The Hunger Strike Election, June 1981 anphoblacht.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from anphoblacht.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Remembering 1981: Four men dead as crisis escalates
• Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O Hara
Thursday, 21 May 1981, witnessed the deaths of two more Hunger Strikers. Raymond McCreesh passed away at 2.30am. Later that evening Patsy O’Hara died.
A Mass had been celebrated at Raymond McCreesh’s bedside on Wednesday evening by his brother Fr Brian McCreesh. He was semi-conscious and appeared to show some sign of recognition but died just a few hours later. His remains were returned to his beloved Camlough in South Armagh for the funeral the following Saturday.
Leaving the family home in St Malachy’s Terrace, the cortege stopped briefly at the lane outside the house where it was joined by a honour guard of IRA Volunteers, Cumann na mBan and Na Fianna Éireann. Led by a lone piper, the cortege paused to allow Raymond McCreesh’s comrades fire a final salute over the Tricolour-draped coffin.