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Newry City Hall was the venue for tonights Towards a New Republic Conference organised by Sinn Fein.
A packed attendance listened to speakers as diverse as John McCallister, MLA, Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party who spoke passionately on his preference of staying in the union and Gerry Adams, TD who gave his ideas for the New inclusive Republic.
Local businessman Graeme Finnegan, Grounded Expresso Bars, spoke as a businessman on how difficult it can be to work with the border in place. Graeme gave the example of a choice he had to make earlier in the development of Grounded of either opening their second branch in Dundalk or Belfast and even though Dundalk was a 15 minute drive away it was easier for his business to open his Boucher Road premises in Belfast, almost an hour away!
Other speakers included Dr John Bradley, Economic Consultant; Ruth Taillon, Centre of Cross Border Studies; Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA; Bernie McCrory and Linda Saunderson, CAWT; Dr Conor Patterson, Newry and Mourne Enterprise Agency; Conor Murphy, MP MLA and Pamela Arthurs, East Border Region.
