The Irish Times ______2 I.R.A. prisoners in Curragh escape. SLIPPED OUT OF HOSPITAL By Joe Joyce ______TWO PROVISIONAL I.R.A. prisoners recently transferred from Portlaoise Jail to the Curragh military hospital, escaped last night. All available gardai and troops were mobilised, and a cordon was placed around the area shortly after the men are believed to have slipped out of the hospital about 10 p.m. The two men were named as Eamonn O’Sullivan, aged 36, A NATIVE OF Dublin, and Sean MacGettigan, aged 24, a native of Clones, Co Monaghan. A garda spokesman said both men were believed to be members of the Provisionals. MacGettigan was one of the men sentenced to penal servitude for life, for the murder of Senator Billy Fox in March 1974. O’Sullivan was imprisoned in connection with the abortive escape attempt from Portlaoise on St. Patrick’s Day during which one prisoner was killed. They had been moved to the hospital a few days ago for treatment foe minor injuries. MacGettigan was suffering from an eye infection. Details of the escape were not clear early today but, according to one report, the two men slipped out of the hospital at an unguarded moment. On that theory, gardai expected that they would be picked up quickly as they tried to get away on foot. ALARM RAISED Alternatively, gardai were considering the possibility that the escape was well planned and that transport might have been arranged outside the military camp. Either way, gardai believe that the men had only been gone for 10 minutes when the alarm was raised.

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A large-scale search of the immediate area was begun by all available troops and gardai. Road blocks were set up on all roads within a radius of 15 miles of the camp and cars and other vehicles checked. Early this morning, troops were searching the extensive ground within the camp.

Irish Times Thursday, August 14th, 1975 Transcribed by Matt McNamara – August 2018 Search for escapers extended

GARDAI yesterday widened the scope of their search for the two Provisional I.R.A. prisoners who escaped from the Curragh Military Hospital on Wednesday night, placing special attention on Air-ports, Seaports and Border areas. A spokesman for the Garda Press Office said that a description of the two men, Sean MacGettigan and Eamonn O’Sullivan had been sent to all garda stations in the 26 Counties which were now involved in the search. He admitted that they had “no real clue” as to the whereabouts of the two prisoners.

Irish Times Saturday, August 16th, 1975 Transcribed by Matt McNamara – August 2018

The two Provisional I.R.A. prisoners who escaped from The Curragh Military Hospital – August 1975

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The Curragh Military Hospital

A resident at one of the many security barriers erected on the Curragh Camp in the 1970’s 3

Senator Billy Fox (3 January 1939 – 12 March 1974) A Protestant Irish politician and a Fine Gael member of Dáil Éireann from 1969 to 1973, and of Seanad Éireann from 1973 until his death in March 1974. He was shot dead by IRA gunmen who were carrying out a raid on his girlfriend's farmhouse. Five members of the Provisional IRA were convicted of involvement in his murder

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A Military Escort at the Special Criminal Court Dublin

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Soldiers holding the line as protesters approach the Curragh Camp – 1970’s

Soldiers of the 1970’s

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St. Evin’s Park, , Co. , the scene of the siege during the kidnapping of Dr Tiede Herrema in October 1975

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The military cordon at Monasterevin – October 1975

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Riot Control Training 1970’s

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Border Operations 1970s

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