Fuair se bas ar son saoirse na hEireann

[irvago-1]

remember Irish revolutionary and hungerstriker Vol. Martin Hurson on this the anniversary of his death.

Martin Hurson was born on September 13th 1956, in the townland of Aughnaskea, Cappagh, near Dungannon, Co Tyrone Ireland. Although the family did not discuss politics, and internment did not affect anyone from the Cappagh area, it was impossible not to be keenly aware of British oppression so close to Dungannon which spearheading the civil rights campaign through the late sixties had fostered such a strong current of republicanism in the process. However, Martin’s personal resistance to that British repression and his subsequent intense suffering at the hands of it were not to occur for several years.
He joined the East Tyrone Brigade of the Irish Republican Army taking the offensive against the british occupying forces and challenging British oppression. Known for his ability to carry out orders with presicion and efficiency, he was an all round volunteer disciplined and courageous.
In November 1976, Martin along with four of his comrades were arrested on explosives charges. Martin was tried and convicted of involvement in three IRA landmine incidents, one at Cappagh in September, one at Galbally, County Tyrone in November 1975 and a third at Reclain in February 1976, when several members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Ulster Defence Regiment had A close encounter. He was sentenced of thirty five years.
Martin became engaged to his long-term girlfriend, Bernadette Donnelly, while in prison. He was part of the blanket protest and joined the 1981 hunger strike on the 28th May, replacing South Derryman Brendan McLoughlin who was forced to drop out because of a burst stomach ulcer. In the Free State general election in June, Martin was a candidate in Longford/Westmeath. Barely one month after election the Free State government’s bolstering of Britain’s barbaric intransigence led to the death of Martin Hurson, the sixth hunger striker to die. He lost the ability to hold down water after 40 days on hunger strike, and died of dehydration after 46 days on July 13th 1981.

in memory of,
Máirtín Ó hUrsáin - Óglaigh na hÉireann
(13 September 1956 – 13 July 1981)