Sean McCaughey was born on 8th June 1915 in Aughnacloy, Co. Tyrone, and came to Belfast with his family when he was five years old. On 2nd September, 1941, he was arrested by enemy forces and later charged with "Unlawfully detaining and assaulting Stephen Hayes", ex-Chief-of-Staff, I.R.A. and self-confessed informer, who had been suspected of such treachery. Sean refused to recognise the Court and after evidence had been given against him by Hayes, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by a Military Court consisting of three officers. The sentence was later commuted to penal servitude for life.

After spending over five years, under the most brutal and inhuman conditions in Portlaoise Prison, Sean entered upon a hunger-strike on April 19th, 1946. After he had been sixteen days on strike, he decided to go on a thirst-strike also. This was the most tortuous, agonizing and deadly weapon of all. On the llth May, 1946— the twenty-third day of his fast, Sean McCaughey died, as the great MacSwiney had died, twenty-six years earlier.