Hugh McAteer
Encyclopedia
Hugh McAteer was a volunteer
in, and leader of, the Irish Republican Army
.
A bookkeeper by profession, McAteer was from Derry
. He served as IRA Chief of Staff from 1941 until 12 October 1942, when he was captured and arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary
. He was later sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on the charge of treason.http://republican-news.org/archive/1998/January20/22obit.html On 15 January 1943, along with three senior IRA men Patrick Donnelly
, Ned Maguire and Jimmy Steele, he escaped over the wall from Crumlin Road Gaol
, Belfast
. On Easter Saturday
, 24 April 1943, he participated in the Broadway Cinema operation on the Falls Road when armed IRA men took over the cinema, stopped the film, and went on stage and read a statement from the IRA Army Council
and the Proclamation of the 1916 Easter Rising
. The statement denounced the American
military presence in Northern Ireland
as an "invasion of our rights" and warned that they will be targeted in "a resumption of hostilities between the Irish Republic
and Great Britain
[sic]".
McAteer was subsequently rearrested. Along with other IRA prisoners, he was released in 1950.
In 1950, McAteer ran as a Sinn Féin
candidate for the Londonderry
constituency in the British general election
on an independent republican
abstentionist
ticket. He polled 21,880 votes or 37.41%. (Other Republican candidates included Jimmy Steele (for West Belfast) and Liam Burke (for Mid Ulster
). The three candidates polled 23,362 votes together but were not elected.) He also contested the 1964 British general election
for the same constituency and on the same ticket, polling 21,123 votes (35.91%).
Hugh McAteer was a brother of Eddie McAteer
, leader of the Nationalist Party
and Stormont
MP.
Hugh McAteer's son, Aidan, was a personal assistant to Gerry Adams
and onetime staff officer of the IRA's Belfast Brigade
.
His many interests included Irish Traditional singing and he even provided the notes for an album entitled "Ireland Her Own" (Topic Records, 1967), recorded by two former IRA volunteers - Paddy Tunney
and Arthur Kearney - who had been imprisoned with him in the Crumlin Road Gaol
in the 1940s.
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
in, and leader of, the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
.
A bookkeeper by profession, McAteer was from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. He served as IRA Chief of Staff from 1941 until 12 October 1942, when he was captured and arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
. He was later sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on the charge of treason.http://republican-news.org/archive/1998/January20/22obit.html On 15 January 1943, along with three senior IRA men Patrick Donnelly
Patrick Donnelly
Patrick Donnelly was an Irish Roman Catholic Bishop who was also known as The Bard of Armagh. He was born in Desertcreaght, Cookstown, County Tyrone in 1650 and died in 1716.* Dr Patrick Donnelly ministered in South Armagh,...
, Ned Maguire and Jimmy Steele, he escaped over the wall from Crumlin Road Gaol
Crumlin Road Gaol
HMP Belfast, also known as Crumlin Road Gaol, is a former prison situated on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the only Victorian era prison remaining in Northern Ireland and has been derelict since 1996...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. On Easter Saturday
Easter Saturday
Easter Saturday, or Bright Saturday, is the Saturday following the Christian festival of Easter. In the liturgy of Western Christianity it is the last day of Easter Week, sometimes referred to as the Saturday of Easter Week or Saturday in Easter Week. In the liturgy of Eastern Christianity it is...
, 24 April 1943, he participated in the Broadway Cinema operation on the Falls Road when armed IRA men took over the cinema, stopped the film, and went on stage and read a statement from the IRA Army Council
IRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
and the Proclamation of the 1916 Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
. The statement denounced the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military presence in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
as an "invasion of our rights" and warned that they will be targeted in "a resumption of hostilities between the Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
[sic]".
McAteer was subsequently rearrested. Along with other IRA prisoners, he was released in 1950.
In 1950, McAteer ran as a Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
candidate for the Londonderry
Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
Londonderry was a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also a constituency in elections to various regional bodies. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983...
constituency in the British general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
on an independent republican
Independent Republican (Ireland)
Independent Republican was a political title frequently used by Irish republicans when contesting elections in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland since the 1920s....
abstentionist
Abstentionism
Abstentionism is standing for election to a deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business. Abstentionism differs from an election boycott in that abstentionists participate in the election itself...
ticket. He polled 21,880 votes or 37.41%. (Other Republican candidates included Jimmy Steele (for West Belfast) and Liam Burke (for Mid Ulster
Mid Ulster (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Ulster is a Parliamentary Constituency in the British House of Commons.-Boundaries:The constituency was created in 1950 when the old two-seat constituency of Fermanagh and Tyrone was abolished as part of the final move to single member seats...
). The three candidates polled 23,362 votes together but were not elected.) He also contested the 1964 British general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
for the same constituency and on the same ticket, polling 21,123 votes (35.91%).
Hugh McAteer was a brother of Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer was an nationalist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Coatbridge, Scotland, McAteer's family moved to Derry in Northern Ireland while he was young. In 1930 he joined the Inland Revenue, where he worked until 1944. He then became an accountant and more actively involved in politics...
, leader of the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
The Nationalist Party† - was the continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and was formed after partition, by the Northern Ireland-based members of the IPP....
and Stormont
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
MP.
Hugh McAteer's son, Aidan, was a personal assistant to Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
and onetime staff officer of the IRA's Belfast Brigade
Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas, based in the city of Belfast. Founded in 1969, along with the formation of the Provisional IRA, it was historically organised into three battalions; the First Battalion based in the...
.
His many interests included Irish Traditional singing and he even provided the notes for an album entitled "Ireland Her Own" (Topic Records, 1967), recorded by two former IRA volunteers - Paddy Tunney
Paddy Tunney
Paddy Tunney was an Irish traditional singer, poet, writer, raconteur, lilter and songwriter. He was affectionately known as the Man of Songs.-Early life:...
and Arthur Kearney - who had been imprisoned with him in the Crumlin Road Gaol
Crumlin Road Gaol
HMP Belfast, also known as Crumlin Road Gaol, is a former prison situated on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the only Victorian era prison remaining in Northern Ireland and has been derelict since 1996...
in the 1940s.