John 'Farmer' O'Kane

The funeral cortege of John 'Farmer' O'Kane (inset)

The chapel choir was playing the plaintive strains of 'Boolavogue' as an eight-strong guard of honour carried the Tricolour draped coffin of John 'Farmer' O'Kane to his final resting place on 4 December last.

A native of Drumsaragh, new Kilrea, in County Derry, 'the Farmer', as he was known by his family and friends, had been a lifelong republican who was active in the IRA from the beginning of this phase of the struggle. His mother, Mary O'Kane, had also been active all her life in republican politics and their home was always a target for house raids and arrests.

While on the run in 1972, Farmer was captured in a friend's house near Swatragh and interned in Long Kesh. On his release, he rejoined his unit and took part in many successful operations in the South Derry and North Antrim area around Kilrea.

In 1975, he returned to live at home, vowing he would not be driven out of it, and for years afterwards he suffered at the hands of loyalists and the crown forces. His house was constantly raided and he was harassed and arrested.

He survived four attempts on his life, the second of which Michael Stone later admitted to. The last attempt on his life was uncovered when a neighbouring farmer unearthed a command wire as he ploughed a field at the rear of Farmer's home. The ploughman called in the crown forces, who traced the command wire from a firing point on a disused railway to the gable wall of the O'Kane home.

Through the '70s, '80s and '90s, he remained true to the republican cause and his home, shed, car and himself were often at the disposal of the Volunteers of Óglaigh na hÉireann.

During those years he saw many of his closest comrades killed. Some, like Volunteer Peter Rodden and his friends Liam and Geraldine Casey, died in accidents arising from the war. Others, like Séamus and Dessie Grew, were victims of British shoot-to-kill policy, while Gerald Casey, Danny Cassidy and his own nephew, Tommy Donaghy, were all shot dead in blatant acts of collusion in the Kilrea area.

A tough and uncompromising man, both in his own life and his politics, Farmer was held in high esteem by those who knew him. He was a man totally devoid of fear, and in the last months of his illness, he faced death with courage and serenity. None of us who knew him would have expected anything less.

To all his family and friends, to Jonathan and Ryan, Karen and Rathie, to all the O'Kane and Donaghy families, we extend our deepest sympathies.

I measc laochra na nGael a raibh a hanam uasal.

The McGinn/Rodden/ Donaghy/Cassidy Sinn Féin Cumann, Kilrea, County Derry