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Pat Sheehan (Irish republican)

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Pat Sheehan
MLA
Sheehan in 2023
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Belfast West
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 December 2010
Preceded byGerry Adams
Personal details
Born (1958-05-28) 28 May 1958 (age 66)[1]
Belfast, Northern Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partySinn Féin
SpouseSiobhán O'Hanlon (2006; her death)
ChildrenCormac Sheehan
Other organizationsProvisional Irish Republican Army volunteer (formerly)

Pat Sheehan (born 28 May 1958) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician, and former Provisional Irish Republican Army member and hunger striker at the Maze Prison.[2]

Provisional IRA Activity

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Sheehan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He attended St Malachy's College and gained several O-levels before dropping out of full-time education.[3] In his youth he was a member of Fianna, the IRA youth wing.[4]

In 1978—aged 19—Sheehan took part in the bombing of cash-and-carry.[5] He was sentenced to 15 years.[6]

Sheehan was the 17th republican inmate at the Maze Prison to join the 1981 hunger strikes, which was aimed at gaining political status for Provisional IRA and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners. Sheehan began fasting on 10 August – after nine prisoners had already died – and ended when the hunger strike was officially called off on 3 October. He survived 55 days without food.

Sheehan was released in 1987. In 1989, he was convicted and sentenced to 24 years for attempting to booby trap a Belfast security checkpoint with a bomb.[7] Sheehan spent his first two years at Crumlin Road Gaol, before being moved to H-Block, sharing a cell with Danny Morrison.[8] He was released under the terms of the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

He picked up his education again on his release and in 1992 began to study Social Sciences and Philosophy with The Open University. He graduated with a first class honours degree in 1998.[9]

Political career

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On 7 December 2010, he succeeded Gerry Adams as MLA for Belfast West, Adams having resigned to contest the 2011 Irish general election. Sheehan retained the seat for Sinn Féin at the 2011 Assembly election.

Sheehan has provoked anger and controversy by describing the Troubles as "probably quite civilised" and saying the IRA "could have left a 1,000lb car bomb on the Shankill" if it wanted to kill Protestants.[10]

As at August 2015, he is a Political Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.[11]

Personal life

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Pat Sheehan is the widower of Sinn Féin activist Siobhán O'Hanlon who died from cancer in 2006. He has a son.[12] Pat is also a keen cricket fan.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "MLA Details: Mr Pat Sheehan". niassembly.gov.uk.
  2. ^ "Pat Sheehan picked to succeed Gerry Adams at Stormont". BBC. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Pat Sheehan - Open University Digital Archive".
  4. ^ McFadyean, Melanie (4 March 2006). "The legacy of the hunger strikes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  5. ^ McFadyean, Melanie (4 March 2006). "The legacy of the hunger strikes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Sinn Fein members with IRA links". newsletter.co.uk.
  7. ^ Howard, Paul (2006). "The Long Kesh Hunger Strikers: 25 Years Later". Social Justice. 33 (4 (106)): 69–91. ISSN 1043-1578.
  8. ^ "Pat Sheehan: I'm humbled to be following Gerry Adams". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk.
  9. ^ "Pat Sheehan - Open University Digital Archive".
  10. ^ "Sinn Féin brands Pat Sheehan insult claim 'ridiculous'". The Belfast Telegraph. The Belfast Telegraph. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  11. ^ "The Board". Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  12. ^ "Pat Sheehan MLA". Sinn Féin. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  13. ^ "Profile of new Sinn Fein MLA Pat Sheehan". BBC News. 17 November 2010.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by MLA for Belfast West
2010–present 		Incumbent
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