Phil O'Donnell (3 June 1932 – 24 December 1982), 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 Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

, Northern Ireland.

Background

O'Donnell, originally from Derry, had been a member of the British Army and joined the republican movement in 1969 after the Battle of the Bogside.''Tírghrá'', National Commemoration Centre, 2002. PB) p. 252

Donegal training camps

He utilised his training in the British Army by organising and running training camps in County Donegal, 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.

Saor Uladh

After a number of operations had been cancelled by the IRA Army Council, 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 principal objective being the removal of the border and the reunification of Ireland.Michael Farrell, ''Northern Ireland: The Orange State''

Internment

O'Donnell was interned on 9 August 1971 at the beginning of Operation Demetrius. O'Donnell was at first taken to

Magilligan prison HMP Magilligan is a medium security 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. The prison was di ...

before being moved to Maidstone prison ship which was harboured in Belfast Lough. He was finally transferred to

Long Kesh Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mens ...

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.

Memorial

In October 2003, a memorial was unveiled in the Bogside 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 Kieran or Ciarán Fleming (born 25 October 1959 – 2 December 1984), was a volunteer in the 4th Battalion, Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) from the Waterside area of Derry, Northern Ireland. He died while att ...

, Danny Doherty and William Fleming.

Death

O'Donnell contracted cancer and died at the age of 50 on

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...

1982.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odonnell, Phil 1932 births 1982 deaths British Army soldiers Deaths from cancer in the Republic of Ireland Irish Republican Army (1922–1969) members People of The Troubles (Northern Ireland) from Derry (city) Irish republicans interned without trial Military personnel from Derry (city) Provisional Irish Republican Army members Republicans imprisoned during the Northern Ireland conflict 20th-century British Army personnel