Finally, Mr. Deputy First Minister arrived. Along with his entourage, a total of maybe 60 people finally attended this event for Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein leader & DFM! Not great support-- I would say. Rita O'Hare spoke, then MLA John O'Dowd of Lurgan spoke, then Mr. McGuinness spoke. It was a very vigorous but very repetitious speech. The theme was "Sinn Fein has delivered", "We deliver", "SF delivered what we said we would deliver" interspersed with "We will have a united Ireland", "We have a plan", We are nearly there", We are working toward a united Ireland" and "we want your continued support". I think I remember Mr. Adams being here about 6-9 months ago asking Irish America "HOW DO WE GET A UNITED IRELAND?" -- he was asking for ideas! WOW! They came up with one pretty fast it looks like. Then the lies and hypocrisy began in full!

Toward the end of his speech, he said there are "MICRO" groups who oppose SF, the GFA, and peace...... and they have NO support. This is a lie! He further said that Americans should not support these people. He claimed that due to these "micro" groups Derrymen have lost their lives, his fellow county men, and only his county men have lost their lives due to these "micro" groups. He mentioned that his fellow Derryman Kieran Doherty was recently killed. (Mind you Kieran Doherty had stopped supporting SF before 2000 & was in the Real IRA). Martin McG. reiterated don't support them, they have no support, they are going nowhere.

Finally he finished and there was a Q&A segment. Three men asked questions. I was next. I started by saying I had supported & watched SF for many years, but I and many others had questions & concerns re: a number of issues. I said I MUST correct statements made in his speech. (You could see an immediate change in his posture & body language!) I said his claim of only Derrymen being killed due to "micro" groups was NOT TRUE! I stated - Yes, Kieran Doherty was a Derryman, I knew Kieran, but John Brady was a Tyrone man, murdered in custody of "the NEW police of n.Ireland", and John was my friend. I said Joe O'Connor was a Belfast man murdered in broad daylight in front of his mother's home. I am a friend of the O'Connor Family, and young Paul Quinn was from Cullyhanny and murdered -- murdered by British agents (MI5, PSNI or Provos). I said THIS is the truth and these are facts! I also said that these "micro" groups, in fact, do have growing support. Then I said "my question for you tonight is -- Where does SF stand on SECTION 44 & the return of DIPLOCK Trials? I asked why Republicans are being harassed on a weekly basis, why men like Colin Duffy, Gary Donnelly- a Derryman- are being arrested & re-arrested & assaulted. And why MI5 are now openly recruiting for informers in Nationalist areas?

WELL...... McMcGuinness was livid. He responded by making a personal attack. He called anti-GFA groups & supporters criminals, drug dealers, thugs, & informers!! He said I was seriously misinformed. He was in a temper. He never answered my question at all! The hypocrisy is SF/the Provos have their own share of informers, drug dealers, & criminals! Let's remember Denis Donaldson & Freddie Scappeticci. Let's also remember Liam Adams-a paediophile (even Gerry accepts this as true), Provos who have been outed for raping Joe Cahill's neices, other SF sex abuse cases, Provos dealing drugs, --- last week Mr. McGuinness had the audacity to call for Cardinal Brady to step down !?!?!? I didn't hear him call for Gerry Adams to step down for hiding & covering up crimes of criminals within his own organization ! People in glass houses ....These hypocrites are now master liars & have learned from the very best---- their new masters --- the Brits! I honestly don't know how anyone can support these people. Their arrogance is out of control. They abuse anyone who questions them or who does not support them! Money & power has corrupted them completely! Republicans do not turn on Republicans. Republicans do not work with the enemy to jail Republicans!

I spoke with both Mr. McGuinness & R. O'Hare after the event and suggested that it was very bad form to slander & attack former comrades and ex-prisoners! McGuinness could hardly hold it together, he was so rattled! Ms. O'Hare had more dignity. She actually told me (which I already know) that she cannot go home and if she did she would likely face jail & trial much like Gerry McGeough!

Cathleen O'Brien