Brendan Quinn and Eddie Grant
This Christmas Eve sees the 25th anniversary of the death of two IRA
Volunteers, Brendan Quinn and Eddie Grant, who were killed along with
a number of civilians in a premature explosion in Clarke's pub (now
the Armaghdown) in Monaghan Street in Newry.
Both men were dedicated and active Volunteers. Brendan Quinn spent
much of his young life working tirelessy for the republican movement
through Sinn Fein and the IRA. He had a great interest in Irish
history and was a keen Irish dancer.
Eddie Grant, a happy-go-lucky teenager, had a deep commitment to the
republican movement. He never missed a demonstration or a march in
his home town and much further afield.
The deaths of the two volunteers was a great loss to the republican
movement and the cause of Irish freedom for which they gave their
lives.
A few days after Brendan Quinn's funeral a poem (part of which is
reproduced below) was left on his grave. His family have never
discovered who wrote it.
My Friend You Were
To you I was more than a girl
To you I was a soldier
You loved me as I loved you
d together we loved the land
We made the bread, we worked hard
We fought for our rights
Through hours and days and years
You loved life as I did
We saw things in a different light, my friend
Then in our fight for freedom for our land
Your life was taken away
I miss you friend and I cry
But when the glory comes you'll be remembered as
A hero who fought and died
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)