Michael Devine
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| Paramilitary organisation | Irish National Liberation Army |
| Date of birth | 26 May, 1954 |
| Place of birth | Derry |
| Hungerstrike started | 22 June, 1954 |
| Died | 21 August, 1981 |
| Days on strike | 62 |
Michael James (Mickey) Devine (Irish name: Mícheál Ó Duibhinn); (b. May 26, 1954 - d. August 21, 1981) was an Irish Republican hunger striker and member (volunteer) of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).
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[edit] Background
Devine, also known as "Red Mickey" on account of his red hair, was born into a family of only two children from the Springtown Camp, Derry. Springtown Camp was a former Second World War American army base which Devine described as the "slum of all slums".
In 1960, when Devine was six years of age, the Devine family including his grandmother, sister Margaret and parents Patrick and Elizabeth, moved to the then newly build Creggan Estate to the north of Derry city centre. Both of Devines parents died soon after.
Devine was educated to a primary level at Holy Child Primary School, Creggan and at secondary level in St. Joseph's Secondary School also in the Creggan. After leaving school Michael worked at Hill's furniture store on the Strand Road, Sloan's store in Shipquay Street and Austin's in Derry's Diamond.
After British Army soliders shot dead of two unarmed civilians, Dessie Beattie and Raymond Cusack, Devine, then joined the James Connolly Republican Club in Derry in July 1971.[1][2]
[edit] Paramilitary career
Soon after in August 1971, Devine became of volunteer of the Official IRA and in 1974 left the Officials and joined the INLA and was also a founding member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) in Derry.
On 20 September 1976, Devine along with Desmond Walmsley and John Cassidy, were arrested in Lifford, County Donegal charged with the theft of rifles, shotguns and 3,000 rounds of ammunition they had in their possession. For this Devine was sentenced to 12 years on 20 July 1977.
Upon imprisonment, in the Maze Prison, Devine immediately took to the blanket protest in order to obtain polictic status. Devine became the Officer Commanding of the INLA prisoners in the Maze when Patsy O'Hara began his hunger strike.
[edit] Hunger strike
In May 1981, Devine sent an open letter to Cardinal Basil Hume (Archbishop of Westminster and Roman Catholic primate of England) when he responded to Cardinal Hume's assertion that the hunger strike was a "form of violence against one's own body".[3]
On June 22, 1981, Devine joined the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike, after 60 days without food Devine, aged 27, died on 20 August 1981, the same day Owen Carron was elected Member of Parliament for Fermanagh South Tyrone.[4]
[edit] Family life
Devine was married in 1973, to Margaret but they were separated at the time of Devines death. He had one daughter, Louise, and a son, also called Michael/Mickey, who himself became active in the IRSP.
[edit] Reference
- ^ Tírghrá, National Commemoration Centre, 2002. PB) ISBN 0-9542946-0-2 p.244
- ^ [http://irsm.org/fallen/devine/ Fallen Comrades of the IRSM - Michael Devine Died on Hunger Strike on 20 August 1981]
- ^ Link to full text of letter to Cardinal Hume
- ^ "A typical Derry lad" Biography from Lark Spirit
Participants Who Died
Bobby Sands · Francis Hughes · Raymond McCreesh · Patsy O'Hara · Joe McDonnell
Martin Hurson · Kevin Lynch · Kieran Doherty · Thomas McElwee · Michael Devine
Participants Who Survived the Strike
Brendan McLaughlin · Paddy Quinn · Laurence McKeown · Patrick McGeow · Matt Devlin · Liam McCloskey
Patrick Sheehan · Jackie McMullan · Bernard Fox · Hugh Carville · John Pickering · Gerard Hodgkins · James Devine
Major Political and Religious Figures During the Strike
Margaret Thatcher · Garret FitzGerald · Charles Haughey · Humphrey Atkins · Bernadette McAliskey
Harry West · Owen Carron · Cardinal Tomas O Fiach · Cardinal Basil Hume · Father Denis Faul
