Tributes paid on 25th anniversary of Cookstown republican Tommy Casey’s murder

Tommy was gunned down by a loyalist death squad while he was helping a neighbour outside Cookstown.

The Kildress man was a father of 11 children and worked hard to look after his family. His wife Cathleen never recovered from the shock of Tommy’s death.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said: “He was also a very hard working Sinn Féin activist. He gave his whole life to the struggle for Irish Freedom.

“Tommy worked on behalf of the prisoners and their families. He travelled the country from top to bottom helping others. He played a key role in the campaign for the hunger strikers and spent a lot of time canvassing and organising for Martin Hursons election for the Dail.”

Francie Molloy MP for Mid Ulster spoke about how Tommy was the first to put himself forward when the work had to be done.

“The first to get a new person registered for elections. The first to ensure someone ill or away from home would get a postal vote,” he said.

Wreaths were led on behalf of East and South Tyrone SF, The Tyrone SF Commemoration Committee and on behalf of Tommy’s family.