Martin Meehan (1945 – 3 November 2007) was a Sinn Féin politician and volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).

[1][2] His father had been imprisoned for republican activities in the 1940s, but one of his grandfathers was killed fighting for the British Army in the Battle of the Somme in World War I.

[2][3] Meehan left school aged 15 and began working at Belfast's docks, and in 1966 he became a member of the Irish Republican Army.

[2][4] In 1968 he was arrested for the first time, after he assaulted a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) during a civil rights march in Derry.

[9] In the six weeks following the beginning of Operation Demetrius in August 1971, six soldiers from the Green Howards regiment were killed by the IRA in north Belfast.

[2] Meehan became one of the most wanted IRA members in the area, and when arrested he was badly beaten by soldiers and needed 47 stitches to the back of his head.

[11] The men covered themselves in butter to keep warm, then hid inside a manhole for six-and-a-half hours before scaling the prison walls using ropes made from knotted blankets and sheets.

[13] The IRA members were arrested in possession of an anti-tank gun, a carbine and seven rifles, but were acquitted at their trial the following month due to lack of evidence.

[18] Over a four-day period he was moved between a number of safe houses where he was beaten and interrogated, and he confessed to working as an informer for the British Army.

[21][22] The soldier had been kidnapped on 12 July 1986 and imprisoned in a house in the Ardoyne area, before being freed in a rescue operation by the British Army.

[19] Following his release from prison Meehan became a leading member of Sinn Féin, serving on the party's national executive, or Ard Chomhairle.

[34] Sinn Féin member Gerry Kelly said he was "shocked and saddened", and that Meehan "gave his whole life to serve both his ideals in republicanism and also the people".

[34] He was buried in Milltown Cemetery on 6 November 2007; pallbearers included Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Sean Kelly.