SINN FEIN DCU - Cumann Sheena Campbell

Baile:

Saol Sheena Campbell:

Rugadh agus tógadh Sheena Campbell in ArdEoin, Craigavon. Agus í ina h-aois a 29 d’éirigh sí ina dalta dlí in Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste. Bhí sí tar éis colscaradh a fháil óna fear chéile agus páiste amháin aici. Bhí sí ceanndóchasach go mbeidh sí rathúil ina saol nua.
Ach bhí sórt coráiste eile ag Sheena. Ba Phoblachtach í Sheena agus í ina ball de Sinn Féin. Chuaigh sí in iomaíocht le David Trimble. Vótáil níos mó ná 2,000 daoine di i gceantar lán le dílseoirí.
B’fhéidir b’shin an rud a chur isteach ar an UVF. Caitliceach ab ea í agus b’fhéidir b’shin cúis go leor chun í a mharú. Cibé ‘fáth’ a bhí ag an UVF dhúnmharaigh siad Sheena. Ar an 16ú Deireadh Fomhair, 1992 shiúil ball den UVF isteach san óstán York. Bhí Sheena sa bhéar ag tógáil sosa óna cuid staidéir. Tháinig an fear gunna chuici agus d’eascair sé í cúig h-uaire. Fuair sí bás láithreach bonn agus gortaíodh beirt eile.
Bá í Sheena an 17ú ball de Sinn Féin a fuair bás sa tréimhse sin den sreachailt. D’fhág an fear gunna sin páiste gan mháthair agus an fear a bhí sí geallta leis gan leannán.
Cuireann an méad seo in aigne dúinn an cosúileacht atá eadrainn. Cosúil le Sheena táimid inár ndaltaí , cosúíl leí táimid dírithe do Phoblacht sóisialaach. Thug sí a saol d’aisling nach bhfuil againne go fóill. Tá sé de dhualgas orainn agus de dhualgas do gach Poblachtach obair a dhéanamh ar son na cúise céanna.

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It has always been a tradition among Republicans that we name our party cumainn, or branches, after Republicans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and their people. As such, when setting up our cumann here in DCU we thought long and hard about choosing a name for our cumann and in the end we were unanimous in our choice of a young University student and Sinn Féin activist Sheena Campbell.
Sheena was originally from Ardowen, Craigavon but was attending Queens University Belfast to obtain a degree in law. Divorced and with one child the young 29 year old was determined to succeed and her courage at attending university while bringing up her child is an example to any student.

But Sheena also had a different kind of courage. Sheena Campbell was a Republican and that has often been a dangerous path to travel. A prominent Sinn Féin activist in her local area she had, not two year previously, challenged David Trimble in a Westminster bye-election and polled over 2,000 votes in a constituency that was a breeding ground for Loyalist paramilitaries.

Perhaps it was this that angered the men who controlled the Loyalist Death Squads. The sight of a young, educated Sinn Féin member taking on David Trimble, their fear of any educated Republican or just the fact that Sheena Campbell happened to be Catholic. For whatever reason the UVF marked her for assassination. On October 16th, 1992 a UVF gunman walked into the bar of the York hotel, a popular student haunt not far from Queens. Sheena, taking a break from studying for upcoming exams was sitting in the crowded lounge area. The gunman walked directly towards her and shot her five times at point blank range killing her instantly and injuring two others.

Sheena Campbell was the 17th Sinn Féin member to be killed since the current outbreak of the Troubles. She left behind a young child and her fiancé, Sinn Féin councillor Brendan Curran, himself the survivor of a Loyalist attack.

Sheena's example serves as a reminder to the members of our cumann. Like her, we are students, like her, we are Sinn Féin activists and like her we are committed to the ideals of a socialist Republic. Sheena Campbell gave her life to a dream not yet realised. It is our duty, and the duty of every Republican to strive every day to make that dram a reality. We owe that, not just to Sheena, but also to the thousands of men and women who have given their lives for their people.

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"The task of building an Ireland of equals is a huge and exciting challenge for all of us. Use this site, engage with the party and join with us on the road to Irish unity and independence."Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP