Vol Martin Doco Doherty RFB

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Martin Gerard Doherty was born on the 11th July 1958 in St. James Hospital, Dublin. He was the 8th of 12 children. He grew up in Finglas with his 5 brothers and 6 sisters. He went to school as an infant to St. Bridget's School and later attended nearby St. Fergal's national school, where he played Gaelic Football. He also played football for the local Dunsink Club.

Having left school at the age of 14, Martin's first job was in Hickey's of little Green Street, where he worked as a presser. The location is ironic in that it is situated across the road from the infamous Green Street Special Court where many Republican suspects are sentenced to terms of Imprisonment in Portlaoise Prison.

It was while working in Hickey's that Martin met Cathleen, the mother of his two children, Martin and Michael Joseph.

Martin joined the ranks of Oglaigh na hEireann several years later in the wake of the 1981 Hungerstrikes. He was a member of Oglaigh na hEireann's Dublin Brigade, constantly on active service up until his death.

Martin's belief in the necessity of different forms of struggle in the Republican cause was clear and forceful. He rejected elitism and was a strong supporter of Sinn Fein, especially those of the Sinn Fein activists in his native Dublin, to push Republicanism to the fore.

At his funeral, Sinn Fein Ard Chomairde member Martin McGuiness MP gave the oration, in conclusion to his speech at the funeral, Martin said that the British had to recognise the settlement of 1921 had failed and that failure still affected everyone on the island as the events of the previous days had shown.

Of Volunteer Martin DOCO Doherty he said:

"We have come to bury a brave Republican Volunteer. As far am i am concerned he was a Freedom Fighter, He was a Freedom Seeker, he was trying to bring about a democratic Ireland. He is up there with BOBBY SANDS MP, PADRAIG PEARSE AND THE REST OF THEM."

A year to the day since Martin's death at the hands of a Loyalist death squad, the Dublin Brigade Volunteer was honoured when hundreds of people attended the unveiling of a memorial at his grave in Dublin's Glasnevin Cemetery.

A handsome Celtic Cross gravestone was unveiled by Martin's young sons, Martin and Michael Joseph. There were sad memories for all the members of Martin's family present, for his friends and comrades and those who knew him only as the man who saved their lives in the Widow's Scallans pub that night.