The Blanket

The Blanket - A Journal of Protest & Dissent

Apology Owed



The Family of Volunteer Patsy O'Hara, Irish National Liberation Army
• 11 August 2006

The Sinn Fein 81 Committee have organised 'Night of Remembrance for Hunger Striker and INLA Volunteer Mickey Devine', in Derry's Guildhall on the evening of August 19th.

We call upon The Ex-Lord Mayor of Derry City, Lynn Fleming (Sinn Fein), to use this opportunity to formally apologise, on behalf of the provisional Republican movement, to the Devine and O Hara families for the harassment and attacks which both suffered at the hands of their members, during many months, which in turn contributed to the imprisonment of Patsy and Mickey in 1976.

It was due to death threats from the provisional movement upon the Republican Socialist Movement, which in turn directly led Mickey and Patsy to raid an arms shop in Lifford Co Donegal. During this raid they took 28 medium to low calibre rifles, to protect both themselves and the Movement to which they belonged.

Both (along with two others) were later arrested in Derry and charged with possession with intent.

The charges against Patsy were dropped due to no evidence. The other 3, including Mickey, were later sentenced to 12 years.

If no threats had been made upon the membership and extended families of the RSM, then it would have been unlikely that Mickey would have found himself imprisoned during this period in time.

Patsy had received a beating from a group of up to 13 of the provisional movement a few weeks previous to these threats.

As a family, we have enormous admiration for the Volunteers of the IRA who fought the British war machine to a standstill. But the actions of some of those members (including its Derry leadership) fell far short of the noble aims, objectives, and conduct of that which a freedom fighter's should be.

It is a truly sad reflection upon this organisation that they were busier harassing, threatening and attempting to prevent Irish Republican Socialist revolutionaries like Patsy and Mickey from conducting attacks against British army and RUC personnel.....than they were persuing republican objectives themselves.

We also acknowledge the genuine people involved in the above committee who have worked tirelessly for months in setting up fitting commemorations for the ten H Block Hunger Strikers.

And, as they have taken it upon themselves to organise this night of remembrance for Republican Socialist freedom fighter Mickey Devine — a leading member of the Irish National Liberation Army (without, we may add, any invitation to the RSM to participate in, or formally attend the event!), let them take the opportunity to formally acknowledge and apologise to our families.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Index: Current Articles



13 August 2006

Other Articles From This Issue:

Hunger Strike Anniversary
Martin Galvin

"Let the Fight Go On"
Willie Gallagher

Apology Owed
The Family of Volunteer Patsy O'Hara, INLA

Right the Wrong
Harry Boland

It's Who You Talk To
Dr John Coulter

As They Were Made They Were Matched
Liam O Comain

Poacher Turned Gamekeeper
John Kennedy

Criminality Figures Do Not Add Up
David Adams

The Siege of Derry
Anthony McIntyre

Repeat After Me: No Gods, No Masters
Mick Hall

Dual Presidency More Realistic
Nathan Dowds

Federal Unionism—Early Sinn Fein: Article 2
Michael Gillespie

Santa Coming Early
Dr John Coulter

Media Matters
Anthony McIntyre

Light, Freedom & Song: A Cultural History of Modern Irish Writing
Seaghán Ó Murchú

Pass the Gravy
John Kennedy

ILIR is Blowing the Green Card Game for the Irish
Patrick Hurley

From Belfast to the Middle East
Davy Carlin

Manifesto of the Third Camp
Anthony McIntyre


3 August 2006

A United Ireland or Nothing
Liam O Comain

Federal Unionism—Early Sinn Fein: Article 1
Michael Gillespie

High Noon
John Kennedy

Fest or Flop
Dr John Coulter

Irish and Republican Music
Ray McAreavey

Qana Massacre again: Foreign and Domestic Enemies of our Constitution
Mazin Qumsiyeh

Israel Murders UN Observers
Anthony McIntyre

Managing Debate
Mick Hall

4 Horsemen
John Kennedy

The Evil That Men Do
Anthony McIntyre

Chris Petit's Secret History: The Psalm Killer
Seaghán Ó Murchú

Soldier of the Legion of the Rearguard
Liam O Ruairc

Football and the Fifth Commandment
Eamon Sweeney

Don't Let Us Down
Dr John Coulter

Human Rights Forum
Meeting Announcement

Billy Mitchell
Anthony McIntyre

 

 

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