Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Bloody Sunday

A Chairde,

I've just read your review of Paul Greensgrass's Bloody Sunday by Jim Gibney, which I appreciate very much. Over the last number of weeks I have been tracking news and other reviews of the two films (McGovern's too) with increasing irritation.

Even the Guardian's reviewers create a degree of distance from it all by raising the question about authenticity. There is still that 'but there's no smoke without fire' attitude about the way (mostly) English liberal observers look at Ireland and opposition to Britain's role. None of them, I think, would raise any queston about the motives of the black kids murdered in the Sharpville massacre. Maybe its part of the British psyche? Then again, you only have to read the comments by prominent Ulster Unionists in Saturday's Guardian to see how little they have changed. Or worse, the continuing denial of why things came to an end - or an end of sorts.

Yet for the many thousands of Protestants like Donaldson, there are also many hundreds like me (maybe there are indeed thousands) who were brought up as Protestants yet who were changed by what the British did in Derry in 1972 and who subsequently, eventually, rejected the northern state and British rule whether as republicans or from further left. But our voices are never heard. And so the myth of the Protestant as Unionist persists.

Professor Paul Stewart,
Cardiff,
Wales.

Strabane band parade

A Chairde,

Strabane Memorial Flute Band will be holding its 17th anniversary weekend of events on the last weekend of February, culminating in a Band Parade on Sunday 24 February. To date, we have confirmed the attendance of bands from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Dungiven, Ballycastle, South Derry, Kilkeel, Gortin and Belfast and are still awaiting further confirmation from several other bands.

We would like to invite any others interested in attending to contact the Runaí of the band at the number below. The parade will entail a band competition follow by a quiz and entertainment for the bands.

Gearaí Ó Breaslain
Rúnaí
Fón: (028) 71 886464

Long Kesh CR Gas probe

A Chairde,

We in the CR Gas Research Group wish to hear from any ex-POWs who were in the Cages of Long Kesh during the fire of 16 October 1974.

If you have any information at all regarding the use of CR gas, could you please contact us through Coiste na n-Imarchimí, 10 Beechmount Ave, Belfast BT12-7NA. Tel: (028) 90 200770. If anyone has any information regarding deceased ex-POWs or ax-POWs with any health problems, please contact us.

Jim McCann,
CR Gas Research Group

National Graves remembers fallen republican

A Chairde,

The Strabane Branch of the Tyrone National Graves Association is distributing a Memorial Card in memory of a young local republican, Tobias Molloy. Tobias was killed by the British Army 30 years ago this year and this is just one initiative of many that Strabane republicans are organising in the run up to his anniversary in July.

The National Graves Association is dedicated to preserving the memory of all those who gave their lives for the cause of Irish freedom and we trust this short profile and photograph of Tobias will remind us of his sacrifice.

John Kelly,
Strabane
Tel: (028) 71 382674

British Army/RUC threaten farming community

A Chairde,

Despite calls from the Department of Agriculture and Newry and Mourne District Council, acting on a motion proposed by Sinn Féin Councillor Terry Hearty, the British Army and RUC continue to patrol daily through farm land, thus heightening the fears of a spread of disease such as brucellosis. During one such incident on Saturday 26 January, Councillor Hearty confronted a foot patrol passing through infected lands off the Cornonagh Road and Larkin's Road outside Crossmaglen. Hearty informed the patrol that these lands were infected with brucellosis and asked them to leave the fields immediately. The British Army ignored the request and continued their patrol. Councillor Hearty has reported this matter to the British Army and RUC at Crossmaglen and has asked again for all such patrolling to stop before what he calls "the destruction of the farming community in South Armagh who have borne the brunt of the British Army presence in the area". Councillor Hearty would like to ask everyone to make a note of all such activity and to report it to any Sinn Féin member in the area.

John G. Lyons, PRO
Barney Morris Sinn Féin Cumann
10A Newry Street
Crossmaglen
Co. Armagh