Family to mark 50th anniversary of death of Jim ‘Mossy’ Moyne at Long Kesh

The 29-year-old dental technician passed away in the early hours of January 13, 1975, having been interned in the camp since April 1973.

This evening Jim’s family and friends will gather at the republican monument on the Lecky Road at 7pm to mark the milestone anniversary.

Jim took ill in Compound 8 in Long Kesh shortly before 1am in the morning and died approximately an hour later.

Rev. Desmond Mullan, Administrator of St. Eugene's, who had been informed by one of the Long Kesh chaplains, travelled to the Moyne home in Cable Street to break the devastating news.

The next day the 'Journal' reported how Jim's parents Mr. and Mrs. John Moyne, his brothers Martin, Patrick and Michael and sister Margaret, had had to travel to Craigavon to identify the body.

A spokesman for the NIO said Jim had died when being removed from the detainee hospital in the camp to the ambulance and that 'the deceased had been ill prior to his death and an inquest would be held as was normal'.

A police spokesman said Jim 'took a severe attack of asthma at 12.55 am yesterday morning'.

"A doctor and ambulance were called but he died about 1.45am following a relapse."

Immediately following his passing Jim’s brother Pat told the ‘Journal’: "It came as a very great shock to us all. There was no decline in his health at all prior to his death.

"From an early age he did have bronchitis and was also prone to asthma. Shortly after his arrest in April 1973 he was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast to have a neck injury X-rayed but the prison guard refused to take off the handcuffs and so no X-rays were taken.

"Jimmy was arrested in April 1973. He had never been charged and had never appeared before a court. In July 1973 he spent two days in an oxygen tent in the RVC because of his bronchitis, and as soon as the tent was removed he was taken right back to Long Kesh."

At the time the Bogside Community Association (BCA) described his death as 'another indictment of the system of internment' while his fellow prisoners alleged the camp warders did not answer an alarm bell they had sounded when he became ill.

Dr. Raymond McClean, who visited Jim after the Maze burnings in October 1974, said: "I visited many Derrymen after the burnings and I particularly wanted to examine Jimmy because of his complaint. I was very satisfied with his state of health then."

The BCA blasted: "It is another indictment of the system of internment. A young man has died in a concentration camp where no proper medical facilities were made available to him.

"It clearly displays the cheapness with which the present administration regards a young man's life; a young man whom everyone who knew him would assert was worthy of a much higher regard than those overlords who treated him so callously and with such indifference.

"The history of his illness was well known by those authorities who chose to imprison him without charge or trial in harrowing conditions."

The ‘Journal’ carried a statement from prisoners in the same hut that claimed the guards had neglected an alarm bell rung by them to alert them to Jim’s illness.

After his sudden passing Dr. McClean said he had been privileged to know Jim as both a friend and a patient.

"His cheerful disposition and friendly sense of fun were an inspiration to all those people who knew him and were aware of the serious chest condition from which he suffered without compliant.

"As I watched his coffin leaving the cathedral I could only reflect on my deep sense of personal loss at the untimely death of such an outstanding young man."

He continued: "I believe that an inquiry should be set up immediately to examine the circumstances of this young man’s death."

At his Funeral Mass on Wednesday, January 15, Fr. Mullan expressed sympathy to Jim's parents and siblings.

"Father Mullan said that the deceased's was a sudden and lonely death. When he first knew the deceased he was helping him with Mass in Long Kesh.

"Like many another, he looked forward to welcoming him home to Derry very soon, but God called him to another, a more lasting home, a home which they all hoped to share," the 'Journal reported.

Over 1,000 people walked in heavy rain from St. Eugene's to the City Cemetery.

Uniformed members of Cumann na Ban wearing dark glasses and berets flanked the hearse while boys and girls, also in uniform, followed the Tricolour-draped coffin.

The oration was delivered by Martin McGuinness.

Sympathy notices were placed by internees and sentenced prisoners at Long Kesh, Magilligan and Armagh, as well as the Derry City Comhairle Ceanntair of Sinn Féin.

A memorial to Vol. Jim 'Mossy' Moyne placed by the IRA said 'he had died on active service in Long Kesh internment camp'.

Jim had become involved with the republican movement in Derry about 18 months prior to the events of Bloody Sunday.

He stayed in Derry after the introduction of internment in August 1971 and remain in the city until September 1972 when he went on the run in Buncrana. He returned to Derry and was lifted on Good Friday, April 19, 1973.