GREATER CLONARD EX-PRISONERS ASSOCIATION

Oglaigh na hEireann

C.COY

VOL.SEAN GAYNOR

IN THE EARLY HOURS OF SATURDAY MORNING,SEPTEMBER 26TH 1920 24 YEAR OLD SEAN WAS SHOT DEAD IN HIS OWN HOME AT 236 SPRINGFIELD ROAD BY MEMBERS OF AN R.I.C RAIDING PARTY.HE WAS AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FOR TWO YEARS,UNTIL HIS UNTIMELY MURDER.HE WAS A KEEN HURLER,PLAYING FOR O'CONNELL'S G.A.C

VOLS.DAN AND PAT DUFFIN

ON THE EVENING OF SATURDAY,APRIL 23RD 1921,TWO MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH AUXILIARIES WERE SHOT DEAD IN THE CENTRE OF BELFAST BY THE I.R.A THAT NIGHT A UNIFORMED R.I.C RAIDING PARTY,ARRIVED AT THE DUFFIN HOME AT 64 CLONARD GARDENS AND MURDERED THE BROTHERS IN COLD BLOOD.DAN AND PAT WERE SUBSEQUENTLY BURIED IN GLENRAVEL,NORTH ANTRIM

VOL SEAN McCARTNEY

SEAN WAS BORN IN NORFOLK STREET AND AT THE AGE OF 17 JOIED THE BRITISH ARMY TO FIGHT FOR THE "FREEDOM OF SMALL NATIONS"DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR (1914-18)HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE HAND,SUFFERING A PERMANENT DISABILITY.
AFTER HIS DISCHARGE,HE JOINED THE I.R.A AND WAS ACCEPTED FOR ACTIVE SERVICE WITH THE BELFAST BRIGADE FLYING COLUMN,COMPRISING OF 12 VOLS.THEY WERE SENT TO CO.CAVAN AND ESTABISHED THEIR H/Q ON THE LAPPINDUFF MOUNTAIN.TWO NIGHTS LATER ON MAY 8TH 1921;THEY WERE SURPRISED BY A MIXED PARTY OF BETWEEN 300 AND 400 BRITISH ARMY AND AUXILIARIES.FACING OVERWHELMING ODDS,THE COLUMN FOUGHT UNTIL THEY RAN OUT OF AMMO,COMPELLING THEM TO ESCAPE,BUT 21 YEAR OLD SEAN McCARTNEY WAS KILED DURING THE ENGAGEMENT.

VOL GERARD O CALLAGHAN

GERARD,WHO HAILED FROM CAVENDISH STREET,WAS SHOT DEAD BY THE R.U.C ON MONDAY,AUGUST 31ST 1942.HE HAD GONE TO EXAMINE A LARGE DUMP OF ARMS AT A FARM BARN NEAR BUDORE,ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BELFAST,WHEN HE WAS SURPRISED BY R.U.C PERSONNEL.APART FROM SUFFERING NUMEROUS GUNSHOT WOUNDS HIS FACE WAS BADLY TORTURED BEFORE HE WAS SHOT.
HIS INQUEST WAS PROHIBITED BY STORMONT'S MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS,INDICATING THE ORANGE STATE'S REFUSAL TO ALLOW THE TRUTH TO COME OUT ,CONCERNING HIS EXECUTION AT THE AGE OF 19,GERARD HAD BEEN A VOL.FOR 2YEARS,AND HIS LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL HAD BEEN RECOGNISED BY THE LEADERSHIP WHO HAD SENT HIM ON AN ORGANISING AND TRAINING MISSON THROUGHOUT THE SIX-COUNTIES

VOL TOM WILLIAMS

ON EASTER SUNDAY 1942,TOM WAS ONE OF SIX VOLS.TO TAKE PART IN AN OPERATION AGAINST THE R.U.C ON THE KASHMIR ROAD.THEY WERE SUBSEQUENTLY SURROUNDED BY THE ENEMY IN A HOUSE IN CAWNPORE STREET,RESULTING IN THE OF AN R.U.C MAN AND THE WOUNDING OF TOM IN BOTH LEGS.
TOM WHILE IN HOSPITAL BELIEVING HE WAS DYING ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE R.U.C MAN'S DEATH.ALL SIX VOLS. WERE SENTENCED TO DIE,FIVE WERE LATER REPRIEVED BUT 19 YEAR OLD TOM WILLIAMS WAS TO DIE ON THE SCAFFOLD IN CRUMLIN ROAD GAOL ON SEPTEMBER 2ND 1942
TOM'S MOTHER DIED SHORTLY AFTER HIS BIRTH AND AFTER HIS FATHER LEFT BELFAST TO JOIN THE FREE STATE ARMY,HE WAS LEFT IN THE CARE OF GRANNY FAY WHO LIVED IN BOMBAY STREET.AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST HE WAS ACTING O/C OF C COMPANY

VOL SEAMUS BURNS

SEAMUS JOINED NA FIANNA EIREANN WHEN HE WAS TEN,IN APRIL 1938,AT THE AGE OF 17 HE GOT A SIX-MONTH SENTENCE FOR POSSESSION OF SEDITIOUS LITERATURE.RELEASED IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR,HE JOINED THE I.R.A HE WAS RE-ARRESTED IN SEPTEMBER IN THE ROUND UP OF SEPT 1939 AND INTERNED IN CRUMLIN ROAD.HE ESCAPED FROM DERRY PRISON IN MARCH 1943,ONLY TO BE REINTERNED IN THE CURRAGH CAMP,FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS

FIAN GERARD MCAULEY

GERARD LIVED IN COLINWARD STREET AND AT THE AGE OF 15 WAS SHOT DEAD BY LOYALISTS AT THE JUNCTION OF THE KASHMIR ROAD AND BOMBAY STREET,ON AUGUST 15TH 1969.HIS DEATH WAS THE RESULT OF HIS DETERMINATION TO HELP DEFEND THE CLONARD AREA FROM A RAMPAGING LOYALIST MOB INTENT ON BURNING THE AREA TO GROUND.
HE WAS THE FIRST REPUBLICAN ACTIVIST TO DIE DURING THE CURRENT PHASE OF THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE AND UNIFICATION

VOL. PETER BLAKE

PETER LIVED IN BENARES STREET AND JOINED THE RANKS OF C COMPANY IN 1969 IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE AUGUST POGROM.IN OCTOBER 1970 HE TOOK PART IN AN I.R.A TRAINING CAMP AND WAS RETURNING TO BELFAST ON OCTOBER 27TH WHEN HIS CAR WAS IN COLLISION WITH A BRITISH ARMY TRUCK NEAR DUNGANNON.HE DIED ALONG HIS COMRADE,VOL. TOM McGOLDRICK.

VOL. SEAMUS SIMPSON

SEAMUS HAILED FROM CAWNPORE STREET BEFORE THE FAMILY MOVED TO ANDERSONSTOWN.HIS UNCLE PAT SIMPSON WAS SENTENCE TO DEATH ALONGSIDE TOM WILLIAMS,BUT WAS LATER REPRIEVED.HE JOINED C COMPANY IN 1970 AND TOOK PART IN SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS.ON AUGUST 11TH 1971,TWO DAYS AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF INTERNMENT ,SEAMUS WAS SHOT DEAD BY THE PARAS AS HE ENGAGED THEM WITH BLAST BOMBS DURING RIOTING IN THE ROSSNAREEN AREA.

VOL. DANNY O'NEILL

DANNY LIVED IN CLONARD STREET AND AFTER JOINING THE I.R.A IN 1969,HE BECAME A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER PARTAKING IN NUMEROUS SNIPING ATTACKS ON ENEMY PERSONNEL.WHILE ON ACTIVE SERVICE ON JANUARY 4TH 1972 HE WAS SHOT AND SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN ORANMORE STREET,AS HE PREPARED TO AMBUSH A BRITISH ARMY RAIDING PARTY .HE WAS DRIVEN OUT OF THE AREA BY OTHER VOLS AND RECEIVED FIRST AID BEFORE THE DECISION WAS TAKEN TO BRING HIM TO HOSPITAL DUE TO THE SERIOUS NATURE OF HIS WOUND,HE DIED 3DAYS LATER,JANUARY 7TH AT THE CITY HOSPITAL.
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH,HIS FATHER BILLY WAS INTERNED IN LONG KESH.

VOL.GERAD CROSSAN
VOL.SEAN JOHNSTON
VOL.TONY LEWIS
VOL.TOM McCANN

ON MARCH 9TH 1972 ALL FOUR VOLS DIED IN A PREMATURE BOMB EXPLOSION IN CLONARD STREET,AS THEY PREPARED TO MOUNT AN ATTACK ON A COMMERCIAL TARGET IN BELFAST CITY CENTRE.
VOL GERARD CROSSAN HAILED FROM CAVENISH STREET BUT AFTER HIS MARRIAGE HE MOVED TO ANNADALE STREET IN THE NEW LODGE AREA.GERARD LIKE MANY OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES JOINED THE I.R.A. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE BOMBAY STREET POGROM IN 1969.
WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF INTERNMENT IN AUGUST 1971 GERARD WENT ON FULL-TIME SERVICE AND WAS INVOLVED IN MANY SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS ON ENEMY TARGETS.
VOL. SEAN JOHNSTON LIVED IN CAWNPORE STREET AND JOINED C COMPANY IN 1970.HE TOOK PART IN SEVERAL OPERATIONS BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY DEATH AT THE AGE OF 19.
VOL. TONY LEWIS LIVED IN CUPER STREET AND AT THE AGE OF 14 PLAYED AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE DEFENCE OF THE CLONARD AREA AS A FIAN IN 1969.IN 1971 HE JOINED THE I.R.A. AND REMAINED AN ACTIVE AND DEDICATED VOL. UNTIL HIS DEATH AT THE AGE OF 16 IN MARCH 72
VOL TOM McCANN HAILED FROM WATERFORD STREET AND JOINED RANKS OF C COMPANY IN 1969 FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF AUGUST THAT YEAR.AT THE AGE OF 20 HE WAS THE OLDEST OF THE VOL TO DIE ON THAT FATEFUL DAY FOR THE CLONARD AREA.HE WAS ALSO THE LAST TO BE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED.
HE WAS A VERY ACTIVE VOL. WHO TOOK PART IN MANY SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS AGAINST ENEMY PERSONNEL.

FIAN SEAN O'RIORDAN

SEAN WAS BORN IN ORAMORE STREET ON MARCH 23RD 1972.AT THE AGE OF 13 SEAN WAS SHOT DEAD BY THE BRITISH ARMY IN CAWNPORE STREET.HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY BURIED IN THE REPUBLICAN PLOT IN MILLTOWN.

VOL.JOE McKENNA

JOE WAS BORN IN FORT STREET ON THE 16TH OF MAY 1973.HE WAS SHOT DEAD BY LOYALIST IN A RANDOM SECTARIAN ATTACK ON THE GROSVENOR ROAD.

VOL.MARTIN McKENNA

MARTIN HAILED FROM GREENCASTLE AND JOINED THE RANKS OF OGLAIGH h-EIREANN IN 1971.HE WAS INTERNED FROM 1973 UNTIL 1975.CHARGE WITH POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVES IN 1976,HE BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST BLANKET MEN,HE WAS SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IMPRISONMENT,BUT HE ONLY SERVED 17 MONTHS IN JAIL BECAUSE HIS APPEAL WAS SUCCESSFUL.
MARTIN WAS KILLED IN A CAR CRASH ON THE MAIN NEWRY/BANBRIDGE ROAD ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 23RD 1979.

VOL.LIAM HANNAWAY

LIAM JOINED THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT AT A VERY EARLY AGE AND HE WAS TO DEVOTE HIS LIFE TO THE STRUGGLE.IN NOVEMBER 1940,HE WAS ARRESTED AND SENTENCED TO 7YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR POSSESSION OF AMMO.UPON HIS RELEASE HE WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN BOTH TEACHING THE IRISH LANGUAGE AND PROMOTING GAELIC SPORTS.AS THE EVENTS OF 69 UNFOLDED IN THE CLONARD AREA,LIAM WAS A NATURAL LEADER AND HE ORGANISED THE FORMATION OF THE LOCAL UNIT WHILE ALSO PROMOTING THE PATRICK PEARSE CUMANN.HE WAS WIDELY RESPECTED THROUGHTOUT THE AREA,BY FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE.
IN FEBRUARY 1972,AFTER BEING ON THE RUN FROM INTERMENT DAY HE WAS ARRESTED AND INTERNED ON THE MAIDSTONE AND LONG KESH,HE WAS RELEASED IN JULY 74,BUT IMPRISONMENT HAD TAKEN IT'S TOLL AND HIS HEALTH HAD DETERIORATED.NEVERTHELESS HE STILL REMAINED ACTIVE IN BOTH THE ARMY SINN FEIN,AS THE CASE WAS AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH ON FEB 2ND 1981.AGED 65.

VOL.BRIAN DEMPSEY

BIG DIPPER FROM CAWNPORE STREET JOINED NA FIANNA EIREANN AT THE AGE OF 14,FIVE YEARS LATER HE WAS TO JOIN THE RANKS OF C COMPANY,REMAINING A DEICATED VOL.UNTIL HIS UNTIMELY DEATH ON THE 25TH JUNE 1986.
HE WAS TRAVELLING ON ARMY BUSINESS WHEN HE WAS KILLED IN A TRAGIC CAR ACCIDENT IN CO.TYRONE.

VOL.JIM McKERNAN

JIM "THE DOG"FROM FORFAR STREET,JOINED THE LOCAL FIANNA SLUA AT AN EARLY AGE.UPON REACHING 17 HE ENTERED THE RANKS OF OGLAIGH NA h-EIREANN,OPERATING MAINLY IN THE BEECHMONT AREA.HE WAS SHOT DEAD BY ROYAL MARINES WHILE ON ACTIVE SERVICE ON THE 14TH SEPTEMBER 1986 ON THE ANDERSONSTOWN ROAD.

VOL. FINBARR McKENNA

BIG FINBARR WHO HAILED FROM COLINWARD STREET,WAS SHOT AND WOUNDED IN THE ARM BY THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE LOWER FALLS WHILE A RIOT WAS IN PROGESS.HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INTERNED FOR A SHORT PERIOD IN LATE 71.IN SEPT 74 HE WAS ARRESTED ON TRUMPED UP CHARGES AND HELD FOR SEVERAL MONTHS ON REMAND.
UPON HIS RELEASE,FINBARR WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN HIS LOCAL UNIT.ENGAGING IN BOTH SNIPER ATTACKS ON ENEMY FORCES AND BOMBING ECONOOMIC TARGETS IN THE CITY CENTRE.IT WAS ON ONE SUCH ATTACK HE WAS ARRESTED IN APIRL.76 ALONG WITH SEVERAL COMRADES AND SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS.WHILE IN THE BLOCKS HE PLAYED HIS PART IN THE PRISON STRUGGLE.EMBARKING ON BOTH THE THE BLANKET AND SEGREGATION PROTEST,UPON HIS RELEASE FROM THE H-BLOCKS IN JUNE 86 HE ONCE MORE IMMEDIATELY REPORTED BACK FOR ACTIVE SERVICE.
FINBARR DIED JUST 11 MONTHS LATER WHILST PARTAKING ON A GRENADE ATTACK ON SPRINGFIELD ROAD BARRACKS ON MAY 2ND 1987.
HIS FUNERAL CORTEGE WAS BRUTALLY ATTACKED BY THE R.U.C AS IT ENTERED THE FALLS ROAD FROM CAVENDISH STREET,WITH MANY MORNERS RECEIVING A SAVAGE BEATING.

VOL.DAN McCANN

BIG DAN HAILED FROM CAVENDISH STREET.IN1973HE GOT 6 MONTHS IN ST.PATS FOR RIOTING AGAINST THE BRITISH ARMY,IN 1975 HE JOINED THE RANKS OF C COMPANY,WHERE HE REMAINED ON FULL-TIME ACTIVE SERVICE UNTIL HIS EXECUTION IN GIBRALTAR ALONGSIDE HIS COMRADES SEAN SAVAGE AND MAIREAD FARRELL.IN JANUARY 1979 HE WAS SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR POSSESSION OF A DETONATER,MOST OF WHICH WAS SPENT ON THE BLANKET,HE ALSO SERVED OTHER SHORT SPELLS ON REMAND ON TRUMPED UP CHARGES,FURTHERMORE HE WAS BRUTALISED BY THE R.U.C IN CASTLEREAGH ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS,WHILST CONTINUOUSLY HARASSED BY ENEMY FORCES WHILE AT LARGE.
A HIGHLY COMMITTED AND ACTIVE VOL.DAN WAS EXECUTED BY BRITISH CROWN FORCES ON SUNDAY 6TH MARCH 1988.

VOL.SEAN SAVAGE

SEAN LIVED FOR A WHILE WITH HIS FAMILY ON THE KASHMIR ROAD.HE ENTERED THE RANKS OF NA FIANNA EIREANN AT AN EARLY AGE BEFORE PROGRESSING INTO OGLAIGH NA h-EIREANN.FROM THE OUTSET HE WAS VERY SECURITY CONSCIOUS AND FEW KNEW OF HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT. HE SPENTSOME TIME ON REMAND IN CRUMLIN ROAD GAOL BEFORE THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED, WHEREUPON HE IMMEDIATELY REPORTED BACK FOR ACTIVE SERVICE. HE REMAINED A COMMITTED AND EFFECTIVE VOL, WIDELY RESPECTED THROUGHOUTHIS COMMUNITY, UNTIL HIS UNTIMELY EXECUTION ON GIBRALTAR ON 6TH MARCH 88.

VOL.PROINSIAS MAC AIRT

MAC AIRT GAVE A LIFE-TIMES SERVICE TO THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT,FIRST JOINING NA FIANNA EIREANN AS A TEENAGER IN THE LATE 1930S. HE WAS ARRESTED AS A JUVENILE IN 1940,SERVING TWO YEARS IN CRUMLIN ROAD GAOL,WHERE HE REMAINED AFTER HE WAS INTERNED,UNTIL 1945.
IN THE NEXT PHASE OF THE STRUGGLE IN THE 50S CAMPAIGN HE WAS INTERNED FROM 1957 UNTIL 1960.
PROINSIAS PLAYED A PROMINENT ROLE IN THE REORGANISATION OF THE MOVEMENT FOLLOWING THE SPLIT IN 1970. HE ASSISTED JIMMY STEELE IN THE FOUNDATION OF THE REPUBLICAN NEWS,LATER BECOMING EDITOR HIMSELF.
IN 1971 HE WAS BACK IN THE CRUM ALONG WITH BILLY McKEE,WHERE THEY REMAINED UNTIL 1974. BOTH IN AND OUT OF PRISON, MAC AIRT WAS A KEEN GAELGEOIR AND HE TAUGHT THE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY TO MANY COMRADES.
MAC AIRT REMAINED AN ACTIVE REPUBLICAN UNTIL HIS DEATH ON WEDNESDAY,JANUARY 8TH 1992.