Mourners Gather for Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane's Funeral in Belfast

The funeral of Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane, a prominent figure in the IRA and leader of IRA prisoners during the 1981 hunger strike, took place in Belfast, attended by hundreds including former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. McFarlane, who died at 74 following a short illness, was known for his role in the largest prison escape in UK history in 1983, where 38 inmates fled the Maze Prison. Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald honored him as a 'giant of Irish republicanism,' a statement that faced criticism from political opponents. Mourners gathered at his family home for a service led by Father Gary Donegan, with emotional tributes from family members. He was previously convicted for a bombing that killed five people in 1975 and was later cleared of false imprisonment charges related to a kidnapping. His life and legacy remain contentious in the context of Northern Ireland's political history.