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WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, I WROTE THAT PIECE MYSELF, ILL GIVE YOU A THOUSAND EURO IF YOU FIND IT SOMEWHERE ELSE! OTHERWISE, PLEASE PUT IT BACK.
Ok, I take it you have realised your mistake, so I will try to re-write my text as I can from memory:
Thomas McElwee was born on 30th November 1957. He was one of twelve children and reared in the parish of Bellaghy, South Derry.
He was the first cousin of Hunger Striker Francis Hughes.
Thomas went to St. Mary's Primary School, Bellaghy and St. Mary's secondary, Clady, three miles away. He loved cars and specially working on engines. At the age of fourteen, he joined Na Fianna Éireann and later joined an independant South Derry resistance unit, which had rejected the Sticky move towards British constitutional reformism. This unit included some of the greatest names in the history of Irish resistance to foreign occupation, including Dominic McGlinchey, and was led by one of the finest Irish soldiers of all time; Francis Hughes. Later this unit was incorporated into Óglaigh na hÉireann, and, indeed, pressed the invader so hard that a delegation was sent from Belfast IRA to ask them to go a bit easier on the enemy. There is no doubt that if Ireland had of had more soldiers like these, she would have been free long ago.
Thomas was highly respected by his comrades as a dedicated and fearless soldier, and he took his place on some of South Derry's most successful actions against the enemy. In 1976 he was captured by the enemy occupation forces, after he had lost an eye in a premature explosion. His brother Benedict was also captured. Neither men recognised the enemy kangaroo court. They were held faoi ghlas ag Gallaibh in Long Kesh consentration camp. Thomas and Benedict faced down the enemy screws at all times and never let them forget for a second that they were dealing with Soldiers of Ireland. For this, the cowardly screws perpetrated frequent and brutal attacks on the brothers. Indeed, when Thomas lay dying on Hunger Strike, the enemy were so vendictive that they refused to allow Thomas any friends, family or comrades around his death bed, but only the hateful Crown uniforms, that had inflicted centuries of genocide on his nation, and years of cowardly brutality on his brother and him.
Thomas McElwee died at 11.30am on Saturday, August 8th, 1981 after 62 days on Hunger Strike for the freedom of Ireland and for the freedom and dignity of all humanity. He was only 23 years old.
Ar deis Dé go raibh a anam dílis agus i measc laochra na nGael go raibh sé.
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Originally Posted by jerryp
