Career
Born in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, McCaughey was Adjutant-General of the Ireland Republican Army and Officer Commanding (O/C) of its Northern Command. His sentence was commuted to life. Imprisoned in Portlaoise Prison, McCaughey refused to wear prison clothes and spent nearly five years naked except for a blanket.
He commenced a hunger strike on 19 April 1946.
After 10 days, he stopped taking water and died on 11 May, the twenty-third day of his protest. He was buried in a family grave in Milltown Cemetery which is under the care of the National Graves Association, Belfast.
He was the last person to die on hunger strike in the Irish Free State.