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National Graves Association, Belfast

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National Graves Association. Belfast
The Logo of the National Graves Association, Belfast
The Red Hand
The Red Hand is the symbol which is used by the National Graves Association to show that a grave is under their care

The National Graves Association, Belfast (Irish: Cumann Uaigheann na Laocradh Gaedheal, Béal Feirste) is an unofficial body which has assumed responsibility for the care and maintenance of the graves of some Irish Republican Army volunteers buried in Belfast's cemeteries.[1]


Objectives and structure

The National Graves Association was founded in Dublin in 1921. The first branch of the Association in Belfast was founded in the mid 1930’s. Internment and imprisonment of republicans down through the years has led to the Belfast branch, at times, becoming, temporarily inactive.

The National Graves Association, Belfast, claims that its primary objectives are “to restore and maintain fittingly, the graves of all those who died for Irish Freedom, to compile a record of those graves and to foster respect for the national dead.”[2]

The Association has, from its inception, commemorated Belfast’s republican dead. Monuments have been erected, restored and graves have been marked and maintained. In addition to this, the Association has successfully campaigned for the re-interment of the remains of volunteer Tom Williams. [citation needed]

In recent times the committee has overseen the complete rebuilding of what has become known as the New Republican Plot, which contains the remains of 77 republicans who have died while part of an Active Service Unit, during imprisonment or as a result of assassination. The National Graves Association, Belfast, is also responsible for the maintenance of the County Antrim Plot which also contains the remains of 34 IRA volunteers; the Harbinson plot in which 5 IRA volunteers are interred, and a number of other republican graves some from as early as the 1920s. These graves have been traditionally marked with the Red Hand of Ulster. Many Belfast republicans are buried in their family graves and as such do not fall under the care of this body. However, in addition to maintaining particular plots and monuments the National Graves Association, Belfast, has endeavored to direct local commemoration committees to maintain some family graves which, for some reason may have fallen into disrepair.[3]

The present National Graves Association, Belfast, has a committee of twelve members. Its membership is made up of republicans from across the city, including Liam Shannon (Chairperson); Annie Cahill; Bridget Hannon, Paul Di Lucia; Dessie Kennedy, Nial ÓDonnaighle; Stephen McGuigan and Anne Murray.[4]

Graves

The vast majority of work done by this association is carried out in Milltown Cemetery. The graves in Milltown Cemetery which are under the direct care of the National Graves Association, Belfast include the three main republican plots and the graves of IRA volunteers who were killed during the 1920’s and 1940’s campaigns whose graves are marked with the Red Hand. Below is the full list of graves which are presently under the care of the National Graves Association, Belfast.

Harbinson Plot

William Harbinson died while interned in Belfast Prison and was buried at Portmore, Ballinderry.[5] A Celtic cross was erected to his memory, and that of other republicans who where imprisoned in County Antrim jails, in Milltown cemetery in 1912. This plot contains the remains of 5 IRA volunteers, Joe McKelvey, Sean McCartney, Terence Perry, Sean Gaffney and Seamus Burns.[6][3]

County Antrim Memorial Plot

The County Antrim Memorial was unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising in honour of the county’s republican dead. [7] 34 IRA volunteers who died while involved in paramilitary activity during the late 1960s and early 1970s are buried here:

Danny O’Neill, Joseph Cunningham, David McAuley, Albert Kavanagh, Martin Forsythe, Anthony Nolan, Gerard McDade, Michael Sloan, Tony Lewis, Thomas McCann, Sean O’Riordan, Patrick Campbell, Liam McParland, Michael Kane, Joseph Saunders, Charles Hughes, Tony Henderson, Billy Reid, Patrick McAdorey, Terence McDermott, Maura Meehan, Dorothy Maguire, Edward McDonnell, Martin Engelen, Joseph Fitzsimmons, Jackie McElhone, Michael Magee, Tony Jordan, John Finucane, John Dougal, Gerard Bell, Gerard Steele, Robert Dorrian and Joseph Magee.

New Republican Plot

In 1972 the Association purchased the ground which would become the new Republican Plot, the first burials here took place in July of that year. This plot contains the remains of 77 Irish Republicans who have died while engaged in paramilitary activity or as a result of imprisonment or assassination, or on hunger strike. The names of those volunteers interred in this plot are:[3]

Louis Scullion, James Reid, Joseph Downey, Seamus Cassidy, Robert McCrudden, Michael Clarke, Anne Parker, Joesph McComiskey, James Quigley, Daniel McAreavey,John Donaghy, Joe McKinney, Bernard Fox, Francis Liggett, Anthony Campbell, James Sloan, James McCann, Patrick McCabe, Edward O’Rawe, Seamus Simpson, Brian Smyth, Francis Hall, Ann Marie Pettigrew, Patrick Mulvenna, Francis Dodds, James Bryson, Michael Marley, Patrick Teer, Martin Skillen, Gerard Fennell, James McDade, Brian Fox, John Kelly, John Stone, Robert Allsopp, Seamus McCusker, Laura Crawford, Paul Fox, Terence O’Neill, Bobby Sands, Joe McDonnell, Kieran Doherty, Sean McIlvenna, Jim McKernan, Mairéad Farrell, Dan McCann, Sean Savage, Sean Bailey, James O’Neill, James McGrillen, Sean McDermott, Danny Lennon, Francis Fitzsimmons, Joeseph Surgeoner, Paul Marlow, Brendan O’Callaghan, Tommy Tolan, Paul McWilliams, John McMahon, Denis Brown, Jackie Mailey, James Mulvenna, Lawrence Montgomery, Frankie Donnelly, Kevin Delaney, John Dempsey, Larry Marley, Finbar McKenna, Kevin McCracken, Kevin Brady, Brendan Davidson, Sean Bateson, Francis Ryan, Patrick McBride, Pearse Jordan, Thomas Begley and Pat McGeown.[1]

Other graves

A number of other graves are maintained by the Association. These include the graves of Ned Trodden, Sean Gaynor, Sean O'Carroll, Seamus Ledlie, Freddie Fox, Murtagh McAstocker, Sean Martin, Joe Malone, Gerard O'Callaghan, Winifred Carney, Sean Doyle and Seán McCaughey.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b December 11, 2003 edition of the Irish News
  2. ^ National Graves Association Booklet, 30th July 2007, see: http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/detail/20088</
  3. ^ a b c National Graves Association Booklet, 30th July 2007, see: http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/detail/20088
  4. ^ National Graves Association Booklet, 30th July 2007,
  5. ^ http://joegraham.rushlightmagazine.com/williamharbinson.html
  6. ^ Antrim's Patriot Dead 1797-1953 by National Graves Association, Belfast, Page 25
  7. ^ Antrim's Patriot Dead 1797-1953 by National Graves Association, Belfast, Pages 7, & 9
  8. ^ Belfast Graves, April 1985
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