Denis Faul
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Monsignor Denis O'Beirne Faul (August 14, 1932 – June 21, 2006) was an Irish Roman Catholic priest and civil rights campaigner best known for his role in the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike.
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[edit] Civil rights movement
Faul was born in County Louth. He became actively involved in the Northern Ireland civil rights movement in 1968, participating in marches. He protested vigorously against civil rights abuses by the British army and Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). He railed against killings perpetrated by the Provisional IRA/ (PIRA).
He also campaigned for the release of the Birmingham Six and the Guildford Four before their causes became well-known and vindicated. [1]
[edit] Irish hunger strike
In 1981, as the Catholic chaplain of the Maze prison Monsignor Faul played a decisive role in ending the hunger strike. He tried to persuade families of the Irish hunger strikers in July 1981 that the campaign would not change the minds of Margaret Thatcher and her ministers and nothing could be gained by more deaths. The families spoke to the prisoners, resulting in two prisoners (Paddy Quinn and Pat McKeown) being moved to the hospital wings where they could be fed. By 6 September, four other participants had joined them and the remaining prisoners agreed to end their campaign on 3 October. [2]
PIRA referred to him as Denis the Menace at this time.[citation needed]
[edit] Life
Born on August 14 1932 in the village of Louth, Co Louth, he was the son of Joseph and Anne Frances Faul. Educated at St Patrick's College, Armagh, he studied for the priesthood at Maynooth and was ordained in 1956. After a year studying Theology in Rome, he joined the staff of St Patrick's Academy for Boys in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, to teach Latin and religion. He was appointed principal in 1983. Following his retirement from the St Patricks Acadmey, in 1998 he became Parish Priest of neighbouring Termonmaguirc (Carrickmore), were he is laid to rest. Former Hungerstrikers and senior members of Sinn Fein attended the large funeral at St. Colmcilles Church, many having come to respect the work carried out by Faul over his lifetime.
Monsignor Faul died of cancer in Dublin on 21 June 2006, aged 73 [3]
