10 February 2005 Edition

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Kathleen Holden

Kathleen Holden

Kathleen Holden

Kathleen Holden from Poleglass in Belfast, who died at the end of January, was a remarkable woman.

When we first knew Kathleen Holden in 1976 she lived in Turf Lodge, below the Black Mountain. My children called it "Kathleen's Mountain". She was one of a very special group of women from Turf Lodge and Andersonstown who adopted the Troops Out Movement.

Her son Michael was on the blanket and we supported the Relatives Action Committees during the Blanket Protest and the Hunger Strike. She couldn't do enough to encourage our work. Like many others, she worked round the clock for the prisoners, not only involved in her local activity but keeping in touch with us in England so that we were always up to date with information.

She regularly accommodated members of the Troops Out Movement on our annual delegation, and at other times. She was a tireless campaign worker, a wonderful storyteller, a forceful singer and great fun. She was a mine of information. Leaflets, newspaper cuttings, photos and letters were spirited out of various unexpected places. She made sure we had the information we needed for our campaign, also the H Block addresses of young prisoners to write to.

It was Kathleen who organised my first visit to the H-Blocks, to see a terrible looking Junior May. Little did I know I was expected to get a few "wee things" in. I was a complete nervous wreck when I got back. All Kathleen said with a sparkle in those mischievous eyes was, "You've got a good big figure, it's very useful, now let's have a wee cup of tea"!

At the end of the Hunger Strike, like so many who had put heart and soul into the protest, Kathleen was exhausted and in fact hospitalised.

The Troops Out Movement branch in Birmingham decided to bring Kathleen and her friend and fellow campaigner, Lily Fitzsimmons, over for a holiday. However, we asked them to do one meeting. What a meeting!

Kathleen and Lily were brilliant but the National Front and British Movement had brought two coachloads of people to picket. Whilst Kathleen and Lily were speaking, the fascists were yelling "Death to the IRA women!" and they broke down the main entrance door to the Digbeth Civic Hall. Needless to say, the police arrested no one but they suggested that our meeting was inflammatory and it should be ended. We carried on but we had to run to escape attacks at the end.

Kathleen needed a couple of black Russians to get over the shock. She said she didn't realise we had Orangemen over here.

Even when she got ill she never stopped thinking campaigns and politics, and always loved a yarn about the protests and prison visits. I wish she had written a book. Only last year she bought me a good strong "protest bag" from a charity shop for all my leaflets and papers. She intended to make sure we kept up the campaigning.

She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed. The Troops Out Movement will always be indebted to her for her support, friendship and wonderful hospitality.

We send our condolences to all her family and friends.

I measc laochra na nGael a raibh sí.

BY MARY PEARSON, TROOPS OUT MOVEMENT


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland