McKearney lost three of his brothers during the Northern Ireland Troubles. Sean was killed by his own bomb in 1974, Pádraig was killed by the Special Air Service (SAS) in the Loughgall Ambush on 8 May 1987, and Kevin, a non-paramilitary, was murdered by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in 1992 while working in the family's butcher shop.[5] His sister, Margaret, was the subject of an unsuccessful extradition attempt in 1975, when Scotland Yard described her as "possibly the most dangerous woman terrorist in Britain."[6]
IRA activity
On 9 August 1971, the day internment was introduced, McKearney received his A-level results.[7] He had hoped to study at Queen's University Belfast and become a teacher but his results were not good enough to secure entry.[7] He describes the introduction of internment as "the straw that broke the camel's back" and decided to join the Provisional IRA, becoming a member of the East Tyrone Brigade.[8][9] He became the brigade's OC during the mid-seventies.[8] On 19 October 1977 he was arrested and charged with the murder of Stanley Adams, a postman and part-time Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) lance corporal (L/Cpl) of the 8th Battalion. He was interrogated for seven days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and says he was ill-treated while in custody. He later received a life sentence with a recommended minimum term of twenty years for the murder of L/Cpl Adams, after a statement which he never signed was accepted by the court on the word of a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) Inspector.[10]
Hunger strike
McKearney was involved in the blanket and dirty protests, and took part in the 1980 hunger strike along with other IRA members.[11] Prior to commencing the hunger strike, McKearney told his mother and father:
I'll put all my cards on the table. I'm going on hunger strike. If and when I die, I want to be brought back to Roscommon and be buried alongside my Granda (grandfather) . . . Don't let people try to influence you, your only friends will be the Republican Movement. If I die, never let the family be ashamed. If I die, I'll die in the knowledge that my life was for the cause and for the other boys here. If at my funeral the press say, "See how the IRA let your son die", just say, "My son died as an Irish soldier, not a British criminal".[12]
He spent 53 days on hunger strike, from 27 October to 18 December and, according to a doctor had only a few hours left to live when the strike was called off.[13]
Release
McKearney was released from prison in 1993, having served 16 years of his sentence.[5] In 2003 he appeared in the BBC documentary Life After Life.[14] He is now a freelance journalist, edits the publication Fourthwrite, and is an organiser for the Independent Workers Union of Ireland.[15]
^Mark Simpson (13 June 2003). "Life after the NI conflict". BBC News. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
^Tommy McKearney (5 February 2006). . The Sunday Business Post. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
External links
Official site
Independent Workers Union
January 20, 2023
tommy, mckearney, born, 1952, former, irish, volunteer, provisional, irish, republican, army, took, part, 1980, hunger, strike, mckearney, pictured, queen, university, belfast, 2014, contents, background, activity, hunger, strike, release, references, external. Tommy McKearney born 1952 is a former Irish volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1980 hunger strike 1 2 McKearney pictured at The Queen s University of Belfast in 2014 Contents 1 Background 2 IRA activity 2 1 Hunger strike 3 Release 4 References 5 External linksBackground EditMcKearney was born in Lurgan in the north east of County Armagh 3 but he was raised in The Moy a village in the south east of County Tyrone just across the River Blackwater from County Armagh He was born into a family with a long tradition of Irish republicanism Both his grandfathers had fought in the Irish Republican Army in the Irish War of Independence his maternal grandfather Tom Murray being an Adjutant General in the North Roscommon Brigade 1 4 McKearney lost three of his brothers during the Northern Ireland Troubles Sean was killed by his own bomb in 1974 Padraig was killed by the Special Air Service SAS in the Loughgall Ambush on 8 May 1987 and Kevin a non paramilitary was murdered by the Ulster Volunteer Force UVF in 1992 while working in the family s butcher shop 5 His sister Margaret was the subject of an unsuccessful extradition attempt in 1975 when Scotland Yard described her as possibly the most dangerous woman terrorist in Britain 6 IRA activity EditOn 9 August 1971 the day internment was introduced McKearney received his A level results 7 He had hoped to study at Queen s University Belfast and become a teacher but his results were not good enough to secure entry 7 He describes the introduction of internment as the straw that broke the camel s back and decided to join the Provisional IRA becoming a member of the East Tyrone Brigade 8 9 He became the brigade s OC during the mid seventies 8 On 19 October 1977 he was arrested and charged with the murder of Stanley Adams a postman and part time Ulster Defence Regiment UDR lance corporal L Cpl of the 8th Battalion He was interrogated for seven days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and says he was ill treated while in custody He later received a life sentence with a recommended minimum term of twenty years for the murder of L Cpl Adams after a statement which he never signed was accepted by the court on the word of a Royal Ulster Constabulary RUC Inspector 10 Hunger strike Edit McKearney was involved in the blanket and dirty protests and took part in the 1980 hunger strike along with other IRA members 11 Prior to commencing the hunger strike McKearney told his mother and father I ll put all my cards on the table I m going on hunger strike If and when I die I want to be brought back to Roscommon and be buried alongside my Granda grandfather Don t let people try to influence you your only friends will be the Republican Movement If I die never let the family be ashamed If I die I ll die in the knowledge that my life was for the cause and for the other boys here If at my funeral the press say See how the IRA let your son die just say My son died as an Irish soldier not a British criminal 12 He spent 53 days on hunger strike from 27 October to 18 December and according to a doctor had only a few hours left to live when the strike was called off 13 Release EditMcKearney was released from prison in 1993 having served 16 years of his sentence 5 In 2003 he appeared in the BBC documentary Life After Life 14 He is now a freelance journalist edits the publication Fourthwrite and is an organiser for the Independent Workers Union of Ireland 15 References Edit a b Taylor Peter 1997 Provos The IRA amp Sinn Fein Bloomsbury Publishing pp 100 102 ISBN 0 7475 3818 2 Taylor Peter 1989 Families at War BBC pp 160 ISBN 0 563 20787 6 English Richard 2004 Armed Struggle The History of the IRA Pan Books p 404 ISBN 0 330 49388 4 Armed Struggle The History of the IRA p 129 a b One of the unmanageables Living Marxism April 1994 Coogan Tim Pat 2002 The IRA 5th ed Basingstoke Palgrave Macmillan p 461 ISBN 0312294166 Retrieved 17 September 2013 a b Provos The IRA amp Sinn Fein p 100 a b Lister David 11 February 2003 Why the IRA Will Go On The Times Retrieved 21 May 2009 Provos The IRA amp Sinn Fein p 101 Provos The IRA amp Sinn Fein pp 206 07 Armed Struggle The History of the IRA p 193 Families at War p 160 Provos The IRA amp Sinn Fein pp 232 34 Mark Simpson 13 June 2003 Life after the NI conflict BBC News Retrieved 19 February 2007 Tommy McKearney 5 February 2006 Sinn Fein time to move on The Sunday Business Post Archived from the original on 29 September 2007 Retrieved 19 February 2007 External links EditOfficial site Independent Workers Union Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tommy McKearney amp oldid 1113906515, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
