Death of Volunteer Séamus Twomey
THE death occurred in Dublin this week of one of the foremost IRA soldiers of the last two decades. Séamus Twomey led the Belfast Brigade of Oglaigh na hÉireann and served as Chief of Staff of Oglaigh na hÉireann during the 1970s, when the reborn IRA moved from the defence of nationalist districts under attack by RUC-led loyalist mobs onto the offensive against the British presence and the final armed struggle for national self-determination.
Like the Volunteers of the past 20 years, Séamus Twomey would never have resorted to the use of force were it not for the violent denial by Britain of the Irish people's civil and national rights. He struggled for peace with justice.
Séamus fought his long illness to the end before his death on Tuesday 12 September.
The importance of his contribution will only be fully appreciated when freedom is finally won. His veteran comrade, Joe Cahill, paid tribute to him:
``Séamus gave his entire life to the struggle. Without his contribution in 1969, countless nationalist lives would have been lost in the loyalist pogroms. The cause of Irish freedom has lost a brave freedom fighter. His one regret was that he could not live to see the day of freedom dawn.
- An Phoblacht, Thursday, 14 September, 1989
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)