Matt Devlin

Matt Devlin ( born April 30, 1950 in Ardboe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, † 28 December 2005 Ardboe ) was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA ), and participated in hunger strikes in 1980/ 1981.

Devil was the second-born child of a family with six children. His parents were no Republicans and his father died in 1973. He was inducted into the Rock Primary School. In 1967 he took a job in a farm and he also worked for a year in England. When he returned to Ireland, he resumed work as a farmer. Devlin was an active in Ardboe Gaelic Football Club, where he in 1979 - was elected president - during his imprisonment. Around the year 1974, he supported the local IRA and was admitted to this organization in 1976. Matt Devlin was involved in numerous attacks on British military forces and the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Devlin was arrested in February 1977 after he had performed with Paddy Quinn and another IRA member an unsuccessful attack on British soldiers. This prompted his conviction in October 1977 to seven years imprisonment and detention in the H-Block. In his prison time he participated in the blanket protest and the dirty protest and hunger strikes at both 1980/1981.

He played a significant role until his death in late 2005 build the Sinn Féin in Westmeath and participated in a local election as a candidate for Sinn Féin in 2004, where he received 4.62 % of votes.