inat micky wouid not ale a lonely death, the way the prison McElwees contact une and Tom McElwee died alone.
gave Micky twenty-four hours hours, and then Father Murphy on Wednesday night said to me that he couldn't see him passing six o'clock the next morning.
Micky was not in a coma and though he was slipping into consciousness he could hear us The head to let us know. couldn't have understood what he was saying as his teeth were sort of locked and his mouth paralysed.
He was hadn't been able to take water four days. His bladder was full up and, when he drank, water and acid would have just come out of his mouth.
Earlier Theresa, his aunt, had wanted to put vaseline on his mouth to ease the pain from Micky's chapped lips which he was constantly biting, Micky said 'No When lying in bed he was always sliding down and would need pulling up so that he could just be in the centre of the bed Spain.
We then went to him and he was freezing.
Changing him where he have vomited over himself and asked us to give them a ten minutes.
We sat with Micky and felt his feet. They were freezing. I went up his leg a could call it a leg, it was thinner than my wrist. his Fr Murphy had explained to You me that when death was creepWing Micky set in. stone cold, I felt his forehead and his ears and nose and they pain, were turning cold.
We sat and prayed and at about six o'clock on Thursday morning Micky went into unconsciousncss pressed Micky's heel and said something about it being the weakest part of the body.
There was no response from Micky the next thing the walked but authorities must have known it was nearly over and sent for him.
This was about ten seven. I said to Fr Toner, 'Were you sent for?' and The medics were HOUS 'Yes'. He started Rosarv anne Patsy bit, if . you there praying I was watching the monitor which registered Micky's pulse and heart and the next thing I saw it go flat and bleep and coldness knew Micky His knees were They told us to get out of the cell; we would have to wait Royal stabulary and identify Micky's body.
minutes to eight because I lookdoctor ed at my watch. The authorities must have taken two minutes to contirm nim dead why they said he died at ten to eight.
went in and identified the body.
Toner
Micky's medal and and said that he would get me past his personal belongings, which I later got he said. There was his suit and shoes The funeral of INLA Volunteer Micky Devine to say the and I sat was sentenced four years ago.
and his glasses.
Margaret was dead. left the Wednesday night.
Ulster Concome up, Micky died at exactly twelve prison gate.
Bond and that's cop came in and Patsy arrived then gave me o'clock or scapulars as the Bogside.
Micky's which he wore in court when he Creggan June 1977.
There were letters which people had sent into Saturday him when he was on the strike And that was it. been hausted at the vigil and she had Next prison at seven on We phoned her and told her about Micky's death and that she was not to boy because that's what and they would have told her at the break them.
We left the jail about half eight The Micky's body was taken to Col eraine for a post-mortem.
hearse at four parents Thursday afternoon Str Micky and six RUC landrovers, four in front of us, escorted us as fal (injections). body was then given an INLA escort to the and continuous until his military funeral and burial last One thinks, 'Ten men, how many more have to die?
Ne have ours now over us week 'Big Laurence's' people waiting for thing. Then the Devlins after that and another wil go on hunger-strike They'll never Micky's last request was that if he went into a coma Margaret was not to sanction medical intervention bond between them, she being seven years his elder, and his only sister (both their are dead) was very said to Margaret: 'Now, there's to be no needles You are going to come under a lot of pressure because you're the only one The doctor had come in to me and Patsy and said that he could bring Micky round before he went into a bad condition. I said we were standing by his last wishes.
local priest from the Creggan, told Margaret that he had something to tell her which she should always remember if she ever had any doubt in her mind about what she should or SHould a nave core Micky had told him that ho was worried about Margaret signing to get him treatment.
But, according to the priest Micky had told him that if Margaret signs to get me treatment she'll only be prolonging my agony, because as soon as come round again I'm going back on the hunger-strike.
told Margaret that she had nothing to worr about as thos WCTO Micky's very words to him. He said h ladn't told her before becaus he didn't want to influence her at the time; it was her decision.
she should know that Micky was totally determined to go back on hunger-strike. Reprinted An Phoblacht/Republican News 29 August 1981.
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Relatives of Britain