The
late Monsignor Denis Faul was a remarkable man,
principled, complex, courageous in his defence of
human rights and in speaking out for what he believed
in. He would argue his point strongly but never
harbour a grudge afterwards.
Mon.
Faul distinguished himself in the early 1970s in
standing up for the nationalist people and exposing
the abuses committed against them by the British
Army and the RUC.
He
will be remembered for the series of booklets he
wrote and published along with An-Mon. Reámonn
Ó Muirí outlining, with carefully
gathered evidence, the excesses perpetrated against
nationalists at that time.
He
was perceptive in that he discerned as early as
1978 in reference to the moves to jettison from
Sinn Féin the ÉIRE NUA Programme for
a new four-province federal Ireland, the difference
between those "who believed in something"
and those "who merely sought power".
Denis
Faul was very active in support of the protesting
prisoners in the H Blocks of Long Kesh but his actions
in bringing the hunger strike to an end proved controversial
and alienated him from many Republicans.
Nevertheless
he will be remembered for his concern and his availability
to the poor and oppressed and his courage, both
physical and moral, in confronting what he saw as
oppression.
He
was never a Republican but held that with the achievement
of civil rights the passage of time would bring
about a free and united Ireland.
Bhí
an tAthair Ó Maolfabhait in a Ghaeilgeoir
líofa agus chath sé an Fáinne
go bródúil.
Cuirfear
crothnú ann. Grásta ó Dhia
air.
