Dolours Price joined Óglaigh NA hÉireann in 1972, where her revolutionary pedigree was quickly recognised by those around her. It was no surprise that she was selected to lead an active service unit, on a brave and audacious military operation, targeting the centre of London, England, 8 March 1973.
The complete ASU (Active Service Unit) was captured, it is widely held view that the military mission had been compromised by a quisling back in Ireland. Following a trial in a civilian Court she was sentenced to life imprisonment. She immediately went on a hunger strike demanding to be moved to a prison in Ireland.
The hunger strike lasted for 208 days, this was because of the British Governments punitive treatment of the hunger strikers. The British demanded Dolours were force-fed by prison authorities.
Upon her release Dolours publicly expressed her opposition to the absolute sell out of Republican principles by the provisional movement by endorsing The Belfast Agreement (Good Friday Agreement).
This led to elements of the provisional movement threatening Dolours, and other republicans who opposed the GFA. Those who were close to Dolours were surprised the provisional movement would think threatening her would work. She was willing to meet them, to publicly debate why the GFA was an act of treachery and an acceptance of British rule in Ireland. The provisionals never to her up, we know why and the truth didn’t matter, the provisionals was the poacher turned gate keeper.
Oglach Dolours Price remained a Irish Republican up to her untimely passing. Her revolutionary pedigree can be traced through her family.
It remains an obsolete honour to have known her, to have learnt from her, to continue the vision for a United Ireland free from foreign occupation, free to determine is future without British institutions created by the GFA and administered by quislings.
An Phoblacht Abu.