Mick Hall, Laois

Mick epitomised everything a republican should be – he fought injustice, he cared for others, he helped everyone he could, and everything he did was for the republican project. It was never for personal gain or glory.

MICK HALL, the Sinn Féin Organiser for Laois, Offaly and Kildare and a former political prisoner in Portlaoise passed away on Monday 23 November following a short illness. 

Mick’s funeral took place in St John’s Church, Killenard, County Laois, that Thursday and he was buried in the adjoining cemetery.

Mick was republican in everything he did. He spent four years in Portlaoise Prison, where he learnt Irish, “or tried to” as his comrade P. J. Bailey quipped. 

Mick epitomised everything a republican should be – he fought injustice, he cared for others, he helped everyone he could, and everything he did was for the republican project. It was never for personal gain or glory.

On his release from Portlaoise, Mick immersed himself in Sinn Féin, building the party on the ground in Laois, Offaly and Kildare. He was involved in all the campaigns, including organising a group supporting the 1981 Hunger Strike and he was involved every election campaign.

In 2012, Mick became a full-time organiser for Laois, Offaly and Kildare and took to it like a duck to water

In 2013,  Mick was part of the organising committee that oversaw a memorial being unveiled at The Heath in Portlaoise to honour the deceased republicans from Laois  

Nothing was too much trouble for Mick, whether it was getting people to help at the Sinn Féin stand at the Ploughing Championships, do a leaflet drop or help in another county. I would just ask and he would reply: “Leave it with me, a chara.” Many a time he would roll up in the van with a smile and a wink and out of the back would tumble half a dozen people, ready, willing and able.

Throughout all this and standing beside him was Lucy, and without her support and love he wouldn’t have been able to continue and do all the things he did. “Lucy is fine – she understands what I’m doing,” was the response when he was on the go from morning to night.  

Mick kept his family life very private but when he spoke of “my girls”, Cathy and Michelle, you could see the pride and love in his face. 

He will be a huge loss to Sinn Féin and his republican comrades down the years but even more so to Lucy, Cathy, Michelle, son-in-laws Lee and Dermot, grandchildren Tommy, Charlie, Robert and Leanna, sister Bridie, bothers and extended family and friends.

BY JANE MARTIN