Raymond McCreesh
Encyclopedia
Raymond Peter "Ray" McCreesh (Irish
: Réamann Mac Raois; 25 February 1957 - 21 May 1981) was an Irish republican
hunger strike
r and a volunteer
in the South Armagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA).
on 25 February 1957. He was born into a strong Republican family, and was active in the Republican movement from the age of 16. McCreesh attended the local primary school in Camlough, St Malachy's, and later attended St Colman's College in Newry
. Raymond first joined na Fianna Éireann, the IRA's youth wing, in 1973, and later that year he progressed to join the Provisional IRA's South Armagh Brigade. McCreesh had worked for a short time as steelworker in a predominately loyalist factory in Lisburn. However, As sectarian threats and violence escalated, Raymond switched professions to work as a milk roundsman in his local area of South Armagh: an occupation which greatly increased his knowledge of the surrounding countryside, as well as enabling him to observe the movements of British Army patrols in the area.
As the fourth member of the group drove the stolen car down the road to act as a lure for the British troops, the other three moved into position. Upon attempting to return, the driver of the car spotted the paratroopers on the hillside closing in on the other three and opened fire to warn them. Immediately, the soldiers opened fire on the three IRA men.
Raymond and Paddy Quinn ran for cover to a nearby house, but were immediately besieged by paratroopers. Realising that they wouldn't be able to leave the house alive, they telephoned two priests asking them to come to assist with their intended surrender. When one of the priests arrived and entered the house the men came out the front door with their hands above their head to indicate surrender, but the soldiers opened fired forcing them to retreat back into the house.
After the arrival of the police, and the second priest, the two gunmen again surrendered and were taken to Bessbrook barracks where they were questioned for three days before being charged.
Danny McGuinness, who had had taken cover in a disused quarry outhouse, was captured in a follow-up operation the next day. The fourth member of the group, who had been struck by three bullets, in the leg, arm and chest, managed to crawl away and to elude the massive follow-up search. Catholic
parish priest
s facilitated their surrender.
One of the soldiers who captured them, Lance Corporal
David Jones was later killed by Francis Hughes
.
McCreesh joined the blanket protest
and took part in the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike
, dying after 61 days on hunger strike.
in Sydney, Australia.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
: Réamann Mac Raois; 25 February 1957 - 21 May 1981) was an Irish republican
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 South Armagh 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
Raymond Peter McCreesh, the seventh in a family of eight children, was born in St. Malachy's Park, CamloughCamlough
Camlough or Camloch is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is near Bessbrook and the slopes of the Ring of Gullion. It had a population of 910 people in the 2001 Census.- 1920s :...
on 25 February 1957. He was born into a strong Republican family, and was active in the Republican movement from the age of 16. McCreesh attended the local primary school in Camlough, St Malachy's, and later attended St Colman's College in Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
. Raymond first joined na Fianna Éireann, the IRA's youth wing, in 1973, and later that year he progressed to join the Provisional IRA's South Armagh Brigade. McCreesh had worked for a short time as steelworker in a predominately loyalist factory in Lisburn. However, As sectarian threats and violence escalated, Raymond switched professions to work as a milk roundsman in his local area of South Armagh: an occupation which greatly increased his knowledge of the surrounding countryside, as well as enabling him to observe the movements of British Army patrols in the area.
Ambush
On 25 June 1976, at age 19, Raymond, along with two others — Danny McGuinness and Paddy Quinn — was captured by a British Army unit. All three were sentenced to 14 years. McCreesh was part of a group which had gone to a farmyard in Sturgan to ambush a covert Army observation post that they had located on the main Newry – Newtonhamilton road. The group was observed from a military observation post.As the fourth member of the group drove the stolen car down the road to act as a lure for the British troops, the other three moved into position. Upon attempting to return, the driver of the car spotted the paratroopers on the hillside closing in on the other three and opened fire to warn them. Immediately, the soldiers opened fire on the three IRA men.
Raymond and Paddy Quinn ran for cover to a nearby house, but were immediately besieged by paratroopers. Realising that they wouldn't be able to leave the house alive, they telephoned two priests asking them to come to assist with their intended surrender. When one of the priests arrived and entered the house the men came out the front door with their hands above their head to indicate surrender, but the soldiers opened fired forcing them to retreat back into the house.
After the arrival of the police, and the second priest, the two gunmen again surrendered and were taken to Bessbrook barracks where they were questioned for three days before being charged.
Danny McGuinness, who had had taken cover in a disused quarry outhouse, was captured in a follow-up operation the next day. The fourth member of the group, who had been struck by three bullets, in the leg, arm and chest, managed to crawl away and to elude the massive follow-up search. Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parish priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s facilitated their surrender.
Hunger strike
On 2 March 1977, McCreesh and Paddy Quinn were convicted and sentenced to fourteen years in prison for attempted murder, possession of a rifle and ammunition and a further five year for IRA membership.One of the soldiers who captured them, Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
David Jones was later killed by 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...
.
McCreesh joined the blanket protest
Blanket 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 took part in 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...
, dying after 61 days on hunger strike.
Other information
He is commemorated on the Irish Martyrs Memorial at Waverley CemeteryWaverley 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.