Paddy Agnew

Who is Paddy Agnew?

Patrick "Paddy" Agnew is a former IRA volunteer and was elected to Dáil Éireann during the 1981 Irish hunger strike.

Agnew was born in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland in 1955. His grandfather, was also an Irish republican and an internee during the Irish War of Independence. He was imprisoned at Portlaoise, Mountjoy, Crumlin Road and the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. He was a protesting prisoner in the H-Blocks.

Although he was not on hunger strike, he was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Louth constituency at the 1981 general election, topping the poll. He did not take his seat. This was along with Kieran Doherty, who was elected in Cavan–Monaghan and died on hunger strike.

Agnew was released from prison in 1986 and joined the Gerard Halpenny Sinn Féin cumann in Dundalk where he remains an active member of the party.