Kieran Doherty

For the Irish television writer and producer, see Kieran Doherty (writer).

Kieran Doherty

Teachta Dála
In office 11 June 1981 – 2 August 1981
Constituency	Cavan–Monaghan
Personal details
Born	(1955-10-16)16 October 1955 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died	2 August 1981(1981-08-02) (aged 25) County Down, Northern Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Anti H-Block
Other organisations	Provisional IRA volunteer

Kieran Doherty (16 October 1955 – 2 August 1981) was an Irish republican hunger striker, Teachta Dála (TD) and a volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Background

Doherty was the third son in a family of six born in Andersonstown, Belfast. He was educated at primary level at St. Theresa's Primary School and at secondary level at Glen Road Christian Brothers School (CBS). The Doherty brothers were known cyclists and sportsmen in the Andersontown area; Kieran won an Antrim Gaelic football medal at minor level in 1971.^[1]

Doherty joined Fianna Éireann in 1971 and was interned by the British Government between February 1973 and November 1975. Kieran's brothers Michael and Terence were interned between 1972 and 1974.

Doherty worked as an apprentice heating engineer.^[2] His girlfriend was Geraldine Scheiss; although they never became formally engaged they became very close towards the end of his life. Before his arrest she had not known that he was in the IRA.^[3]

Paramilitary activity

In August 1976, while he was out to set a bomb, the van he was in was chased by the police. During the chase Doherty managed to leave the van and hijack a car but was caught as he was escaping. He was convicted and sentenced to 18 years for possession of firearms and explosives, with another four years for the hijack.

Hunger strike

He died at the age of 25 in the 1981 Irish hunger strike in the Maze prison (known to republicans as Long Kesh). He lasted 73 days on hunger strike, the longest of the 1981 hunger strikers, and only one day short of Terence MacSwiney.

Election to Dáil Éireann

While on hunger strike he was elected as an Anti H-Block TD for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency at the 1981 general election, which was held in the Republic of Ireland on 11 June.^[2] He received 9,121 (15.1%) first preference votes and was elected on the fourth count.^[4] Doherty is the shortest-serving Dáil deputy ever, having served as a TD for two months. The two seats gained by Anti H-Block candidates denied Charles Haughey the chance to form a government, and the 22nd Dáil saw Fine Gael and the Labour Party forming a government with Garret FitzGerald as Taoiseach.

Other information

Kieran Doherty memorial in Milltown Cemetery

He is commemorated on the Irish Martyrs Memorial at Waverley Cemetery in Sydney, Australia.

References

↑ Tírghrá. National Commemoration Centre. 2002. p. 242. ISBN 0-9542946-0-2.
1 2 "Mr. Kieran Doherty". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
↑ Beresford, David. Ten Men Dead.
↑ "Kieran Doherty". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 3 February 2013.

1981 Irish hunger strike

Participants who died	Bobby Sands Francis Hughes Raymond McCreesh Patsy O'Hara Joe McDonnell Martin Hurson Kevin Lynch Kieran Doherty Thomas McElwee Michael Devine

Participants who survived	Brendan McLaughlin Paddy Quinn Laurence McKeown Pat McGeown Matt Devlin Liam McCloskey Patrick Sheehan Jackie McMullan Bernard Fox Hugh Carville John Pickering Gerard Hodgkins James Devine

Political and religious figures	Margaret Thatcher Garret FitzGerald Charles Haughey Humphrey Atkins James Prior Bernadette Devlin McAliskey Owen Carron Tomás Ó Fiaich Basil Hume Denis Faul John Magee

Key events	Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, April 1981 Irish general election, June 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, August 1981

Provisional Irish Republican Army

General

Organisation

Attacks

Insurgency, 1969–1977	Battle of St Matthew's Scottish soldiers' killings Balmoral showroom bombing Abercorn bombing Donegall St bombing Battle at Springmartin Bloody Friday Claudy bombing Coleraine bombings M62 coach bombing Guildford pub bombings British Airways bombing attempt Birmingham pub bombings Bayardo Bar attack Drummuckavall ambush Balcombe Street siege Kingsmill massacre

Long War, 1977–1988	Jonesboro Gazelle downing La Mon restaurant bombing Warrenpoint ambush Dunmurry train explosion Lough Foyle attacks Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings Harrods bombing Brighton hotel bombing Newry mortar attack Ballygawley attack

Peace Process, 1988–1998	Corporals killings Lisburn van bombing Ballygawley bus bombing Jonesborough ambush Deal barracks bombing Derryard attack Derrygorry Gazelle downing RFA Fort Victoria bombing Proxy bombings Downing St mortar attack Mullacreevie ambush Glenanne barracks bombing Teebane bombing Cloghoge attack 1992 Manchester bombing South Armagh sniper campaign Warrington bomb attacks Cullaville occupation Bishopsgate bombing Battle of Newry Road Shankill Road bombing Crossmaglen Lynx downing Drumcree conflict Docklands bombing 1996 Manchester bombing Osnabrück mortar attack Thiepval barracks bombing Coalisland attack July 1997 riots

Chiefs of Staff

Seán Mac Stíofáin (1969–72)
Joe Cahill (1972–73)
Seamus Twomey (1973)
Éamonn O'Doherty (1973–74)
Seamus Twomey (1974–77)
Gerry Adams (1977–78)
Martin McGuinness (1978–82)
Ivor Bell (1982–83)
Kevin McKenna (1983–97)
Thomas "Slab" Murphy (1997–2005)

Personalities
(Volunteers)

Associates

Derivatives

Prominent killings

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