Martin Hurson
Encyclopedia
Edward Martin Hurson was an Irish republican
hunger strike
r and a volunteer
in the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA).
, (near Dungannon
) County Tyrone
was one of nine children born to Johnnie and Mary Ann Hurson. Hurson was educated to a primary level at Crosscavanagh Primary School in Galbally
and at secondary level in St. Patrick's, Galbally.
After leaving school, he worked as a welder for a while before going to England
where he stayed for eighteen months with his brother Francis and worked in the building trade. Returning to County Tyrone at the end of 1974, both he and his brother spent time in Bundoran
, County Donegal
, a known IRA training and supply centre.
and Ulster Defence Regiment
narrowly escaped being killed. He received concurrent sentences of twenty, fifteen and five years for these convictions.
and joined the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike
on 29 May replacing Brendan McLaughlin, who withdrew following a perforated stomach ulcer.
He lost the ability to hold down water after around 40 days on hunger strike, and died of dehydration after only 46 days, considerably shorter than any other hunger striker. (The next shortest was Francis Hughes
at 59 days, and he was not an entirely fit man when he started the hunger strike.) Near the end his family considered the possibility of intervening to save his life, but they were told that he would probably have permanent brain damage.
in the Longford–Westmeath constituency where he obtained 4,573 (10.1%) first preference votes. He is commemorated on the Irish Martyrs Memorial at Waverley Cemetery
in Sydney, Australia.
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
r and a volunteer
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
in the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA).
Background
Hurson, from CappaghCappagh
Cappagh is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is between Pomeroy, Ballygawley, Galbally and Carrickmore, with the hamlet of Galbally about one mile to the east...
, (near Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
) County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
was one of nine children born to Johnnie and Mary Ann Hurson. Hurson was educated to a primary level at Crosscavanagh Primary School in Galbally
Galbally, County Tyrone
Galbally is a hamlet and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is between Cappagh and Donaghmore. Its name was formerly spelt as Gallwolly and Gallwally....
and at secondary level in St. Patrick's, Galbally.
After leaving school, he worked as a welder for a while before going to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he stayed for eighteen months with his brother Francis and worked in the building trade. Returning to County Tyrone at the end of 1974, both he and his brother spent time in Bundoran
Bundoran
Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. The town is located on the N15 road near Ballyshannon, 3 hours drive from Dublin and around two and a quarter hours drive from Belfast...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, a known IRA training and supply centre.
Paramilitary activities
In November 1976, Hurson, together with Kevin O’Brien, Dermot Boyle, Peter Kane and Pat O’Neil were arrested. Martin Hurson was tried and convicted of involvement in three IRA landmine incidents, one at Cappagh in September and one at Galbally in November 1975 and a third at Reclain in February 1976 when several members of the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
and Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
narrowly escaped being killed. He received concurrent sentences of twenty, fifteen and five years for these convictions.
Hunger strike
He became engaged to his long term girlfriend, Bernadette Donnelly, while in prison. He was part of the blanket protestBlanket protest
The blanket protest was part of a five year protest during the Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners held in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. The republican prisoners' status as political prisoners, known as Special Category Status, had...
and joined the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
on 29 May replacing Brendan McLaughlin, who withdrew following a perforated stomach ulcer.
He lost the ability to hold down water after around 40 days on hunger strike, and died of dehydration after only 46 days, considerably shorter than any other hunger striker. (The next shortest was Francis Hughes
Francis Hughes
Francis Hughes was an Irish volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army . Hughes was the most wanted man in Northern Ireland until his arrest following a shoot-out with the Special Air Service in which an SAS soldier was killed...
at 59 days, and he was not an entirely fit man when he started the hunger strike.) Near the end his family considered the possibility of intervening to save his life, but they were told that he would probably have permanent brain damage.
Other information
He was a candidate at the 1981 Irish general electionIrish general election, 1981
The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
in the Longford–Westmeath constituency where he obtained 4,573 (10.1%) first preference votes. He is commemorated on the Irish Martyrs Memorial at Waverley Cemetery
Waverley Cemetery
The Waverley Cemetery opened in 1877 and is a cemetery located on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. The cemetery contains the graves of many significant Australians including the poet Henry Lawson and...
in Sydney, Australia.
External links
- Biography from IRIS, Vol. 1, No. 2, November 1981 (Sinn Féin publication)
- Timeline of 1981 Hunger Strike (from NYUNew York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
Library)