Seán South

Seán South (Irish: Seán Sabhat; 1929–1 January 1957) was the leader of an IRA military column fatally wounded during an attempt to storm a Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland on New Year's Day, 1957 during the border campaign of 1956–1962.

The raid by 14 men was a complete failure, with two mines intended to breach the barracks defences failing to explode, thus allowing time for defensive fire to kill two of the attackers, South and Fergal O'Hanlon. Another four were wounded. The truck containing the raiders had pulled up outside the wrong house. It is best remembered by the songs it gave rise to:
*Sean South of Garryowen, written by Seamus O'Dufaigh, of Achadh Mor, County Mayo and made famous by the Wolfe Tones. The popularity of this song has led to the misconception that South was from Garryowen, an area of Limerick city. In fact, this was poetic license on O'Dufaigh's part - South was actually from O'Connell Avenue, where his family owned a pub, which is still extant.;
*Dominic Behan's 1961 song "The Patriot Game" commemorating the other fatality, Fergal O'Hanlon.South was 27-years-old at the time of his death, and had been a clerk before he engaged in paramilitary activities.

South was a devoted Catholic, being a member of "An Rialt" (the Irish-speaking chapter of the Legion of Mary). [cite book | last = Bishop, Patrick & Mallie, Eamonn | first = | authorlink = | title = The Provisional IRA | publisher = Corgi Books | date = 1987 | pages = p. 42 | doi = | isbn = 0-552-13337-X] . He was also a member of the Knights of St. Columbanus, Ailtirí na hAiséirighe and Maria Duce. Ailtirí na hAiséirighe (in English, "Architects of Resurgence") were a spinter group from Conradh na Gaeilge with a slogan: "Ireland needs a Salazar". [ [http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81242 2007 article (search for Ailtirí)] ]

He had received some military training as a member of the Irish army reserve, the "FCA" (An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil or "Local Defence Force"). The only widely available photograph of him shows him in his FCA uniform. South was buried in Limerick. His death evoked sympathy for militant republicanism in the Republic of Ireland.

Footnotes

ources

*"The Secret Army: A History of The IRA. 1916-1979", J. Bowyer Bell, Gill and MacMillan, Dublin, 1980.
*"The I.R.A.", Tim Pat Coogan, Harper Collins, London 1995.
* Live interview with Seamus O'Dufaigh, on TG4 Gaelic language television program "Comhra", 13 FEB 08.

External links

* [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FTPm9o89vAE&NR=1 Video of the song including his funeral]