Vol. Peadar McElvanna 29th December 1955 9th June 1979

Born on 29th December 1955, Peadar was the tenth of fourteen children He attended Armagh Catholic Boys School, and being a keen footballer he joined the local Harps GFC.

At the age of fifteen, while returning home from a football training session Peadar fell victim to a random attack by the RUC. He was struck by an RUC Landrover, mercilessly beaten and left for dead. This attack left him will permanent deafness in one ear. In 1972, at the age of sixteen, Peadar was interned in Long Kesh. His refusal to recognize the Long Kesh Commission meant that he was not released from Internment until 1974.

Upon his release he returned to Armagh CBS, completed his A-Levels, and secured a place at Queens University in Belfast. He was, however, never to attend University as in the summer of 1975 he was rearrested on arms charges, and after a successful bail application went on the run, living a various locations in Armagh, Monaghan and Dublin.

While on the run he endeavoured to continue his academic career embarking on a course in accountancy through a college in South Dublin in 1978. He also secured a position as a trainee accountant with a city centre firm. This was again short-lived as he was arrested once more and held on remand in Portlaoise on a charge of attempted murder. At the subsequen trial Peadar was acquitted of all charges and for the third and final time in his short life he shook the hand of freedom.

On 9th June 1979 Peadar was mortally wounded in a confrontation with undercover British soldiers at Lagan, outside Keady in Co. Armagh.