▁had ▁served ▁a ▁long ▁prison ▁sentence ▁for ▁I RA ▁activities ▁including ▁black mail ▁and ▁possession ▁ ▁of ▁arms ▁and ▁explos ives . ▁Upon ▁his ▁release , ▁he ▁became ▁ ▁re - in vol ved ▁with ▁the ▁organisation ▁and ▁this ▁re - in vol vement ▁cost ▁him ▁his ▁life ▁ ▁Mar ley ' s ▁fun eral ▁was ▁delayed ▁for ▁three ▁days ▁as ▁the ▁R UC ▁refused ▁to ▁allow ▁military ▁displays ▁at ▁the ▁gra ves ide ▁and ▁formed ▁a ▁heavily ▁armed ▁cord on ▁around ▁his ▁Ar do y ne ▁home . ▁There ▁was ▁inten se ▁ri oting ▁in ▁north ▁and ▁west ▁B elf ast ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁delay . ▁Finally , ▁the ▁police ▁comprom ised ▁and ▁the ▁fun eral ▁took ▁place ▁with ▁thousands ▁of ▁m ourn ers ▁following ▁the ▁corte ge , ▁which ▁was ▁preced ed ▁by ▁ 3 5 ▁arm oured ▁R UC ▁Land ▁Ro vers , ▁to ▁the ▁Republican ▁Plot ▁in ▁the ▁Mill town ▁C emetery . ▁According ▁to ▁Ger ry ▁Adams , ▁Mar ley ' s ▁fun eral ▁witness ed ▁the ▁largest ▁" display ▁of ▁Republican ▁support ▁since ▁the ▁hung er ▁strik es " ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁Mar ley ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁having ▁been ▁determined , ▁un self ish , ▁possessed ▁of ▁a ▁resource ful ▁intelligence ▁and ▁a ▁read iness ▁to ▁help ▁his ▁friends ▁and ▁fellow ▁volunte ers . ▁ ▁After math ▁The ▁I RA ▁a ven ged ▁Mar ley ' s ▁death ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁month ▁by ▁shooting ▁dead ▁William ▁" F rench ie "