Approximately thirty members of Republican Sinn Féin , Leinster, held a rally on O'Connell Street today (Saturday 28th January 2012) for about two hours to mark the 40th Anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday' , Derry when , on 30th January 1972 , British soldiers massacred 13 Civil Rights protestors.
In a wide-ranging speech delivered to the crowds that had assembled under the pillars of the GPO and on the traffic isle itself , RSF Dublin PRO John Horan outlined the events of that day forty years ago , mentioning that in fact forty-two people had actually been shot by the British Army Paratroopers on 30th January 1972 , of whom 13 died on the day - one other man , John Johnston , died six months later from the gunshot wounds that were inflicted on him that day.
"No more Bloody Sundays..." The name and age of each of the other 13 victims was read out at the Dublin Rally , along with brief details of their location on the day , and of the wound(s) inflicted on them : Jack Duddy (17) , Hugh Gilmore (17) , Bernard McGuigan (41) , Gerald McKinney (35) , William McKinney (26) , Kevin McElhinney (17) , John Young (17) , Michael McDaid (20) , William Nash (19) , Michael Kelly (17) , Gerald Donaghey (17) , Patrick Doherty (31) and James Wray (22).
RSF on O'Connell Street , Dublin , Saturday 28th January 2012.The RSF speaker also re-called the words of British Army Major Hubert O' Neill , the then Derry City coroner who , at the end of his 'inquest' into the 'Bloody Sunday' shootings (on 21st August , 1973 - 19 months after the massacre!) declared - "It strikes me that the British Army ran amok that day and they shot without thinking of what they were doing. They were shooting innocent people. I say it without reservation - it was sheer unadulterated murder...."
RSF Clondalkin at the 'Bloody Sunday' Rally , Dublin , Saturday 28th January 2012.
RSF 'Map of Ireland' placard at the 'Bloody Sunday' Rally in Dublin , Saturday 28th January 2012.Finally : only two things went 'wrong' at the Rally today - we experienced the usual harassment from the State 'Special Branch' and , about twenty minutes from the end of the event, we ran-out of leaflets! Six hundred RSF 'Bloody Sunday' leaflets had been distributed in the past week throughout various parts of Leinster and 1,400 were distributed to the public today , at the Rally - had we had another 500 , the four-person 'Leaflet Team' might just about have had enough to distribute to everyone that asked for one! A proper report on this Rally will be published in the February 2012 issue of 'Saoirse' , which goes to print on Wednesday 8th of that month. Also , if you're a 'Facebooker' , keep an eye on this 'Facebook' page , as our 'Mr T' (!) , a solid supporter of RSF , took a few pics and a video or two of the Rally and sure you might even see meself smiling at the camera.....!
Thanks for reading ,
Sharon.
