IN regard to the article in the Lurgan Mail in which a former republican questioned the intentions of Éirígí in Lurgan. As many will be aware Lurgan has a sizeable republican community who are anything but impressed at the antics of Sinn Fein, hence the vacuum and requirement of a republican voice.

Remember the days when Sinn Fein stood on Lurgan streets demanding a free Ireland, remember the days when Sinn Fein protested again the actions of the Police? All now a distant memory. What have they really done of the local community?

Ah I know, they built ramps to wreck our cars suspension and rip our exhausts off!

I consider the local MLA's remarks about their party's success in local elections as foolhardy and dangerous, they gave their overall area total. They know as well as I do if there was an election in the morning they would be scrambling after republicans all over again with stupid silly gestures like funding and publishing tacky low quality booklets on dead local republicans, or a token acknowledgement on a microphone during a commemoration of those killed by a force the party now sit comfortably with in a partnership.

Sinn Fein hasn't been exactly truthful with the local churchgoers in Lurgan either. I was amazed at their strong support for abortion and their open hostility towards a local pro-life group. At local as well as government level they have failed the very people they claim to represent. For example people in Lurgan have many issues regarding numbers of migrant workers permitted into the country and with unofficial travellers sites. I know of several cases where Sinn Fein has been contacted and cared to ignore the problem.

I always wonder when there is a meeting between the Northern Irish BRITISH assembly and the free state who Sinn Fein actually represent? Are they Irish or British?

Sinn Fein has abandoned every principle of republicanism to stroke their own egos and line their pockets. Sinn Fein is considered one of the wealthiest parties in politics today. So why are they begging the local working class people to sponsor an event being held in Armagh in January 2009 to purchase premises for a Sinn Fein advice centre in Church Place Lurgan? Oh I almost forget, the tickets cost 80 POUNDS!