Séamus Turlough McElwaine (also spelt Seamus McElwain; 1 April 1960 – 26 April 1986) was a volunteer in the South Fermanagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during The Troubles who was shot dead by the British Army. Early life McElwaine was the oldest of eight children and was born and grew up in the townland of Knockacullion, beside the hamlet and townland of Knockatallon, near the village of Scotstown in the north-west of County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. McElwaine took his first steps towards becoming involved in physical force republicanism when he joined Na Fianna Éireann aged 14. At the age of 16, McElwaine turned down an opportunity to study in the United States and joined the IRA, stating "no one will ever be able to accuse me of running away". Paramilitary activities McElwaine was an active member of the IRA, who became Officer Commanding of the IRA in County Fermanagh by the age of 19. On 5 February 1980, McElwaine killed off-duty Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) corporal Aubrey Abercrombie as he drove a tractor in the townland of Drumacabranagher, near Florencecourt. Later that year, on 23 September, McElwaine killed off-duty Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) Reserve Constable Ernest Johnston outside his home in Roslea. He was suspected of involvement in at least 10 other killings. On 14 March 1981, a detachment of the British Army surrounded a farmhouse near Roslea, containing McElwaine and three other IRA members. Despite being armed with four rifles, including an Armalite, the IRA members surrendered and were arrested. While on remand in Crumlin Road Gaol, McElwaine stood in the February 1982 Irish general election as an independent candidate for Cavan–Monaghan and received 3,974 votes (6.84% of the vote). In May 1982 McElwaine was convicted of murdering the RUC and UDR members, with the judge describing him as a "dangerous killer" and recommending he spend at least 30 years in prison. On 25 September 1983, McElwaine was involved in the Maze Prison escape, the largest break-out of prisoners in Europe since World War II and in British prison history. 38 republican prisoners, armed with 6 handguns, hijacked a prison meals lorry and smashed their way out of the Maze prison. After the escape, he joined an IRA active service unit (ASU) operating in the area of the border between Counties Monaghan and Fermanagh. The unit targeted police and military patrols with