Jim Hyland

Jim Hyland

BY PHIL FLYNN

JIM HYLAND was no ordinary man. Jim was honest, brave, loyal and steadfast. He was an especially kind and generous person, a fine intellect and mechanical genius, a lover and a protector of nature, a local historian of County Laois and a patriot. He was a man of many parts and few equals.
We in the republican family have a profound sense of loss. We have lost a rare comrade, one for whom no job in the cause was too big or too small, someone who rendered thousands of services to his comrades in the cause, who was available every hour of the day or night, 365 days of the year, and who never sought of wished for glory or acknowledgment.
As they are now dead and no longer face penalties or recriminations, I can, with pride, acknowledge the contributions of some of this community’s unsung heroes: Ned Bailey, Seán Treacy, the Tynan brothers, Liam O’Mahony and Brian Fenlon. There is one other who was dear to Jim and to many of us, someone who, although never a member, did more for the struggle than most who were. I refer to Mrs Lewis.
Through the most difficult stages of the struggle this was a hive of activity, a centre of action: of training, technical and general logistical support, supply lines, prison escapes, shelter, sustenance and active service Volunteers. Central to all this was Jim Hyland. In his quiet, unassuming way Jim exercised leadership and kept everything moving.
In addition to his great people and organisational skills, of special note was his technical genius and his creative capacity to improvise. This became a place where problems of a mechanical/technical nature could, with optimism, be referred for solution. In fact, I am convinced that this is the place where the catch-call ‘Jim’ll fix it’ was really coined.
Never counting the risks or cost, in the mid 1970s, Jim was arrested, went to jail, served a number of years, came out and took up where he left off.
Jim loved people, debate and banter. He had his own brand of humour, which included a capacity to wind you up. In fairness, as well as dishing it out, he took it without rancour and always delivered it with an impish glint in his eye. He had a special gift  – an ability to lift you out of the doldrums regardless of his personal circumstances. I spent many days, nights and weeks in Jim’s company around this general area and further afield and can honestly say I was never bored and there was never a cross word between us. Those who know me will put that down to Jim rather than me.
Through our roughly 40 years of association, Jim was always his own person with strong convictions and the courage to defend them. He always saw republicanism as a broad church with a place for anyone who supported the cause of national self-determination and he railed against any attempt to narrow the struggle. His political philosophy was founded on the socialist principles of the Proclamation and the Democratic Proclamation of the First Dáil and the lives and writings of James Connolly and James Fintan Lalor. One of his greatest capacities was not the heroism or genius –  and he had those in abundance) – but his truly human character. For me the greatest victory of his life is that he stood as a human being for all things human.
Tá sé imithe uainn ach bímis buíoch as a shaol, a shampla agus ní deanamís dearmad air.
Jim is gone from us. It is hard to believe that we won’t sit with him again, listen to his analysis of current affairs, his endless stories, his banter and his homespun philosophy. Of one thing I’m certain: when and wherever those who knew him meet together, he will be talked about with humour, affection and esteem.
We in the republican family extend heartfelt sympathy to his family, particularly his sisters Sile and Maria, his brother-in-law Mick Keogh, sisters-in-law Pauline and Bridie, and 15 nieces and nephews.
Ar deis Dé go raibh a anam dilís