Kevin 'Kiddo' Murray

We remember today Óglach Kevin ‘Kiddo’ Murray on the 24th anniversary of his passing. We further extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family.

While a serving POW in Portlaoise prison, kiddo became seriously ill. He was brushed off everytime when complaining for months to prison medical staff of worsening headaches and dizziness. Blatant neglect was, and still is, a punitive tool to punish Republican prisoners. 

Pleas from family, friends and fellow POWs for Kidfo to receive proper medical assessments fell on deaf ears. After months of negligent state and administration decisions to refuse adequate help, Kiddo’s condition became so severe that prison authorities were forced to act and send him for outside intervention. Only then was the discovery made that Kiddo was suffering from a now inoperable brain tumor and his condition terminal. Some medical professionals have argued that had Kiddo been seen, diagnosed and properly treated sooner, a plan could have been put in place to help.

Upon realisation of the nature of this terminal illness and knowing they played a hand in it’s progression, the state and prison authorities relented and kiddo was released from Portlaoise into the care of his family. Although welcoming, it is important to emphasise that this was not a goodwill gesture, nor was it done in any way to aid Kiddo with his illness or his family’s heartache, this was an act of damage limitation by free state authorities now facing inevitable backlash. 

After only weeks of being released, Kiddo sadly succumbed to his illness on November 13th 2001 and passed away surrounded by his loving family. 

As a volunteer with the Irish Republican Army, kiddo, like many others, saw through the treacherous direction the Adams/McGuinness leadership were steering the movement, and instead of being lead down the path of the British gerrymandered Good Friday Agreement, he held true to his principles and continued the fight.

We must all take guidance from Kiddo’s stance, even now 24 years on from his passing, and strive for the sovereign Irish Republic envisaged by him and all those patriots gone before us. 

In the immortal words of James Connolly 

       “If you strike at , imprison , or kill us out of our prisons or graves we will evoke a spirit that will thwart you and perhaps raise a force that will destroy you ! We defy you! Do your worst!!”.