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Kevin CoenKevin Coen (1947 – 20 January 1975) was a volunteer in the Sligo Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who was killed in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, by the British Army.[1][2] BackgroundCoen was born and grew up in Rusheen, Riverstown, south County Sligo, in the Republic of Ireland.[3][4][5] Paramilitary activityCoen joined the IRA and served with the Sligo Brigade and was a member of the Southern Command. In 1971, Coen was imprisoned in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, where he was jailed with fellow Republican Dan Hoban.[6] At the age of 28, Coen was killed by a British Army soldier while on active service at Cassidy's Cross (also known as Mullan Cross) near Kinawley, a village in the south-west of County Fermanagh, close to the County Cavan / County Fermanagh border, on 20 January 1975. The CAIN Sutton Index lists him as being shot during an attempted bus hijacking.[2] However, Republican sources state he was shot on the main Swanlinbar-Enniskillen road by undercover British troops in an unmarked civilian car, who opened fire at an IRA checkpoint.[3][4][7] Coen was the first volunteer from the Southern Command to be killed on active service since Tony Ahern died in May 1973.[3] Ahern, from Cork City, had been killed near Roslea in south-east County Fermanagh. MemorialCounty Leitrim Republican, John Joe McGirl, gave the oration at his graveside in Sooey, County Sligo. At the graveside of Coen, McGirl stated;
The East Sligo Cumann of Sinn Féin is named the Coen/Savage Cumann and the Sligo Cumann of Republican Sinn Féin is named the Noble Six/Kevin Coen Cumann in honour of Coen, and they both hold an annual commemoration at his graveside.[8][9] There is an annual lecture given in his name which has been addressed by Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Pat Doherty, Pearse Doherty, Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Gerry Adams in recent years.[10][11][12][13] See alsoReferences
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