Loughgall Martyrs 20th Anniversay Commemorative website

Óglach Declan Arthurs

28^th October 1965 - 8^th May 1987

Vol. Declan Arthurs

Declan Arthurs from Galbally was born on 28^th October 1965, the fourth child of six to Paddy and Amelia. A very close family, Dec couldn't wait to leave school and work with his father, an agricultural contractor. A common occurrence was Declan and Paddy Snr coming home covered head to foot in oil, trying to make it to the shower without leaving an oil slick in their wake.

When Declan started earning he bought a car, quickly followed by a motorbike. He loved going up the mountain on the bikes. At weekends he enjoyed an active social life with brothers and friends. Dec got involved in the Republican Movement at an early age. Along with his family he attended the torch light vigils in 1980 and the funerals of the hunger strikers in 1981. At the funeral of Martin Hurson, also from Galbally, Dec was photographed sitting in a hedge speaking into a radio and it wasn't long until the crown forces started harassing the family. At Christmas 1986, Dec was held in Gough Barracks for seven days, released on the Saturday and re-arrested on the Monday for another seven. This continued into the New Year with Dec having only seven days out of Gough during the month of January despite never being charged with any offence.

Volunteer Declan Arthurs died at Loughgall on 8^th May 1987. He is buried in St. John's, Galbally with Volunteer Seamus Donnelly, in death as in life, by his side.

His brother Brian writing from 'the Crum' in 1993 said,

"It was a very sad day for the Republican Movement, and a very great loss to us all. I had a bond with our Declan which was more than being brothers and best friend. It is a bond I will never forget because this death killed off part of me."

From a close and loving family, Declan Arthurs died aged 21. He had two great loves in his life, his daughter and freedom.