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Brendan Hughes (1948 – 16 February 2008[1]), also known as "The Dark",[1] was an Irish republican and former Officer Commanding (OC) of the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA),[2] who was mainly known as the leader of the 1980 Irish hunger strike. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Irish republicanism (Poblachtánachas is an ideology based on the Irish nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a single independent Republic The Officer Commanding ( OC) is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit (smaller than Battalion size in widespread military usage The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas based in the city of Belfast. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland.

Contents

Background

Hughes was born into a republican family from the Lower Falls Road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Falls Road also refers to the Rochester Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad, the New York Central Railroad 's line to Niagara Falls New York. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of He was a cousin of Charles Hughes, who was the OC of D Company in the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade during the Falls Curfew, and was shot and killed in March 1971 by the Official Irish Republican Army during the feud between the Provisional and Official IRA. The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas based in the city of Belfast. The Falls Curfew, also known as the Lower Falls Curfew or sometimes as the "Rape of the Lower Falls" was a British Army operation on the Falls Road in The term Official Irish Republican Army or Official IRA (informally the Officials) refers to one of the two organisations&mdashthe other being the Provisional [3]

Republican activity

Hughes joined the IRA in 1969 and was "on the run" in Belfast by 1970. From 1970-1972 Hughes was involved in a number of attacks on British soldiers and bank robberies in order to raise funds for the republican movement.

Hughes described his normal day during that period as "you would have had a call house [a safe meeting place] and you might have robbed a bank in the morning, done a float [gone out in a car looking for British soldier] in the afternoon, stuck a bomb and a booby trap out after that, and then maybe had a gun battle or two later that night. "[4]

Initial prison escape

On 19 July 1973 Hughes was arrested on the Falls Road along with Gerry Adams (now President of Sinn Fein) and Tom Cahill. Events 711 - Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by their king Roderic. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Gerry Adams, MLA, MP (Gearóid Mac Ádhaimh born 6 October 1948 is an Irish Republican politician and abstentionist Westminster Sinn Féin () is a political party in Ireland. The current party led by Gerry Adams was formed following a split in January 1970 They were interrogated for in excess of 12 hours at the Springfield Road Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) barracks and later Castlereagh before being transported to Long Kesh. The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC was the name of the Police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001 Castlereagh Borough Council is a local council in Northern Ireland. Her Majesty's Prison Maze (known colloquially as The H Blocks, Long Kesh, or The Maze) was a Prison used to house Paramilitary prisoners [2][5]

On 8 December Hughes escaped inside a rolled up mattress in the back of a dustcart, and fled across the border to Dublin. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. A waste collection vehicle (WCV or colloquially called a 'Garbage Truck' 'Dustcart' or 'Dustbin lorry' is a Truck specially designed to pick up smaller quantities of Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. After ten days he had returned to Belfast after assuming a new identity, becoming a travelling toy salesman named "Arthur McAllister". For five months Hughes lived in Myrtlefield Park near Malone Road, and was believed to be the new O/C of the IRA in Belfast following the arrest of Ivor Bell in February. The Malone Road ( Irish: Bóthar Maigh Lón; 'The Plain of the Lambs' Road is a radial road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, leading from the Ivor Malachy Bell is an Irish Republican, and a former volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA who later [6][5]

On 10 May 1974 Hughes was arrested following a tip-off, and the house was found to contain a submachine gun, four rifles, two pistols and several thousand rounds of ammunition. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. A submachine gun (SMG is a Firearm that combines the automatic fire of a Machine gun with the cartridge of a Pistol, and is A rifle is a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling" cut into the barrel walls Hughes was subsequently sentenced to fifteen years in prison. [7] Three years after his arrest Hughes was involved in a fracas, and received an additional five year sentence for assaulting a prison officer. As he was convicted after 1 March 1976 Hughes was transferred from the compounds to the H-Blocks and lost his Special Category Status. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In July 1972 William Whitelaw, the British government 's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, granted Special Category Status to all prisoners convicted He refused to wear prison uniform and joined the blanket protest. The blanket protest (Agóid na mBlancéid was part of a five year protest during The Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA and Irish National Liberation Shortly after arriving in the H-Blocks Hughes became the OC of the IRA prisoners, and in March 1978 ordered the prisoners to begin the dirty protest. The dirty protest (also called the no wash protest) was part of a five year protest during The Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA and [8]

Hunger strike

Hughes was the Officer Commanding during the 1980 hunger strike. The Officer Commanding ( OC) is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit (smaller than Battalion size in widespread military usage The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. Against the wishes of the IRA Army Council, on 27 October 1980, Hughes along with six other republican prisoners, including John Nixon, Sean McKenna, Tommy McKearney and Raymond McCartney, refused food and started a hunger strike. The IRA Army Council is the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA a Paramilitary group dedicated to bringing Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Sean McKenna may refer to Sean McKenna (ice hockey, former professional ice hockey player Sean McKenna (footballer, Scottish footballer Tommy McKearney (b 1952 Moy County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) is an Irish Republican, and former Hunger striker and volunteer within Raymond McCartney ((Scottish Réamann McCartney. 1954 in Derry, Northern Ireland) is a Sinn Féin politician and a former Hunger striker [9]

During the second month of the hunger strike the British Government led by Margaret Thatcher, sent an intermediary to inform Hughes of a possible compromise, despite previously having publicly rejecting any compromise. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 [9]

Hughes had promised one of the hunger strikers, Sean McKenna, that if he slipped into a coma that he would end the hunger strike and as McKenna was on the verge of death, Hughes found himself in a dilemma. Hughes assumed that the compromise was in good faith and ended the hunger strike after 53 days. However, when the document arrived at the prison there was disappointment at the final position of the British Government. [10][11]

Bobby Sands took over as leader of the republican prisoners in the Maze, and, starting 1 March 1981, led the second hunger strike. Robert Gerard Sands (Roibeard Gearóid Ó Seachnasaigh commonly known as Bobby Sands, (9 March 1954 – 5 May 1981 was a Provisional Irish Republican Army Her Majesty's Prison Maze (known colloquially as The H Blocks, Long Kesh, or The Maze) was a Prison used to house Paramilitary prisoners Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 [12]

Release

Hughes was released from prison in 1986, and returned to live in Belfast. [8] In 1990, Hughes appeared at a press conference in Bilbao organised by Batasuna, the political wing of the Basque nationalist paramilitary group ETA, to support an amnesty for ETA prisoners. Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque Batasuna ("Unity" in Basque language) is a Basque nationalist political organization based mainly in Spain, declared illegal but with Basque nationalism is a movement with roots in the Carlism and the loss by the laws of 1839 and 1876 of the Ancien Régime relationship between the Basque provinces eu '''Euskadi Ta Askatasuna''' or ETA ( Basque for "Basque Homeland and Freedom" ˈɛːta is an illegal armed Basque nationalist Separatist [13]

At the start of the 21st century, he became rather critical of the political direction of the Sinn Féin leadership. However like many former prisoners his health had been badly damaged in prison.

In 2000, he criticised the Sinn Féin leadership for allowing building firms in west Belfast to pay low wages to former prisoners and that the republican leadership had sold out on their ideals in order to achieve peace in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin () is a political party in Ireland. The current party led by Gerry Adams was formed following a split in January 1970 [14][15]

In October 2006, Hughes was pictured on the front page of the Irish News wearing an eye patch, after he underwent an operation to save his sight which had been badly damaged due to his hunger strike. The Irish News is a compact -sized daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. [16]

Hughes died in hospital aged 59 on 16 February 2008. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common [1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Former hunger striker Hughes dies. BBC (17 February 2008). Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori
  2. ^ a b Taylor, Peter (1997). Peter Taylor born Scarborough, North Yorkshire is a British Journalist and documentary -maker who had covered for many years the political Provos The IRA & Sinn Féin. Bloomsbury Publishing, pp. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is an independent London -based publishing house known for literary Novels It was named Publisher of the Year in 1999 and 156-157. ISBN 0-7475-3818-2.  
  3. ^ Provos The IRA & Sinn Féin, pp. 58, 79.
  4. ^ Unknown. “Brendan Hughes” Socialist Review 2006-09-01. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Retrieved on 2007-02-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
  5. ^ a b Joe O'Neill. "The Brendan Hughes Interview". G21 Alumnus. Retrieved on 5 February 2008. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
  6. ^ Taylor, Peter (2001). Brits. Bloomsbury Publishing, pp. 157-159. ISBN 0-7475-5806-X.  
  7. ^ Provos The IRA & Sinn Féin, pp. 160-162.
  8. ^ a b Brits, pp. 228-229
  9. ^ a b Provos The IRA & Sinn Féin, pp. 230-235.
  10. ^ Hunger Strikes and Death of Bobby Sands BBC Website. Retrieved on 2007-02-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
  11. ^ Brendan Hughes. “Risking the Lives of Volunteers is Not the IRA Way” Irish News 2006-07-13. The Irish News is a compact -sized daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Retrieved on 2007-02-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
  12. ^ John Cunningham (6 May 1981). Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 How the IRA manufactured a new martyr. The Guardian. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Retrieved on 2007-02-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum
  13. ^ David Bamber (4 March 2000). Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Basque bombers top up IRA's terror arsenal. The Daily Telegraph. For "The Daily Telegraph" in Australia see The Daily Telegraph (Australia. Retrieved on 2007-09-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again
  14. ^ David Sharrock (4 March 2000). Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Ex-IRA leader attacks Adams. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2007-02-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
  15. ^ Malachi O'Doherty (6 February 2001). Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Hungry for a new Republican agenda. Belfast Telegraph. The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News and Media. Retrieved on 2007-02-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
  16. ^ Tony Macaulay (6 October 2006). Events 105 BC - Battle of Arausio: The Cimbri inflict the heaviest defeat on the Roman army of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. What the papers say. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-03-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China.

External links

Obituaries

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