Ireland's OWN:
Women Freedom Fighters
7 May 2004
Special Report: Miriam Daly
—by Hubert Murphy, Fingal Independent
Buried with her first husband, Dr. Joe Lee and her sister, Kathleen, is Miriam Daly.
People passing the grave, apart from family and old comrades, will hardly stop to ponder about Miriam Daly. But her story is one that deserves to be told.
She was no ordinary woman. A lecturer in economics and social history at Queen's University in Belfast, she was immersed in the Civil Rights issue, then the H-Blocks protest and despite the tense situation, lived life as she wanted � free.
Renowned as a great public speaker and leader, she went on to become a founder member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party.
Aside from her political views, she raised a family with husband James Daly.
In 1952 she had married Dr. Joe Lee, who had a general practice in Dorset Street and family connections in Munster and in Swords. He died in 1953 and was buried in what is now the relatively old part of St. Colmcille's churchyard.
She married James Daly in 1965 in London and the couple moved to Belfast in 1968.
Still living in Belfast, Jim revealed that Miriam was born MacDonnell, with family connections in Dublin and Kildare.
A highly intelligent woman, she went to UCD and would lecture in economic history.
"When I visit her grave I still meet people who remember her funeral," remarked Jim.
One can sense many great memories flooding back into Jim's mind as he comments on her.
"She always had a special affinity with Dunluce Castle on the County Antrim coast, home of the MacDonnell clan. We visited there on her birthday, 16th May, 1980.
"Late in the evening our ten-year-old twins had got out of sight playing around the Castle. I got worried and said I would go and find them. She said "Let them play. They may never pass this way again."
It was to be the last time that Miriam, Jim and the kids would see the place as a family again.
For on June 26, 1980 she was murdered � on a sunny day in Belfast.
She was found by the kids, coming home from school. She had been bound and shot in the head.
Another family shattered by violence, left with a memory no amount of time will erase.
Nobody was ever brought to justice for her killing, many linking it to collusion between loyalists and the SAS.
There is an indication that a memorial may be erected by her graveside to honour her name, sometime in the future.
But perhaps the greatest tribute is that almost 25 years after her death, her family still mourn her loss, remembering the woman who gave them so much.See also:
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