'New' Civil rights badge -- Stormont Watch

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Date Posted: Sat, Jul 12 2008, 21:20:57 PDT
Author: Press Release
Subject: 'New' Civil rights badge

Press Release

�New� Civil Rights badge

The 1968 40th anniversary committee has re-produced the original civil rights badge as part of its fund-raising efforts, and the original October 5th 1968 demonstration poster will soon roll off the printing press. The first batch of badges was delivered a few days ago to the Museum of Free Derry at Glenfada Park in the Bogside which also houses an extensive Civil Rights Archives.

The late Mrs. Mary Ellen O�Doherty, often referred to as the � Mother of the Civil Rights�, nine months before she died last June in her 100th year donated scores of newspapers to the museum stretching back at least five decades in spite of the fact that these were viewed by diverse institutions as being highly valuable in financial terms. Her son, Fionnbarra, a co-founder of the N. Ireland Civil Rights Association in 1967 recently donated another valuable document, the actual banning order dated Oct, 3rd 1968 signed by Home Affairs Minister, William Craig. As his late mother previously stated to local journalists; �These documents rightly belong to the history of the working-class people of Derry which should be retained for the benefit of current and future generations in the city, and not sold off for personal profit to overseas agencies or collectors�.

The 1968 committee�s membership includes several people who were prominent during the civil rights era such as John Hume, Ivan Cooper, James Doherty, Paddy �Bog side� Doherty, Austin Currie and Michael Farrell to name but a few. Its dedicated website, www.nicivilrights.org was recently launched in Derry at the local civil rights office on Crawford Square. Among those attending the event was the recently-elected Mayor of Derry, Gerard Diver and Ivan Cooper the former Minister for Community Relations in the ill-fated 1974 power-sharing Stormont executive.

A ceremony is being planned by the 1968-2008 committees at which a plaque bearing the original civil rights� �Oak Leaf� emblem will be presented to its creator Mrs. Sheila McClean, a former local art teacher. As space is limited those wishing to attend are cordially invited to contact the local civil rights office voicemail on 028 71 286359 or e-mail rights.civil@googlemail.com Prominent civil rights veterans from across the Six Counties are on the invitation list as well as the local radio, TV and print journalists.

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