South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Queens University Students discussion honouring Mairead Farrell

Published: 9 March, 2008

Barry McElduff, MLA, Seamus Finucane, Jennifer McCann, MLA, Eunan Carlin, QUB

Barry McElduff, MLA, Seamus Finucane, Jennifer McCann, MLA, Eunan Carlin, QUB

Queens University Students held a Discussion about the life and death of Mairead Farrell, a student of the university, when she was murdered by the SAS, in Gibraltar, 20 years ago this week.

The evening included a DVD showing that covered the events in Gibraltar and the week after, in which 4 IRA volunteers and 3 civilians, were murdered. The students then listened to 3 invited guests, who gave their personal recollection of Mairead, and the impact her death, and those of Dan McCann and Sean Savage, had in Belfast, and in particular, Queens University.

The 3 speakers, were, Barry McElduff, MLA, who was at Queens University at the time of Mairead's murder, Seamus Finucane, and Jennifer McCann, MLA, who was imprisoned with Mairead in Armagh jail.

Student spokesperson, Eunan Carlin, said;

"We are honoured to host this discussion tonight, to discuss the life of Mairead Farrell, who was a student at this University when she was murdered. Through the personal recollections of the panel, students at the University today, got a better understanding of the sort of person, that Mairead was.

It was appropriate in the week of International Women's Day, that we heard how Mairead was very active in the Queens University Women's Rights group.It was encouraging to know that she was a strong advocate of Women's rights, as this is an issue that is still very relevant today, and an issue that we as students, must continue to promote.

Barry McElduff gave us an understanding of the conditions that existed at the University at the time, and 20 years on, we are grateful that people like him and Mairead Farrell and Sheena Campbell sought to change the society around them, while attending this university.

Mairead Farrell is an inspiration to the young people of this university and we are very glad to remember her life, while commemorating her death."ENDS