Thursday January 01 1970
West Donegal to host landmark debate on Hunger Strikes
donegal |
history and heritage |
event notice 
Thursday October 16, 2008 17:39
by Tí Chonaill08
Controversial author and Blanketman to discuss explosive claims
A talk entitled ' Personal Reflections of the 1980/81 Hunger strikes' will be taking place
DATE: SAT 25th October
VENUE: Ionad Teampaill Chróine ,Dungloe
TIME: 6pm
PANEL: Tommy McKearney (Former Hunger striker)
Laurence McKeown (Former Hunger striker)
Richard O'Rawe (Former POW )
West Donegal to host landmark debate on Hunger Strikes
Controversial author and Blanketman to discuss explosive claims
West Donegal is set to host a lively discussion on the topic of the Hunger Strikes and their legacy in a weeks time — and controversial author Ristéard O’ Rawe will be reiterating some of his sensational claims about the period on the night.
The former IRA prisoner’s book, Blanketmen, caused a stir when it was released two years ago, provoking debate and controversy in republican circles. O’Rawe’s explosive claim – that the IRA refused a British settlement offer after the death of the fourth hunger striker and prolonged the hunger strike to maximise political support for Sinn Féin – sent shockwaves throughout the Republican Movement. Now he will discuss the Hunger Strike period with two other key republican figures.
On 25th October at 6pm in Ionad Teampaill Chróine Dungloe , O’Rawe will be joined by fellow panellists and former POWs Laurence Mc Keown and Tommy Mc Kearney in a talk entitled ‘Personal Reflections of the 1980/81 Hungerstrikes’. They will all share their experiences as republican prisoners within Long Kesh as their comrades faced death.
Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5More of the same revisionism from O'Rawe. To suggest that republicans manipulated the Hunger Strikes in some sort of callous way is outrageous and deserves utter contempt. Is this really a progressive debate, or just another opportunity for mud-slinging and petty squabbling?
What is : Ionad Teampaill Chróine ,Dungloe ? Is it a pub or hotel ? Could you also tell who is organising this event ? Above comments are a wee bit harsh. Is discussion and debate not a healty way to reach a conclusion on such a subject ? If Richard O'Rawe has somthing thing to say about the Hunger Strike then let him speak, give him the floor and let people make their own minds up. Its not like he is speaking on his own, other speakers, including former hunger strikers will express their views also, is that not fair and balanced ?.
Ionad Teampaill Chróine ,Dungloe is a community based facility in Dungloe Co.Donegal,housing a library,computer facilities ,etc etc.
The event is being organised by a independent group who aim to open up healthy debate on various issues . We have been holding various disscusions over the past year , the last event being a International night of Culture in West Donegal with guests from various countries.
We believe debate is a very healthy thing on any issue, surely republicans had enough censorship for long enough.None is asking anyone to agree with what any of the speakers say , but everyone should be afforded their opinion.
How many times have the eletist leadership suppressed the truth from the grassroots in the past .
We all accepted that in times of war truth was more often than not a casuality for various reasons in the bigger publicity platform.
Surely now that the same eletist leadership have surrendered and much worse, now enforce british rule for British silver on Irish people within Ireland, could see their way as democrats and in the absence of war allow the grassroots who risked all for most of the time (not having the comfort of immunity certs dished out to the elite during the supergrass era and god only knows when and what else ) be able to ask questions of why decisions were approved and for what reasons.
Us who have made mistakes are duty bound as Republicans to verify the same in order to repair republicianism and give it endurence for time to come.
where have all the socialists gone in sinn fein
treason
treason
treason
treason
treason
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