Death of life-long republican ‘Stan’ has left void
Kieran ‘Stan’ Corrigan, who passed away peacefully at home on June 24, was a lifelong republican who garnered huge respect both inside and beyond the movement for his involvement on national, provincial and local scale.
Kieran Corrigan, who died at his home at Aghaboys, Ballymascanlon surrounded by his family, was universally known for most of his life as ‘Stan’ after a joker asked him, on seeing him playing football as a teenager: ‘Who do you think you are, Stanley Matthews?’, the feted England winger.
He was born, as the second eldest of five boys and a girl, to parents Peter John and Lizzy at the family home in the townland of Tullysaran, near Benburb, County Tyrone. He attended the local primary school and later studied at the Christian Brothers in Armagh.
Stan was influenced, like many young people at that time in the North of Ireland, by the maelstrom of events happening in the mid to late Sixties, and, after a short period working in England, he returned to Ireland where he again became involved in the republican movement.
The first key moment of his awareness was the banned 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising, which led him to join the Sean McCaughey/ Connie Green Brantry Republican Club. During the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Stan was involved in the seminal moments including the squatting at Caledon, the Civil Rights campaign, the Burntollet march and the first Coalisland to Dungannon Civil Rights march.
By witnessing these events, he became actively involved in the armed struggle, forming one of the first units of the East Tyrone Brigade of the IRA.
By 1973, Stan was a full-time Volunteer on the run and was eventually captured in 1975 with 500lbs of explosives and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. While on remand at Crumlin Road jail, he was appointed O/C of the republican remand prisoners and was later appointed to the same role in the cages of Long Kesh, a position he held during the 1980 hunger strike.
He was released on April 9 1981, the day Bobby Sands was elected an MP and after returning to a hero’s welcome at home, he was back in prison for his republican activities five days later.
Stan met his future wife, Kate (nee O’Neill) who came from a strong republican family in Tyrone and the couple married in 1982, settled in Dundalk in 1984 and moved to Ballymascanlon five years later.
He worked for many years with specialist construction company Ardmac and was operations director before moving as a managing director to Structuretone Ireland. He retired on the grounds of ill-health in 2008, but has been involved in many Sinn Fein committees. He said one of his proudest moments was the election of his daughter, Edel, to Louth County Council in 2009.
At home, he was a very loving father to his daughters, Edel and Saoirse, telling them often how much he loved them. Stan maintained a lifelong love of Gaelic football, and when Benburb GFC ceased he along with his friends from the brantry found time to set up and from Aghaloo GFC. He was an ardent supporter of the Tyrone team and member of Club Tyrone.
His other passion in life was travel and with his work he had the opportunity to travel to all parts of the globe. Even while on leave, he took the opportunity to go abroad with the family, always reading up on the country he was travelling to and preferring to stay outside the tourist areas where he chatted with locals.
He remained a passionate supporter of a united Ireland and a fierce promoter of social justice, not only in Ireland, but around the world. In his later years, he became the ‘go-to’ man for a wide circle of people who sought out his wisdom and sage advice.
His death has left a huge void in the Corrigan family and Stan, who fought cancer twice since 2007 with optimism and humour, showed remarkable courage and fortitude in the face of his last battle.
Stan is survived by his wife, Kate, daughters Edel and Saoirse, brothers Paddy, Paul, Peter and John and sister Teresa, brothers and sistersin-law, nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and nephews and by a wide circle of friends.
After reposing at home, Stan’s remains were brought to the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Dundalk where family friend, Fr Paul Montague, officiated at the funeral mass.
Offertory gifts were presented by daughters, Edel and Saoirse. The beautiful music was provided by Andrea Delaney, David Leddy and Kevin Shields. Burial took place afterwards to St Patrick’s Cemetery, where the graveside oration was given by Michelle Gildernew MLA who was introduced by Imelda Munster TD.
Month’s Mind Mass takes place on Sunday July 24 at 6pm at the Church of the Holy Redeemer.