michael devine

parkhead_rfb · michael devine

TWENTY-seven-year-old Micky Devine, from the Creggan in Derry city, was
the third INLA Volunteer to join the H-Block hunger strike to the
death.

Micky Devine took over as O/C of the INLA blanket men in March when the
then O/C, Patsy O'Hara, joined the hunger strike but he retained this
leadership post when he joined the hunger strike himself.

Known as 'Red Micky', his nickname stemmed from his ginger hair rather
than his political complexion, although he was most definitely a
republican socialist.

The story of Micky Devine is not one of a republican 'super-hero' but
of a typical Derry lad whose family suffered all of the ills of
sectarian and class discrimination inflicted upon the Catholic
working-class of that city: poor housing, unemployment and lack of
opportunity.

Micky himself had a rough life.

His father died when Micky was a young lad; he found his mother dead
when he was only a teenager; married young, his marriage ended in
separation; he underwent four years of suffering 'on the blanket' in
the H-Blocks; and, finally, the torture of hunger-strike.

Unusually for a young Derry nationalist, because of his family's tragic
history (unconnected with 'the troubles'), Micky was not part of an
extended family, and his only close relatives were his sister Margaret,
seven years his elder, and now aged 34, and her husband, Frank
McCauley, aged 36.

CAMP

Michael James Devine was born on May 26th, 1954 in the Springtown camp,
on the outskirts of Derry city, a former American army base from the
Second World War, which Micky himself described as "the slum to end all
slums".

Hundreds of families - 99% (unemployed) Catholics, because of Derry
corporation's sectarian housing policy - lived, or rather existed, in
huts, which were not kept in any decent state of repair by the
corporation.

One of Micky's earliest memories was of lying in a bed covered in old
coats to keep the rain off the bed. His sister, Margaret, recalls that
the huts were "okay" during the summer, but they leaked, and the rest
of the year they were cold and damp.

Micky's parents, Patrick and Elizabeth, both from Derry city, had got
married in late 1945 shortly after the end of the Second World War,
during which Patrick had served in the British merchant navy. He was a
coalman by trade, but was unemployed for years.

At first Patrick and Elizabeth lived with the latter's mother in
Ardmore, a village near Derry, where Margaret was born in 1947. In
early 1948 the family moved to Springtown where Micky was born in May
1954.

Although Springtown was meant to provide only temporary accommodation,
official lethargy and sectarianism dictated that such inadequate
housing was good enough for Catholics and it was not until the early
'sixties that the camp was closed.

BLOW

During the 'fifties, the Creggan was built as a new Catholic ghetto,
but it was 1960 before the Devines got their new home in Creggan, on
the Circular Road. Micky had an unremarkable, but reasonably happy
childhood. He went to Holy Child primary school in Creggan.

At the age of eleven Micky started at St. Joseph's secondary school in
Creggan, which he was to attend until he was fifteen.

But soon the first sad blow befell him. On Christmas eve 1965, when
Micky was aged only eleven, his father fell ill; and six weeks later,
in February 1966, his father, who was only in his forties, died of
leukaemia.

Micky had been very close to his father and his premature death left
Micky heartbroken.

Five months later, in July 1966, his sister Margaret left home to get
married, whilst Micky remained in the Devines' Circular Road home with
his mother and granny.

At school Micky was an average pupil, and had no notable interests.

STONING

The first civil rights march in Derry took place on October 5th, 1968,
when the sectarian RUC batoned several hundred protesters at Duke
Street. Recalling that day, Micky, who was then only fourteen wrote:

"Like every other young person in Derry my whole way of thinking was
tossed upside down by the events of October 5th, 1968. I didn't even
know there was a civil rights march. I saw it on television.

"But that night I was down the town smashing shop windows and stoning
the RUC. Overnight I developed an intense hatred of the RUC. As a child
I had always known not to talk to them, or to have anything to do with
them, but this was different

"Within a month everyone was a political activist. I had never had a
political thought in my life, but now we talked of nothing else. I was
by no means politically aware but the speed of events gave me a quick
education."

TENSION

After the infamous loyalist attack on civil rights marchers in nearby
Burntollet, in January 1969, tension mounted in Derry through 1969
until the August 12th riots, when Orangemen - Apprentice Boys and the
RUC - attacked the Bogside, meeting effective resistance, in the
'Battle of the Bogside'. On two occasions in 1969 Micky ended up at the
wrong end of an RUC baton, and consequently in hospital.

That summer Micky left school. Always keen to improve himself, he got a
job as a shop assistant and over the next three years worked his way up
the local ladder: from Hill's furniture store on the Strand Road, to
Sloan's store in Shipquay Street, and finally to Austin's furniture
store in the Diamond (and one can get no higher in Derry, as a shop
assistant).

British troops had arrived in August 1969, in the wake of the 'Battle
of the Bogside'. 'Free Derry' was maintained more by agreement with the
British army than by physical force, but of course there were
barricades, and Micky was one of the volunteers manning them with a
hurley.

INVOLVED

At that time, and during 1970 and 1971, Micky became involved in the
civil rights movement, and with the local (uniquely militant) Labour
Party and the Young Socialists.

The already strained relationship between British troops and the
nationalist people of Derry steadily deteriorated - reinforced by news
from elsewhere, especially Belfast - culminating with the shooting dead
by the British army of two unarmed civilians, Seamus Cusack and Desmond
Beattie, in July of 1971, and with internment in August. Micky, by this
time seventeen years of age, and also politically maturing, had joined
the 'Officials', also known as the 'Sticks'.

He became a member of the James Connolly 'Republican Club' and then,
shortly after internment, a member of the Derry Brigade of the
'Official IRA'.

'Free Derry' had become known by that name after the successful defence
of the Bog side in August 1969, but it really became 'Free Derry', in
the form of concrete barricades etc., from internment day. Micky was
amongst those armed volunteers who manned the barricades

Typical of his selfless nature (another common characteristic of the
hunger strikers), no task was too small for him.

He was 'game' to do any job, such as tidying up the office. Young men,
naturally enough, wanted to stand out on the barricades with rifles: he
did that too, but nothing was too menial for him, and he was always
looking for jobs.

Bloody Sunday, January 30th, 1972, when British Paratroopers shot dead
thirteen unarmed civil rights demonstrators in Derry (a fourteenth died
later from wounds received), was a turning point for Micky. From then
there was no turning back on his republican commitment and he gradually
lost interest in his work, and he was to become a full-time political
and military activist.

TRAUMA

Micky experienced the trauma of Bloody Sunday at first hand. He was on
that fateful march with his brother-in-law, Frank, who recalls: "When
the shooting started we ran, like everybody else, and when it was over
we saw all the bodies being lifted."

The slaughter confirmed to Micky that it was more than time to start
shooting back. "How" he would ask, "can you sit back and watch while
your own Derry men are shot down like dogs?"

Micky had written: "I will never forget standing in the Creggan chapel
staring at the brown wooden boxes. We mourned, and Ireland mourned with
us.

"That sight more than anything convinced me that there will never be
peace in Ireland while Britain remains. When I looked at those coffins
I developed a commitment to the republican cause that I have never
lost."

From around this time, until May when the 'Official IRA' leadership
declared a unilateral ceasefire (unpopular with their Derry
Volunteers), Micky was involved not only in defensive operations but in
various gun attacks against British troops.

Micky's commitment and courage had shone through, but no more so than
in the case of scores of other Derry youths, flung into adulthood and
warfare by a British army of occupation.

TRAGIC

In September, 1972, came the second tragic loss in Micky's family life.
He came home one day to find his mother dead on the settee with his
granny unsuccessfully trying to revive her.

His mother had died of a brain tumour, totally unexpectedly, at the age
of forty-five. Doctors said it had taken her just three minutes to die.
Micky, then aged eighteen, suffered a tremendous shock from this blow,
and it took him many months to come to terms with his grief.

Through 1973, Micky remained connected with the 'Sticks', although
increasingly disillusioned by their openly reformist path. He came to
refer to the 'Sticks' as "fireside republicans", and was highly
critical of them for not being active enough.

Towards the end of that year, Micky, then aged nineteen, got married.
His wife, Margaret, was only seventeen. They lived in Ranmore Drive in
Creggan and had two children: Michael, now aged seven and Louise, now
aged five.

Micky and his wife had since separated.

In late 1974, virtually all the 'Sticks' in Derry, including Micky,
joined the newly formed IRSP, as did some who had dropped out over the
years. And Micky necessarily became a founder member of the PLA
(People's Liberation Army), formed to defend the IRSP from murderous
attacks by their former comrades in the sticks.

In early 1975, Micky became a founder member of the INLA (Irish
National Liberation Army) formed for offensive operational purposes out
of the PLA.

The months ahead were bad times for the IRSP, relatively isolated, and
to suffer a strength-sapping split when Bernadette McAliskey left,
taking with her a number of activists who formed the ISP (Independent
Socialist Party), since deceased.

They were also difficult months for the fledgling INLA, suffering from
a crippling lack of weaponry and funds. Weakness which led them into
raids for both as their primary actions, and rendered them almost
unable to operate against the Brits.

Micky was eventually arrested on the Creggan. In the evening of
September 20th, 1976, after an arms raid earlier that day on a private
weaponry, in Lifford, County Donegal, from which the INLA commandeered
several rifles and shotguns, and three thousand rounds of ammunition.

ARRESTED

Micky was arrested with Desmond Walmsley from Shantallow, and John
Cassidy from Rosemount. Along on the operation, though never convicted
for it, was the late Patsy O'Hara, with whom Micky used to knock around
as a friend and comrade.

Micky was held and interrogated for three days in Derry's Stand Road
barracks, before being transported in Crumlin Road jail in Belfast
where he spent nine months on remand.

He was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment on June 20th, 1977, and
immediately embarked on the blanket protest. He was in H5-Block until
March of this year when the hunger strike began and when the 'no-wash,
no slop-out' protest ended, whereupon he was moved with others in his
wing to H6-Block.

Like others incarcerated within the H-Blocks, suffering daily abuse and
inhuman and degrading treatment, Micky realised - soon after he joined
the blanket protest - that eventually it would come to a hunger strike,
and, for him, the sooner the better. He was determined that when that
ultimate step was reached he would be among those to hunger strike.

SEVENTH

On Sunday, June 21st, this year, he completed his fourth year on the
blanket, and the following day he joined Joe McDonnell, Kieran Doherty,
Kevin Lynch, Martin Hurson, Thomas McElwee and Paddy Quinn on hunger
strike.

He became the seventh man in a weekly build-up from a four-strong
hunger strike team to eight-strong. He was moved to the prison hospital
on Wednesday, July 15th, his twenty fourth day on hunger strike.

With the 50 % remission available to conforming prisoners, Micky would
have been due out of jail next September.

As it was, because of his principled republican rejection of the
criminal tag he chose to fight and face death.

Micky died at 7.50 am on Thursday, August 201h, as nationalist voters
in Fermanagh/South Tyrone were beginning to make their way to the
polling booths to elect Owen Carron, a member of parliament for the
constituency, in a demonstration - for the second time in less than
five months - of their support for the prisoners' demands.

frank rizzo

I was sure this was a site about Scottish independence, not a propoganda machine for the IRA?

parkhead_rfb

michael devine was actually a member of the irish national liberation army which proves you didnt even read the article. also this is the uk and ireland politics section so its perfectly appropriate thanks.

frank rizzo

You're not debating anything though, you've just cut and pasted a lengthy article. I fail to see what it has to do with Scotland's fight for independence, no matter what forum its in.

Ah, he was in the INLA, that makes a huge amount of difference to my point.

Gie me strengh!

parkhead_rfb

well it proves your criticising an article you didnt even read.

you may not happen to like the hunger strikers but others may be interested. but if your going to criticise an article at least read it first, you just look pretty foolish otherwise.

frank rizzo

I dont like or dislike them. I just find your constant references to the IRA/INLA in rather poor taste considering their past actions. You seem to be using this site to push your own, seperate agenda.

parkhead_rfb

whats your point? its an internet forum to express your opinion.

this year is the twenty fifth anniversary of the hunger strike and i want to remind people of that event. the men are personal inspirations of mine. Even those who vehemently oppose the ira can recognise the strength of conviction these men had to do what they did.

If you dont like my posts dont read them.

franko

franko

SLG