Matt Devlin (Irish republican)

Matt Devlin (30 April 1950 — 28 December 2005) was a Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike and was later a leading member of Sinn Féin in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland.

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Background

Matt Devlin was born in Ardboe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, on 30 April 1950. He was arrested in 1977, and was taken to Cookstown and Omagh Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) barracks and interrogated for four days.^[1] He was charged with the attempted murder of members of the security forces.

Devlin became the 15th republican prisoner to join the hunger strike in HMP Maze, when he replaced Martin Hurson who died after 46 days on hunger strike on 13 July 1981. He had been involved in the prison protests from the blanket protest right through until the hunger strikes ended, when families began to take their sons off the protest.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Electoral politics

For several years, Devlin lived near Tang, a village in the west of County Westmeath. In 2004, despite serious illness, he stood in local elections in the Republic of Ireland and, although failing to get elected, is credited for building up the Sinn Féin party in County Westmeath.^[5]

He died on 28 December 2005 at the age of 55, in hospital in Belfast.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Martin McGuinness said: "It was a testament to Matt’s determination and courage that even when seriously ill he still put himself forward to stand for Sinn Féin in the last Southern elections. Matt continued to play a key role organising and building the party in Westmeath right up until his untimely death a few days ago."^[6]

He was buried on 31 December 2005 in his hometown of Ardboe.^[7] A monument and tombstone to commemorate him were unveiled on 1 April 2007.^{[citation needed]} The ceremony was attended by thousands.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ "Remembering 1981 Devlin replaces Hurson. Riot at British embassy". An Phoblacht. 20 July 2006. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
^ Unknown (30 December 2005). "Maskey discharged after heart attack". UTV. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2007.
^ Unknown (5 January 2006). "Fógraí bháis: Matt Devlin". An Phoblacht. Retrieved 4 February 2007.
^ "Irish Hunger Strikes Chapter 45". Irish Northern Aid Inc. Archived from the original on 31 March 2003. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
^ Matt Devlin - Electoral History
^ Unknown (31 December 2005). "Martin McGuinness Pays Tribute To Former IRA Hunger Striker Matt Devlin". Sinn Féin. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2007.
^ Unknown (29 December 2005). "Mitchel McLaughlin expresses regret at death of former hunger striker Matt Devlin". Sinn Féin. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2007.

v t e 1981 Irish hunger strike
Participants who died	Bobby Sands Francis Hughes Raymond McCreesh Patsy O'Hara Joe McDonnell Martin Hurson Kevin Lynch Kieran Doherty Thomas McElwee Michael Devine	Northern Ireland portal
Participants who survived	Brendan McLaughlin Paddy Quinn Laurence McKeown Pat McGeown Matt Devlin Liam McCloskey Patrick Sheehan Jackie McMullan Bernard Fox Hugh Carville John Pickering Gerard Hodgkins James Devine
Political and religious figures	Margaret Thatcher Garret FitzGerald Charles Haughey Humphrey Atkins Jim Prior Bernadette Devlin McAliskey Owen Carron Tomás Ó Fiaich Basil Hume Denis Faul John Magee
Key events	Blanket protest Dirty protest April 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election June 1981 Irish general election August 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election

Provisional Irish Republican Army

General

Organisation

Actions

1970–1979	Battle of St Matthew's Falls Curfew 1970 Crossmaglen bombing Scottish soldiers' killings Red Lion bombing Balmoral showroom bombing Abercorn bombing Donegall Street bombing Battle at Springmartin Battle of Lenadoon Bloody Friday Claudy bombing Newry customs bombing Old Bailey bombing Honey Trap killings King's Cross & Euston bombings Coleraine bombings 1973 Westminster bombing M62 bombing Clogher attack Houses of Parliament bombing Tower of London bombing Guildford pub bombings Harrow School bombing Brooks's Club bombing Woolwich pub bombing British Airways bombing attempt Birmingham pub bombings London pillar box bombings Talbot Arms bombing Bristol bombing Telephone exchange bombings 1974 Oxford Street bombing Carlton Tower & Portman Hotel shootings Mountainview attack Bayardo Bar attack Forkhill attack Caterham Arms bombing Tullyvallen massacre London Hilton bombing Piccadilly bombing Trattoria Fiore bombing Scott's Oyster Bar bombing Walton's Restaurant bombing Drummuckavall ambush Balcombe Street siege Kingsmill massacre Cannon Street train bombing West Ham station attack Olympia bombing Store bar shooting Stag Inn attack Garryhinch ambush Jonesborough Gazelle downing La Mon restaurant bombing Crossmaglen ambush Warrenpoint ambush Brussels bombing Dungannon attack
1980–1989	Dunmurry train bombing Lough Foyle attacks Glasdrumman ambush 1981 Bessbrook attack Chelsea Barracks bombing Hyde Park & Regent's Park bombings Harrods bombing Royal Artillery Barracks bombing Brighton hotel bombing Ballygawley land mine attack Newry mortar attack Ballygawley attack Enniskillen mortar attack RUC Birches barracks attack Rheindahlen bombing Loughgall ambush Operation Flavius Corporals killings Lisburn bombing Aughanduff Lynx shootdown 1988 Netherlands attacks Glamorgan barracks bombing Inglis Barracks bombing Ballygawley bus bombing Jonesborough ambush Clive Barracks bombing Deal barracks bombing Mayobridge attack Derryard attack
1990–1991	Derrygorry Gazelle downing South Armagh sniper Downpatrick roadside bomb Operation Conservation Carlton Club bombing 1990 Eltham bombing 1990 Wembley bombing Honourable Artillery Company bombing Lichfield gun attack RFA Fort Victoria bombing Proxy bombings Downing Street mortar attack Paddington & Victoria station bombings Mullacreevie ambush Glenanne barracks bombing Coagh ambush Musgrave Park Hospital bombing Crumlin Road Prison bombing
1992–1997	Teebane bombing Clonoe ambush London Bridge bombing Staples Cnr bombing Baltic Exchange bombing Sussex Arms bombing Cloghoge attack Coalisland riots Forensic Science Laboratory bombing Stoke Newington Road bomb 1992 Manchester bombing Night of the Long Knives 1993 Harrods bombing Warrington bombings Cullaville occupation Camden bombing Bishopsgate bombing Finchley Road bombings Battle of Newry Road Shankill Road bombing 1993 Fivemiletown ambush Heathrow attacks Crossmaglen Lynx downing Drumcree conflict Docklands bombing Aldwych bus bombing 1996 Manchester bombing Hammersmith Bridge bombing Osnabrück mortar attack Thiepval barracks bombing Coalisland attack 1997 Northern Ireland riots