Martin McCaughey

McCaughey was the oldest son of Owen and Bridget McCaughey. He was a boyhood friend of several of the "Loughgall Martyrs" including Declan Arthurs, Seamus Donnelly, Tony Gormley and Eugene Kelly, with whom he would travel to local discos and football matches when they were growing up.

McCaughey was a talented Gaelic football player who played for local side Galbally Pearses and was also selected for the Tyrone minor Gaelic team.

McCaughey was elected as a Sinn Féin councillor in the Torrent electoral area for Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council during the 1989 election.{{Cite web |title=Local Government Elections 1985 - 1989: Dungannon |url=https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/85-89lgdungannon.htm |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=ark.ac.uk}} He was the youngest elected representative on the island of Ireland at the time.

Two months prior to his shooting, McCaughey was disqualified from holding his office on the council as he had failed to appear for a monthly council meeting. After his death the Royal Ulster Constabulary revealed the explanation behind his disappearance. McCaughey had been shot and wounded in a shoot-out with undercover British Army security forces near Cappagh, County Tyrone. McCaughey was then taken south across the Irish border into the Republic of Ireland where he was given hospital treatment and therefore unable to attend the meetings.Unknown. [http://www.emigrant.ie/article.asp?iCategoryID=200&iArticleID=48691 "Two shot in ambush"] The Irish Emigrant. 15 October 1990. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.Liam Ferrie. [http://www.ivanfoster.org/page.asp?ira "Sinn Fein is the IRA"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928014419/http://www.ivanfoster.org/page.asp?ira |date=28 September 2007 }}, The Burning Bush, November 1990. Retrieved on 8 February 2007.{{cite book | last = Toolis | first = Kevin | title = Rebel Hearts: Journeys Within the IRA's Soul | publisher = Penguin Books | year = 1995 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/rebelheartsjourn00tool/page/63 63, p. 71] | isbn = 0-312-15632-4 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/rebelheartsjourn00tool/page/63 }}

Ulster Unionist MP and fellow Dungannon councillor Ken Maginnis alleged that McCaughey had conspired to kill him whilst both sat as councillors.[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199596/cmhansrd/vo960418/debtext/60418-08.htm House of Commons Hansard debate 18 April 1996]{{Cite web |url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199091/cmhansrd/1990-11-19/Debate-5.html |title=Hansard (House of Commons Daily Debates) 19 November 1990 |access-date=8 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033522/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199091/cmhansrd/1990-11-19/Debate-5.html |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}

Martin McCaughey was shot dead along with Dessie Grew in an operation by undercover British soldiers. A secret undercover intelligence unit named 14 Intelligence Company, also known as the DET, were monitoring three AK47s at a farm building in a rural part of County Armagh and were aware that the pair were due to remove the guns.

As they were approaching an agricultural shed which was being used to grow mushrooms and also thought to have been an IRA arms dump, as many as 200 shots are believed to have been fired at the two men. British Army reports of the shooting stated that the two men left the shed holding two rifles. Republican sources state the men were unarmed.A Secret History of the IRA, Ed Moloney, p.318 2002. 9PB) {{ISBN|0-393-32502-4}} (HB) {{ISBN|0-7139-9665-X}}Rebel Hearts: Journeys Within the IRA's Soul, p. 63.

McCaughey was buried at Galbally Cemetery in October 1990.

The family of McCaughey claimed that he and Grew were ambushed after a stakeout by the SAS. In January 2002, Justice Weatherup, a Northern Ireland High Court Judge ordered that official military documents relating to the shooting should be disclosed. However, Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde had the ruling overturned on appeal in January 2005.[http://www.nihrc.org/dms/data/NIHRC/attachments/dd/files/45/HRA_NIcourts_dec04_sept05.pdf Report from Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission – Police Service of Northern Ireland v. McCaughey and Anor 2005 NICA 1 (14 January 2005)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927231325/http://www.nihrc.org/dms/data/NIHRC/attachments/dd/files/45/HRA_NIcourts_dec04_sept05.pdf |date=27 September 2007 }}Unknown. [http://www.eveningecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=170431840&p=y7x43z4zx&n=170432449 "Families of IRA men killed by British forces file lawsuit at House of Lords "] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929005356/http://www.eveningecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=170431840&p=y7x43z4zx&n=170432449 |date=29 September 2007 }}, Evening Echo, 17 January 2007. Retrieved on 8 February 2007

Fellow Sinn Féin representative, Francie Molloy, replaced McCaughey on Dungannon Council after a by-election was held following McCaughey's death.Bimpe Fatogun. [http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2005/nov23_molloy.php "Suspended SF politician a veteran republican"], Irish News, 24 November 2005. Retrieved on 8 February 2007

There is an ongoing court case relating to the McCaughey's death. In January 2007, the lawyers representing McCaughey and another volunteer, Pearse Jordan, applied to the House of Lords to challenge the details of how the inquests into their deaths will proceed.[http://www.utvlive.com/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=79364&pt=n IRA men's families in Lords challenge bid] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927235233/http://www.utvlive.com/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=79364&pt=n |date=27 September 2007 }} UTV Newsroom

McCaughey's father, Owen, sought to compel Chief Constable Hugh Orde to produce key documents including intelligence reports relevant to the shooting and the report of the RUC's investigating officer.[http://www.courtsni.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BD35A962-DE1A-4280-8C25-D7571A97E60D/0/j_j_WEAA4518.htm Report from High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland – Queen’s bench division (Judicial review)][http://www.serve.com/pfc/euro/eurindex.html Lethal Force /Article 2 / related items in European & Domestic Courts]

In 2010, a commemorative portrait of McCaughey was unveiled in the mayor's parlour at Dungannon council.{{Cite web|url=http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/399|title=Mayor hosts ceremony to commemorate death of Councillor Martin McCaughey | an Phoblacht}}

• The Troubles in Loughgall
• Shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland

{{Reflist|35em}}

{{PIRA}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCaughey, Martin}}

Category:1967 births

Category:1990 deaths

Category:Deaths by firearm in Northern Ireland

Category:Irish republicans

Category:People from County Tyrone

Category:People killed by security forces during The Troubles (Northern Ireland)

Category:Provisional Irish Republican Army members

Category:Sinn Féin politicians

Category:Sinn Féin councillors in Northern Ireland

Category:Members of Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council