JOE MACMANUS WAS BORN IN HARLESDEN, NORTH-WEST LONDON, WHICH AT THE TIME HAD A LARGE IRISH COMMUNITY. HIS FATHER SEAN MACMANUS, A NATIVE OF GUBAVEENEY, NEAR BLACKLION, COUNTY CAVAN, HAD MOVED TO LONDON IN THE 1960s TO FIND WORK, THERE HE MET AND MARRIED GLENFARNE, COUNTY LEITRIM NATIVE, HELEN MCGOVERN. IN 1976 THE FAMILY RETURNED TO IRELAND TO LIVE IN THE WORKING CLASS MAUGHERABOY AREA OF SLIGO TOWN SO THAT THE BOYS COULD BE EDUCATED IN IRELAND. HIS FATHER, SEAN MACMANUS, WAS A LEADING REPUBLICAN IN THE SLIGO AREA AND WAS SECRETARY OF THE COUNTY SLIGO ANTI H-BLOCK COMMITTEE IN THE 1980s.
IN 1987 JOE ATTENED THE FUNERAL OF JIM LYNAGH, ONE OF THE LOUGHHALL MARTYRS AFTER HE ATTENDED THIS FUNERAL MACMANUS BECAME DETERMINED TO BECOME AN ACTIVE WITHIN IRISH REPUBLICANISM. IN 1990 AT THE AGE OF 19, JOE JOINED THE SLIGO BRIGADE OF THE IRA.
JOE MACMANUS DIED ON THE 5TH OF FEBRUARY , 1992, HE WAS KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE FOR THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY, DURING A SHOOTOUT AFTER AN AMBUSH IN MULLEEK NEAR BELLEEK, COUNTY FERMANAGH.

MARTIN WAS BORN ON 13TH SEPTEMBER 1954, THE SECOND YOUNGEST CHILD OF JOHNNIE AND MARY ANN HURSON, AUGHNASKEA, CAPPAGH. HE SPENT HIS PRIMARY YEARS IN CROSSCAVANAGH SCHOOL BEFORE COMPLETING HIS EDUCATION IN ST.PATRICKS INTERMEDIATE, DUNGANNON. AS A YOUNG BOY, AGED JUST 14, HE SUFFERED GREAT TRAUMA AT THE SUDDEN LOSS OF HIS MOTHER, BUT WAS HELPED THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME BY HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS, AND INDEED HIS FAITH IN GOD AND ST.MARTIN DE PORRE. HE SUBSCRIBED ANNUALY TO THE ST.MARTIN MAGAZINE AND CONTRIBUTED GENEROUSLY TO THE FOREIGN MISSIONS. IRONICALLY, THE FIRST BOOK MARTIN REQUESTED IN LONG KESH WAS THE ST.MARTIN MAGAZINE.
ON LEAVING SCHOOL MARTIN WORKED AS A FITTER WELDER IN MCKENNA ENGINEERING AND FINLAYS BEFORE HEADING TO ENGLAND FOR A WHILE IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES. HE WAS AN EARNEST, HARD WORKING YOUNG MAN, WHO ENJOYED LIFE TO THE FULL, A HAPPY GO LUCKY PERSON, WELL LIKED AND RESPECTED AMONGST HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY. HE WAS ALWAYS UP TO DEVILMENT-YOU ONLY HAVE TO ASK PACKIE DONNELLY ABOUT HIM.
MARTIN JOINED THE IRA IN THE MID SEVENTIES- NO DOUBT INFLUENCED BY THE HARASSMENT AND BEATINGS INFLICTED UPON HIM BY BRITISH FORCES-SOLEY FOR GOING ABOUT HIS WAY AND TRYING TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND BERNADETTE.HE WAS A DISCREET VOLUNTEER AND NEITHER HIS FAMILY NOR BERNADETTE WERE AWARE OF HIS INVOLVEMENT-TESTIMONY OF HIS DEDICATION TO THE CAUSE.
HE WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO KILL AND IRA MEMBERSHIP IN 1976 AND AFTER A SERIES OF BEATINGS, CONSTANT TORTURE AND ABUSE HE WAS REMANDED IN CRUMLIN RD AND LATER SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN LONG KESH. THROUGHOUT THE BLANKET PROTEST, AND INDEED THE HUNGER STRIKE MARTINS SPIRITS REMAINED HIGH AND HE IS REMEMBERED FOR ALWAYS SAYING "NO PROBLEM". HIS DEVOTION TO HIS DAILY PRAYERS WAS NOTED BY HIS FELLOW INMATES AND THIS SAY HIM THROUGH MANY DARK DAYS.
MARTINS DECISION TO JOIN THE HUNGER STRIKE, ON THE 29TH MAY 1981 CAME AS A GREAT SHOCK TO HIS FAMILY, BUT HE MADE IT CLEAR FROM THE START THAT NO ONE WAS TO VISIT HIM WITH THE INTENTION OF TRYING TO TALK HIM OUT OF IT. MARTIN MUST HAVE GIVEN GREAT CONSIDERATION TO HIS COMMITMENT TO THE H-BLOCK STRUGGLE-HE HAD ALREADY SEEN FOUR OF HIS COMRADES PASS AWAY AND MUST HAVE KNOWN THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES! HIS FAMILY RESPECTED HIS WISHES AND GAVE HIM THEIR UTMOST SUPPORT THROUGHOUT HIS 46DAYS ON HUNGER STRIKE. HE DIED ON THE 13TH JULY 1981 AT 4:00AM WITH HIS BROTHER BRENDAN AND FR.JOHN MURPHY BY HIS BED-SIDE.