Phil O'Donnell (Irish republican)
Encyclopedia
Phil O'Donnell was a volunteer
in the 2nd Battalion, Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
and a founding member of Saor Uladh
from the Bogside
area of Derry
, Northern Ireland
.
and joined the republican movement
in 1969 after the Battle of the Bogside
.
, Republic of Ireland
. During one training camp O'Donnell, and a number of other volunteers were captured by the Irish Army
outside of Fahan
. The group were remanded in Mountjoy Prison
before their trial. During the trial O'Donnell stated that they were the "Defenders of the Bogside" and following their acquittal he quipped "if we are innocent can we please have our guns back".
O'Donnell then returned to Derry and the republican movement.
, O'Donnell became disillusioned with the IRA and joined Liam Kelly
in forming the republican splinter group, Saor Uladh
. Kelly had been court martialled from the Irish Republican Army
in 1951 for insubordination and then went on to form the new paramilitary group. Saor Uladh was most active in Kelly's home ground of East Tyrone. The group targeted Customs posts and security force installations, their principle objective being the removal of the border and the reunification of Ireland.
. O'Donnell was at first taken to Magilligan prison
before being moved to Maidstone prison ship which was harboured in Belfast Lough
. He was finally transferred to Long Kesh and was released after eight months.
Following his release he returned to active service
and was arrested in the Republic of Ireland and charged with IRA membership and possession of weapons. O'Donnell spent several years in Portlaoise Prison
and upon his release was again active in the republican movement.
near Free Derry Corner
which had the names of the 18 IRA volunteers from the Derry Brigade from the area who died during The Troubles
and included Phil O'Donnell as well as Kieran Fleming
, Danny Doherty and William Fleming
.
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
in the 2nd Battalion, Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
and a founding member of Saor Uladh
Saor Uladh
Saor Uladh - was a short-lived paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland in the 1950s.Seen as a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army, it was formed in County Tyrone by Liam Kelly and Phil O'Donnell in 1953...
from the Bogside
Bogside
The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. The area has been a focus point for many of the events of The Troubles, from the Battle of the Bogside and Bloody Sunday in the 1960s and 1970s...
area of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Background
O'Donnell, originally from Derry, had been a member of the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and joined the republican movement
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
in 1969 after the Battle of the Bogside
Battle of the Bogside
The Battle of the Bogside was a very large communal riot that took place during 12–14 August 1969 in Derry, Northern Ireland. The fighting was between residents of the Bogside area and the Royal Ulster Constabulary .The rioting erupted after the RUC attempted to disperse Irish nationalists who...
.
Donegal training camps
He utilised his training in the British Army by organising and running training camps in County DonegalCounty Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. During one training camp O'Donnell, and a number of other volunteers were captured by the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
outside of Fahan
Fahan
Fahan is a district of Inishowen, in County Donegal, located five kilometres south of Buncrana. In Irish, Fahan is named after its patron saint, St...
. The group were remanded in Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison , founded as Mountjoy Gaol, nicknamed The Joy, is a medium security prison located in Phibsboro in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. It has the largest prison population in Ireland.The current prison governor is Mr...
before their trial. During the trial O'Donnell stated that they were the "Defenders of the Bogside" and following their acquittal he quipped "if we are innocent can we please have our guns back".
O'Donnell then returned to Derry and the republican movement.
Saor Uladh
After a number of operations had been cancelled by the IRA Army CouncilIRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
, O'Donnell became disillusioned with the IRA and joined Liam Kelly
Liam Kelly (Irish republican)
Liam Kelly was an Irish republican, who was elected both to House of Commons of Northern Ireland and as a member of Seanad Éireann...
in forming the republican splinter group, Saor Uladh
Saor Uladh
Saor Uladh - was a short-lived paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland in the 1950s.Seen as a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army, it was formed in County Tyrone by Liam Kelly and Phil O'Donnell in 1953...
. Kelly had been court martialled from the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
in 1951 for insubordination and then went on to form the new paramilitary group. Saor Uladh was most active in Kelly's home ground of East Tyrone. The group targeted Customs posts and security force installations, their principle objective being the removal of the border and the reunification of Ireland.
Internment
O'Donnell was interned on 9 August 1971 at the beginning of Operation DemetriusOperation Demetrius
Operation Demetrius began in Northern Ireland on the morning of Monday 9 August 1971. Operation Demetrius was launched by the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary and involved arresting and interning people accused of being paramilitary members...
. O'Donnell was at first taken to Magilligan prison
Magilligan (HM Prison)
Magilligan Prison is a prison run by the Northern Ireland Prison Service situated near Limavady, County Londonderry. It was first opened in May 1972 and comprised eight Nissen huts on the site of an army camp...
before being moved to Maidstone prison ship which was harboured in Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough is a large, natural intertidal sea lough at the mouth of the River Lagan on the east coast of Northern Ireland. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays...
. He was finally transferred to Long Kesh and was released after eight months.
Following his release he returned to active service
Active Service Unit
An active service unit was a Provisional Irish Republican Army cell of five to eight members, tasked with carrying out armed attacks. In 2002 the IRA had about 1,000 active members of which about 300 were in active service units....
and was arrested in the Republic of Ireland and charged with IRA membership and possession of weapons. O'Donnell spent several years in Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison is the Republic of Ireland's only high security prison. It is located in Portlaoise, County Laois. It should not be confused with the Midlands Prison, which is a newer, medium security prison situated directly beside it....
and upon his release was again active in the republican movement.
Memorial
In October 2003, a memorial was unveiled in the BogsideBogside
The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. The area has been a focus point for many of the events of The Troubles, from the Battle of the Bogside and Bloody Sunday in the 1960s and 1970s...
near Free Derry Corner
Free Derry Corner
Free Derry Corner is a square in the Bogside neighbourhood of Derry, Northern Ireland, which lies in the intersection of the Lecky Road, Rossville Street and Fahan Street. On the Free Derry Corner is a memorial to the 1981 hunger strikers and several murals...
which had the names of the 18 IRA volunteers from the Derry Brigade from the area who died during The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
and included Phil O'Donnell as well as Kieran Fleming
Kieran Fleming
Kieran or Ciarán Fleming , was a member of the 4th Battalion, Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army from the Waterside area of Derry, Northern Ireland. He died while attempting to escape after a confrontation with British troops in 1984.-Background:Fleming was the youngest son of...
, Danny Doherty and William Fleming
William Fleming (Irish republican)
William James Paul Fleming was a volunteer in the Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army from the predominantly republican "Top Of The Hill" area of the Waterside, Derry, Northern Ireland....
.