Joe Cahill: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Joe Cahill (1920 - July 23 2004) was a controversial Irish politician and former member of the Irish Republican Army. Although regarded as a terrorist outside Irish Republican circles, many within that community considered him a hero.

Born in Belfast, he spent much of his life fighting against British rule in Northern Ireland. He was sentenced to death for the murder of a policeman in the 1940s, but had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment after the Pope intervened. He was released in the 1950s and also served jail time in 1973 on gun running charges after being convicted of importing weapons from Libya.

In 1969, he was a key figure in founding the Provisional IRA and was the Belfast commander before becoming the IRA's chief of staff.

In his later years as honourary life vice president of Sinn Féin he was a strong supporter of Gerry Adams and the Good Friday Agreement.

Further reading

• Brendan Anderson, 'Joe Cahill: a life in the IRA,' O'Brien, Dublin, 2002.