Today in Irish History 30th June 1941 arrest of the informer Stephen Hayes Sean Mc Caughey was born in 1916 in Aughnacloy, Co. Tyrone, when he was five years old his family moved to Belfast. Sean was passionate about the Irish language, and taught classes across Belfast. At the age of eighteen he joined the IRA and eventually became a member of GHQ Staff, Dublin. On the 30th 1941 - Stephen Hayes, a former IRA chief of staff, is kidnapped; he later claimed to have been court martialled and tortured by the IRA. Sean Mc Caughey was arrested by Free State Forces and Stephen Hayes testified against him in a Military Court. Sean McCaughey was sentenced to death for kidnapping. On the intervention of Cathal Briugha’s sister who protested strongly against his sentence, it was commuted to life imprisonment, and the he was transferred to Portlaoise Jail. He refused to wear prison uniform, maintaining correctly that he was a soldier of Ireland and a political prisoner he spent the next five years in solitary confinement. The conditions were horrendous.for republican prisoners. No one in the cells above, below or beside them. The light was left on at all times, the prisoner warders wore rubber shoes and never spoke to the prisoners to complete the silence, and one hour a month in the prison yard was the only sight of the outside world. Truly a living death. In April 1946, in protest against these terrible prison conditions, Sean Mc Caughey embarked on a hunger and thirst strike. After 23 agonising days, Sean died 11th May 1946. Requiem Mass was held for him in Ardoyne, Belfast. He was buried in Milltown Cemetery where a monument was erected to his memory. Fuair se bas ar son saoirse na hEireann 1. In Portlaoise Jail Sean McCaughey has died; So is ended his long night. By hunger strike he fought and tried To win for Ireland Liberty’s light. 2. For five long years in that place he had lain, Waiting for the coming dawn; His body burned and tortured with pain, ‘Til death gave Freedom to gentle Sean. {chorus} [Oh Erin weep -- oh Erin cry -- Strike thy breast at his name. A curse on those who let him die -- Cruel their hearts great is their shame. 3. In Aughnacloy and Belfast too, Heavy hearts cry out for Sean – O he is dead that loved Roisin Dubh, But in our memory he shall live on. {repeat chorus} 4. In Milltown now our hero lies – Flowers bloom around his grave; O’er Divis hill the wild wind sighs – For Sean who scorned to live a slave. {chorus twice} © SEAMUS ROBINSON 1967 ****************************************************************** SEAN Mc CAUGHEY
Posted on: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 19:15:35 +0000
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