Brendan McFarlane Death: Former IRA Leader and Maze Escapee Passes Away

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Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane, a former senior IRA man and leader of IRA prisoners in the Maze during the 1981 hunger strike, has passed away after a short illness. McFarlane was jailed for his role in a 1975 attack on the Bayardo Bar on Belfast's Shankill Road, which killed five people and injured 60 others. He was sentenced to five life sentences for murder and was the leader of IRA prisoners in the Maze during the 1981 hunger strike.

McFarlane also led a mass escape of 38 inmates from the prison near Lisburn in 1983, where one prison officer died of a heart attack after being stabbed and six other officers were stabbed or shot during the escape. He was later caught in Amsterdam and extradited to Northern Ireland along with fellow escapee, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly. Kelly expressed condolences following the "sad passing of my friend and comrade", adding he was a "huge figure within republicanism". McFarlane's death has prompted tributes from Sinn Féin figures and republican communities, with many remembering his role in the hunger strike and his contributions to the republican movement.

McFarlane's life was marked by his involvement in the IRA and his time in prison. He was imprisoned in the Maze and took part in a failed escape in 1978 while dressed as a priest. He was Officer Commanding (OC) of the PIRA in the prison during the 1981 hunger strike, where 10 of his comrades lost their lives. After his release from prison in 1997, McFarlane was charged with the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket executive Don Tidey in the Republic of Ireland, but the trial eventually collapsed when Garda evidence was ruled inadmissible.

McFarlane was also involved in folk music circles throughout his life and served on Coiste na nIarchímí (The Ex-Prisoners’ Committee), a welfare organisation for ex-republican prisoners. The West Belfast community festival Féile an Phobail paid tribute to McFarlane, who had been involved as both a musician and a volunteer. Some of the key events in McFarlane's life include: * 1975: Attack on the Bayardo Bar on Belfast's Shankill Road * 1976: Jailed for his role in the attack * 1978: Failed escape from the Maze prison while dressed as a priest * 1981: Leader of IRA prisoners in the Maze during the hunger strike * 1983: Led a mass escape of 38 inmates from the Maze prison * 1986: Recaptured in Amsterdam and extradited to Northern Ireland * 1997: Released on parole from the Maze prison * 2008: Trial for the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket executive Don Tidey collapses * 2010: Awarded around €15,000 compensation following a European Court of Human Rights ruling

McFarlane's legacy is complex and multifaceted, reflecting his involvement in the IRA and his role in the hunger strike and Maze escape. While some remember him as a hero and a champion of the republican cause, others view him as a convicted criminal responsible for the deaths of innocent people. Regardless, his passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes and condolences from across the republican community, with many remembering his contributions to the republican movement and his commitment to the cause of a united Ireland.