Issue 045, Saoirse: Irish Freedom (January, 1991)

              return address saoirse box 1053 .-. south orange n.j.0707 uimh.45 eanair january 1991 30p usa 22 per year daithi 6 conaill 1938 1991 a wave of shock passed through ireland when it was learned that daithi 6 conaill vice president of sinn fein poblachtach and a republican soldier for over 35 years had died suddenly on the afternoon of new year's day at his home in raheny dublin he was 52 years of age and had not been ill over the christmas season following the initial shock many republicans reflected immediately on the poignancy of the date 34 years to the day after the death in action by his side of two volunteers of the pearse column ira — sean sabhat and fergal ouanlon — in the raid on brookeborough ruc barracks in co fermanagh many recalled how daithi had saved the lives of four wounded men that day by taking over command from the wounded column leader and making a successful withdrawal people were genuinely shocked also to learn that he was so young and this was probably due to his long involvement and prominent position in the republican movement over more than three decades speaking to close coll eague cathleen knowles only minutes into the new year daithf had expressed hope and optimism that 1991 would see the sec uring of a way forward on the road to irish freedom and self-determination he had just completed a draft position paper for discuss ion at sinn fein poblach tach's ard chomhairle meeting in january determination he was determined that sinn fein poblachtach's contribution to a just and lasting peace in the eire nua 1990 proposals would be widely dissemin ated in the ongoing search for a way forward from the present impasse his colleagues inspired by his example will ensure that his unremitting work will not be in vain and that his legacy of commitment and duty will not go un recognised it was only fitting that the final salute was given outside of st brigid's church killester after the requiem mass on thurs day january 3 when a single shot was fired over his tricolour-draped coffin by a republican comrade a colour party of cum ann na mban members with furled flags draped in black crepe along with a republican guard of hon our flanking the remains at the head of a 500-strong cortege drawn up in mil itary formation stood to attention on the howth road as this tribute was paid tremendous blow in an initial reaction ruairi o bradaigh pres ident of sinn fein pob lachtach said that daithf o conaill's death was a tremendous blow to rep ublicanism his was the ablest mind in the repub lican movement for over 20 years he said he ex tended his deepest sym pathy and that of the organisation to daithfs wife deirdre son fergal and daughters dfog and ciara the removal on wednes day january 2 took place from beaumont hospital on the northside of dublin a large crowd of people gathered at the mortuary from 530pm where a guard of honour of cumann na mban stood to attention beside the remains members of the ard chomhairle carried the coffin draped in the national flag into the waiting hearse after leaving beaumont hospital the cortege made its way along kilmore road and ardlea road in to brookwood avenue where the eight man rep ublican guard of honour and cumann na mban col our party formed up again and the mourners walked the last couple of hundred yards as the procession turned on to the howth road the coffin was carr cont and obituary page 5