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{{Notability|Biographies|date=April 2008}}
'''Fergus O’ Hare''' (aka Fergus Ó hÍr) was involved in the Civil Rights Movement in [[Northern Ireland]] as a member of People’s Democracy in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Later he became a founding member and executive member of the ]]Northern Resistance Movement]], which continued to organise and struggle for basic democratic rights in the north of Ireland.
'''Fergus O’ Hare''' (aka Fergus Ó hÍr) was involved in the Civil Rights Movement in [[Northern Ireland]] as a member of People’s Democracy in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Later he became a founding member and executive member of the ]]Northern Resistance Movement]], which continued to organise and struggle for basic democratic rights in the north of Ireland.


With the introduction of internment without trial in 1971 Fergus O’Hare helped setup and was elected chairperson of the Political Hostages Release Committee a group which organised a mass campaign against internment throughout the early 1970’s. When internment was phased out in the mid 1970’s and with the decision of the British Government to end political prisoner status, Fergus O’ Hare became involved with the campaign to ‘defend political status’ for the prisoners. He became a member of the Relative’s Action Committee and of the National H-Block Armagh Committee which helped organise the struggle in support of the hunger strikers in the early 1980’s.
With the introduction of internment without trial in 1971 Fergus O’Hare helped setup and was elected chairperson of the Political Hostages Release Committee a group which organised a mass campaign against internment throughout the early 1970’s. When internment was phased out in the mid 1970’s and with the decision of the British Government to end political prisoner status, Fergus O’ Hare became involved with the campaign to ‘defend political status’ for the prisoners. He became a member of the Relative’s Action Committee and of the National H-Block Armagh Committee which helped organise the struggle in support of the hunger strikers in the early 1980’s.


In 1981 he was elected as member of Belfast City Council,<ref>Economic & Social Research Council; Elections, Northern Ireland Elections; The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Belfast www.ark.ac.uk/elections73-81lgbelfast.htm</ref> defeating Gerry Fitt who was a Westminster MP as well as a Belfast councillor. While serving on Belfast City Council Fergus O’ Hare continued to highlight the serious injustices suffered by the people he represented, travelling widely and speaking at meetings throughout Ireland as well as in the United States, Britain and other European countries.
In 1981 he was elected as member of Belfast City Council,<ref>Economic & Social Research Council; Elections, Northern Ireland Elections; The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Belfast www.ark.ac.uk/elections73-81lgbelfast.htm</ref> defeating Gerry Fitt who was a Westminster MP as well as a Belfast councillor.


Fergus O’ Hare also became involved in the movement to promote the Irish language and in 1991 he helped set-up and became the first Head-Teacher (School Principal) of Meánscoil Feirste (later known as Coláiste Feirste). This was the first Irish language secondary school in northern Ireland which he successfully led for 10 years to the point where the school had received government funding (after 6 years), had moved to a prestigious new site and was regularly achieving high standards in terms of examination results and other important success indicators.
Fergus O’ Hare also became involved in the movement to promote the Irish language and in 1991 he helped set-up and became the first Head-Teacher (School Principal) of Meánscoil Feirste (later known as Coláiste Feirste). This was the first Irish language secondary school in northern Ireland which he successfully led for 10 years to the point where the school had received government funding and had moved to a prestigious new site.


Fergus O’ Hare was involved with the establishment of Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm the first Irish language radio station in the north of Ireland of which he became manager in 2006. The station broadcasts in Irish throughout the Belfast area on 107.1fm and throughout the world on www.raidiofailte.com
Fergus O’ Hare was involved with the establishment of Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm the first Irish language radio station in the north of Ireland of which he became manager in 2006. The station broadcasts in Irish throughout the Belfast area on 107.1fm and throughout the world on www.raidiofailte.com

Revision as of 13:06, 15 April 2008

Fergus O’ Hare (aka Fergus Ó hÍr) was involved in the Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland as a member of People’s Democracy in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Later he became a founding member and executive member of the ]]Northern Resistance Movement]], which continued to organise and struggle for basic democratic rights in the north of Ireland.

With the introduction of internment without trial in 1971 Fergus O’Hare helped setup and was elected chairperson of the Political Hostages Release Committee a group which organised a mass campaign against internment throughout the early 1970’s. When internment was phased out in the mid 1970’s and with the decision of the British Government to end political prisoner status, Fergus O’ Hare became involved with the campaign to ‘defend political status’ for the prisoners. He became a member of the Relative’s Action Committee and of the National H-Block Armagh Committee which helped organise the struggle in support of the hunger strikers in the early 1980’s.

In 1981 he was elected as member of Belfast City Council,[1] defeating Gerry Fitt who was a Westminster MP as well as a Belfast councillor.

Fergus O’ Hare also became involved in the movement to promote the Irish language and in 1991 he helped set-up and became the first Head-Teacher (School Principal) of Meánscoil Feirste (later known as Coláiste Feirste). This was the first Irish language secondary school in northern Ireland which he successfully led for 10 years to the point where the school had received government funding and had moved to a prestigious new site.

Fergus O’ Hare was involved with the establishment of Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm the first Irish language radio station in the north of Ireland of which he became manager in 2006. The station broadcasts in Irish throughout the Belfast area on 107.1fm and throughout the world on www.raidiofailte.com

In the early 1980’s Fergus O’Hare wrote a regular column in ‘Forthnight’ magazine a Belfast based arts review magazine and for ‘An Gael’ the magazine of the New York Irish Arts Centre. In 1980 he published a history of the 1907 Belfast dockers and carters strike led by James Larkin, ‘The divine gospel of discontent’. In 2007 he published a book on Irish flora, ‘Mórbhealaí & Cúlbhealaí’. [2]

  1. ^ Economic & Social Research Council; Elections, Northern Ireland Elections; The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Belfast www.ark.ac.uk/elections73-81lgbelfast.htm
  2. ^ Mórbhealaí & Cúlbhealaí Published by Coiscéim 2007 www.coisceim.ie