Joe Cahill, Irish Patriot: 1920-2004

[Padraig18]

Joe Cahill, one of the founding fathers of the modern Sinn Fein movement died in his Belfast home Friday at the age of 84. Born in Belfast in 1920, Mr. Cahill experienced first hand bitter anti-Catholic prejudices and terrible poverty.

Both his parents were Irish Republicans, prompting the young Cahill to get involved at an early age with na Fianna Eireann, the Irish Republican scouts. At 18, he joined the IRA. In 1942, he was arrested along with five others after an operation against the Royal Ulster Constabulary resulted in the death of one of its members. All six men were sentenced to death. Five of them, including Mr. Cahill, had their sentences commuted to life in prison, while the sixth volunteer, Tom Williams, was executed in Belfast Prison. Mr. Cahill was released in 1949 under a phased amnesty program that freed all IRA prisoners.

Mr. Cahill married Annie Magee in 1956 and the couple had seven children. He again served time in prison for another incident, but continued his activity in the Republican and civil rights movement. During the 1970s, he served as the first commander of the provisional IRA in West Belfast. In 1973, he was arrested off the Waterford Coast aboard the ship Claudia while attempting to bring weapons into Ireland. He served two years. He first came to the United States in 1970 and founded Irish Northern Aid.

Mr. Cahill was an ardent supporter of the Good Friday Accords which would allow Sinn Fein to become part of the political process governing Northern Ireland, although he never waivered in his ultimate goal of a united Ireland. "Ireland, even though it was under British rule when I was born, was united," he said. "It was split up in 1921. I'm 80 years of age now, and I hope to see a united Ireland before I die" , he said in a 2000 speech.

He will be buried Tuesday in Milltown Cemetery in West Belfast, the 'Arlington National Cemetery' of the IRA.

May God rest his soul.

:cry:

[Padraig18]

1. Kick

[jdonaldball]

2. I piss on his grave

And piss on all Irish terrorists on BOTH sides, Orange and Green alike

[Padraig18]

3. 'Terrorist' is in the eye of the beholder.

Don't forget, Franklin, Adams and Jefferson were 'terrorists' to the British.

[Padraig18]

4. Kick