Thomas McElwee

Thomas McElwee
Tomás Mac Giolla Bhuí
Paramilitary organisation	Provisional IRA
Born	30 November 1957 Bellaghy, County Londonderry
Died	8 August 1981
Strike began	8 June 1981
Days on strike	62

Thomas McElwee (Irish: Tomás Mac Giolla Bhuí; 30 November 1957 - 8 August 1981) was an Irish republican hunger striker and a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Early life

McElwee was the sixth child in a family of twelve born to James and Alice McElwee.^{[citation needed]} He was educated at primary level at St. Mary's Primary School, Bellaghy and at secondary level at St. Mary's, Clady, Portglenone.^{[citation needed]} McElwee then trained as a car mechanic at Magherafelt Technical College and Ballymena Training Centre.^{[citation needed]}

At the age of 14, McElwee joined Fianna Éireann, he then joined the South Derry Independent Republican Unit and subsequently joined the IRA after the SDIRU was disbanded.^{[citation needed]}

Paramilitary activity

In December 1976, McElwee was arrested for a firebomb attack in the town of Ballymena in which he was nearly blinded. After his recovery he was charged with murder for the death of Yvonne Dunlop a 26 year old Protestant, who was killed when one of the bombs they had planted destroyed her shop, the Alley Katz Boutique. On conviction for her murder, McElwee was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 1977. On appeal his conviction was reduced to manslaughter and the sentence reduced to 20 years.^{[citation needed]}

Hunger strike

In prison he became involved in the blanket protest. He joined the 1981 Irish hunger strike and died on 8 August 1981 at the age of 23 after 62 days of hunger-strike. His eight sisters served as his pallbearers.^{[citation needed]}

He was a cousin of fellow hunger striker Francis Hughes, and also a cousin of Father Oliver Crilly, a Catholic priest who attempted to mediate during the strike.^{[citation needed]}

Gravestone erected to Thomas McElwee and Francis Hughes.

He is commemorated on the Irish Martyrs Memorial at Waverley Cemetery in Sydney, Australia.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009 McElwee was honoured by Republican Sinn Féin who named their Waterford city cumann after him.

Media

• Thomas McElwee is the main subject of the song "Farewell to Bellaghy", which also mention his cousin Francis Hughes,other members of the South Derry Independent Republican Unit and deceased volunteers of the South Derry Brigade Óglaigh na hÉireann.
• He is also the subject of the Crucifucks' song "The Story of Thomas McElwee".