16 July 2009 Edition

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Fógraí bháis: Paddy Hogan

THE republican community in Dunloy and County Antrim has lost a comrade and father figure with the recent passing of veteran republican Paddy Hogan.
Republicans aren’t normally good at expressing our gratitude to each other while we are alive. I hope Paddy knows how much we thought of him and the debt we owe him for the contribution he made to the republican struggle.
Paddy Hogan was an immense man.  I heard him described probably 100 times while he was alive as being “staunch”.  I heard it again being used to describe him at the wake.
The dictionary definition of staunch for those of you, like me, curious to know its exact meaning is loyal, trusty and steadfast. Those three words wrapped up in one – staunch – couldn’t serve up a better description of Paddy Hogan.
Those who knew and worked with him during the course of the struggle have hundreds of your own examples of Paddy’s loyalty, his trustworthiness and his steadfastness.  
Certainly, the current strength and support for republicanism in Dunloy and north Antrim owes a great deal to the likes of Paddy Hogan. When times were hard in north Antrim, when republicans were few, Paddy was always at the forefront.  He was unapologetic about this. Whether this meant his support and service to the IRA, or involvement in the anti-H Blocks campaign, or support for the Hunger Strikers, organising fund-raising events, selling tickets,  Sinn Féin election campaigns or selling An Phoblacht, Paddy Hogan would be doing more than his share.  
He was instrumental in the first Sinn Féin cumann to be set up here in Dunloy.

RESOLVE
Neither the sectarian harassment that Paddy and his family received from loyalists when they lived in Ballymena and Ballymoney nor the constant harassment, intimidation and battles fought with the British Army and RUC in Dunloy could diminish his resolve. Indeed, this only served to fuel his conviction of what was required for change here in the North.
Imagine setting out on foot from Ballymoney and walking the majority of the way through darkness to the wake of Martin Hurson in Cappagh in County Tyrone and you can begin to imagine the extent of the determination within Paddy.
For 15 years, and well into his 60s, Paddy walked around Dunloy and its outlying areas selling over 80 republican newspapers, fulfilling a promise he made to his son, Henry.  

HARD BUT KIND
He was a hard man in the truest sense of that phrase.  The first, second or sometimes third member of an RUC raiding squad through his door during a raid in Carness Drive could testify to that fact.
But Paddy was also an extremely kind, caring and compassionate man. Again, anyone who knew him well will have witnessed that. Paddy, in my view, had two passions: his family and the republican struggle, and for the past 30 years both passions were entwined.
Was there any doubt that with Paddy’s resolve mixed with his wife Maureen’s south Derry blood that Paddy would support his family through their participation in the struggle resulting again in harassment, hardship, imprisonment and in the case of his son, Henry, death?
Who, having witnessed the 25th anniversary DVD on the deaths of the IRA Volunteers Henry and Declan Martin could forget the heart-wrenching part when Paddy talked of the events and in particular the day of their funerals, a day when a battle was fought to get Henry to his final resting place?  How Paddy described carrying the coffin and talking to Henry, telling him: “We will get you there, son.” Paddy did get him there and I’m confident they are together again now, planning some sort of skulduggery.  
Paddy showed great love for his family. His children, grand-children and great-grand children. There was a great bond and he was extremely proud of them all.
To his wife Maureen and his family, Mickey, Patrick, Margaret, Rosie, and Bernie, and to the wider extended family, we send our deepest sympathies.
Paddy inspired republicans while he was alive and in death Paddy’s memory like that of his son, Henry, will continue to inspire us.

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland