Edward Martin Hurson (13 September 1956 – 13 July 1981) was an

Irish Republican Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate. The develop ...

Hunger Striker and a Volunteer in the

East Tyrone Brigade The East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), also known as the Tyrone/Monaghan Brigade was one of the most active republican paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland during "the Troubles". It is believed to have drawn ...

of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Background

Martin Hurson, from

Cappagh, County Tyrone Cappagh (Irish: ''Ceapach'' (tilled or cultivated land)) is a small village and townland in the parish of Pomeroy in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Around north-west of Dungannon, it is between Pomeroy, Ballygawley, Galbally and Carrickm ...

, Northern Ireland, was one of nine children born to Johnny and Mary Ann Hurson. 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.

IRA activities

In November 1976, Martin, together with Kevin O’Brien, Dermot Boyle, Peter Kane and Pat O’Neill were arrested. Martin was tried and convicted of involvement in three IRA landmine incidents, one at Cappagh in September, one at Galbally, County Tyrone in November 1975 and a third at Reclain in February 1976, when several members of the

Royal Ulster Constabulary The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. It was founded on 1 June 1922 as a successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)Richard Doherty, ''The Thin Green Line – The History of the Royal ...

and Ulster Defence Regiment narrowly escaped being killed. He received concurrent sentences of twenty, fifteen and five years for these convictions.

Hunger strike

Martin became engaged to his long-term girlfriend, Bernadette Donnelly, while in prison. He was part of the blanket protest and joined the

1981 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 Cat ...

on 28 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 the others (the next shortest was

Francis Hughes Francis Joseph Sean Hughes (28 February 1956 – 12 May 1981) was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) from Bellaghy, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Hughes was the most wanted man in Northern Ireland until his ar ...

at 59 days). 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.

References

External links

Biography from IRIS, Vol. 1, No. 2, November 1981
(Sinn Féin publication)

(from NYU Library)
Stailc 81, 40th Anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike
Image:Martin hurson grave.jpg, Hurson's grave Image:Martin Hurson monument.jpg, Hurson monument Image:Hurson_memorial.jpg, Hurson roadside memorial, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, during the 25th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hurson, Martin 1956 births 1981 deaths Irish republicans People from County Tyrone People who died on the 1981 Irish hunger strike Provisional Irish Republican Army members