Joe B. O'Hagan

Joe B. O'Hagan, aka J.B. O'Hagan (1922 – 23 April 2001) was a Provisional IRA member.

A native of Lurgan, County Armagh, Joe O'Hagan was an active member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). For many years O'Hagan was a leader of the Irish Republican Movement in north Armagh. He joined the IRA in 1940 and participated in several IRA campaigns over the next five decades. O'Hagan was active in IRA training camps and was arrested in the early 1940s and imprisoned in Crumlin Road Jail and Derry Gaol.^[1] In the 1950s Joe O'Hagan participated in the IRAs Border Campaign and was interned in Curragh Camp.^[2] In 1957 he was involved in the bombing of the British Territorial Army base in Dungannon, County Tyrone. After that attack O'Hagan went "on the run" and was captured and again imprisoned in Derry Gaol.^[3]

A founder of the Provisional IRA, he served on its Army Council till imprisoned in the Republic of Ireland. On 31 October 1973 he and other IRA members including Kevin Mallon, Seamus Twomey, escaped from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin in the "spectactular" Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape. On 20 December 1974 O'Hagan was part of an IRA leadership group which met with a group of Protestant clergymen from the Irish Council of Churches. The two groups met in the small town of Feakle, County Clare with a goal of opening dialog and the cessation of violence. In addition to O'Hagan some of the IRA leaders present were: Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Billy McKee, Dáithí Ó Conaill and IRA Chief of Staff Seamus Twomey. The Protestant attendees represented the Irish and British Councils of Churches and several major Churches in Ireland including the Church of Ireland Bishop Dr. Arthur Butler. The meeting ended before any definite results could be attained as the attendees were warned that the Irish police were about to conduct a raid. ^[4] In January 1975 O'Hagan was recaptured and this time imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison.^[5]

He died in 2001 and was eulogised by Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin as "a republican legend ... Whether as soldier, prisoner, political activist, husband, father or friend, JB gave his fullest. He was an inspiration to younger generations of republicans and those of us who were privileged to know him well will mourn his passing deeply. I measc laochra na nGael a raibh sé."^[6] (translation: He was among the heroes of the Irish).

He was a relative of journalist Martin O'Hagan who was murdered in Lurgan the same year.^[7]

References

^ MacEoin, Uinseann (1981). Survivors. Argenta Publications. p. 181.
^ Coogan, Tim (2002). The IRA. New York: St. Martins Press. p. 321. ISBN 0-312-29416-6.
^ Thorne, Kathleen (2019). Echoes of Their Footsteps Volume Three. Oregon: Generation Organization. p. 590. ISBN 978-0-692-04283-0.
^ Coogan, p. 397-398
^ Thorne, Pg. 590
^ "JB O'Hagan dies". anphoblacht. issue no. 4. 26 April 2001. Retrieved 11 May 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^ "Martin O'Hagan". The Telegraph. 1 October 2001. Retrieved 11 May 2024.

External links

http://victorpatterson.photoshelter.com/image/I0000DoC0uhS4nrg

Provisional Irish Republican Army

General

Organisation

Actions

1970–1979	Battle of St Matthew's Falls Curfew 1970 Crossmaglen bombing Scottish soldiers' killings Red Lion bombing Balmoral showroom bombing Abercorn bombing Donegall Street bombing Battle at Springmartin Battle of Lenadoon Bloody Friday Claudy bombing Newry customs bombing Old Bailey bombing Honey Trap killings King's Cross & Euston bombings Coleraine bombings 1973 Westminster bombing M62 bombing Clogher attack Houses of Parliament bombing Tower of London bombing Guildford pub bombings Harrow School bombing Brooks's Club bombing Woolwich pub bombing British Airways bombing attempt Birmingham pub bombings London pillar box bombings Talbot Arms bombing Bristol bombing Telephone exchange bombings 1974 Oxford Street bombing Carlton Tower & Portman Hotel shootings Mountainview attack Bayardo Bar attack Forkhill attack Caterham Arms bombing Tullyvallen massacre London Hilton bombing Piccadilly bombing Trattoria Fiore bombing Scott's Oyster Bar bombing Walton's Restaurant bombing Drummuckavall ambush Balcombe Street siege Kingsmill massacre West Ham station attack Olympia bombing Store bar shooting Stag Inn attack Garryhinch ambush Jonesborough Gazelle downing La Mon restaurant bombing Crossmaglen ambush Warrenpoint ambush Brussels bombing Dungannon attack
1980–1989	Dunmurry train bombing Lough Foyle attacks Glasdrumman ambush 1981 Bessbrook attack Chelsea Barracks bombing Hyde Park & Regent's Park bombings Harrods bombing Royal Artillery Barracks bombing Brighton hotel bombing Ballygawley land mine attack Newry mortar attack Ballygawley attack Enniskillen mortar attack RUC Birches barracks attack Rheindahlen bombing Loughgall ambush Operation Flavius Corporals killings Lisburn bombing Aughanduff Lynx shootdown 1988 Netherlands attacks Glamorgan barracks bombing Inglis Barracks bombing Ballygawley bus bombing Jonesborough ambush Clive Barracks bombing Deal barracks bombing Mayobridge attack Derryard attack
1990–1991	Derrygorry Gazelle downing South Armagh sniper Downpatrick roadside bomb Operation Conservation 1990 Wembley bombing Carlton Club bombing London Stock Exchange bombing Honourable Artillery Company bombing Lichfield gun attack RFA Fort Victoria bombing Proxy bombings Downing Street mortar attack Paddington & Victoria station bombings Mullacreevie ambush Glenanne barracks bombing Coagh ambush Musgrave Park Hospital bombing Crumlin Road Prison bombing
1992–1997	Teebane bombing Clonoe ambush London Bridge bombing Staples Cnr bombing Baltic Exchange bombing Sussex Arms bombing Cloghoge attack Coalisland riots Forensic Science Laboratory bombing Stoke Newington Road bomb 1992 Manchester bombing Night of the Long Knives 1993 Harrods bombing Warrington bombings Cullaville occupation Camden bombing Bishopsgate bombing Finchley Road bombings Battle of Newry Road Shankill Road bombing 1993 Fivemiletown ambush Heathrow attacks Crossmaglen Lynx downing Drumcree conflict Docklands bombing Aldwych bus bombing 1996 Manchester bombing Hammersmith Bridge bombing Osnabrück mortar attack Thiepval barracks bombing Coalisland attack 1997 Northern Ireland riots