north and south, affiliated to groups on ceasefire who had been charged before the signing of the Agreement.
"The local support group now plans to initiate a petition demanding the prisoners' release. The petition will be launched during the annual vigil for local republican prisoners at the Christmas tree in Strabane town centre on Saturday 21 December. We will then be extending the petition throughout Ireland in the New Year and starting a letter writing campaign to political representatives throughout the island, urging them to show their support for the campaign."
The group thanked all those who attended Saturday's protest march and in particular the relatives of prisoners who made the long journey from Limerick.
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