On 28 February 1985, the Provisional Irish Republican Army(IRA) launched a heavy mortarattack on the Royal Ulster Constabulary(RUC) base at Corry Square in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. They stood beside him with guns pointed at him and said, answer the phone. There were still 17 more officers scattered around H Block that needed to be dealt with. Of the 35 escapees, 15 were recaptured on the same day. Tipperary Tim astounding 1928 Grand National winner at 100/1 & a proud resident of Glencairn! Lynch received a six-and-a-half-year sentence, with three years and three months to be spent in custody and the remainder on supervised licence on his release. McCormick (78) had been ill for some time. As a cover story, Nairac claimed to be 'Danny McErlean'. Two years after Nairac went missing, the Grenadier Guardsman was posthumously awarded the George Cross. But, there was no air flowing into this room, and the officers said that conditions inside were impossible if they didn't leave the bulletproof door open. an IRA member who had been recruited as an informer . Share your favorite stories with other history buffs in the IrishCentral History Facebook group. One is seriously ill in a Belfast hospital. Post author By ; do hutterites use pesticides Post date July 2, 2022; Categories In ken slang for house; right wing radio stations uk . The Governor of Maze Prison resigned and an inquiry was commissioned called the Hennessy inquiry. Those involved in the attempt were also only told exactly what they needed to know, so that very few people knew the entire plan. michigan state coaching staff; Shortly after midnight, at a bridge over the Flurry River in Ravensdale Forrest, Nairac was dragged from the vehicle. And a number of years ago, campaigners succeeded in having Captain Nairac's name added to a list of persons still missing as a result of the Troubles. To become an IrishCentral contributor click here. The lorry then began to drive away from H Block towards the exit route of the prison. This is a list of members of the Irish Republican Army. 18 June 1982 - Albert White (60), ex-Royal Ulster Constabulary member, shot by the Provisional Irish Republican Army while driving his car, Balmoral Park, Newry. This policy of internment without trial would continue until 1975. . Also in the crowd that day were a number of plain clothes Special Detective Unit garda taking note of and walking alongside attendees. A number of cars were hijacked before they headed in different directions. A look at the paramilitary organisations history highlights both the fractured nature of dissident groups but also its murderous focus on people, including PSNI officers, who are the living embodiment of what they term crown forces. The judge said that like Hannaway and Blair, Lynch had pleaded guilty to "serious and specified" offences but he did not believe he posed a danger to the public in the future and had now cut all ties with dissident republican activity. IRA and INLA members who were arrested viewed themselves as prisoners of war and that it was their duty to escape. Be sure to check out The Troubles Podcast for more stories from this period. The attack was jointly planned by members of the South Armagh Brigade and an IRA unit in Newry. He and another prisoner then produced the guns and pointed them at the heads of the officers, but while also being quiet, so as not to alert other officers outside. In his semi-conscious state, the delirious soldier was unable to continue. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. There wasnt really a grenade, but seeing the prisoners with guns made this threat significantly more believable. The most serious in our prison history. It was very important to understand the prison officers and build comradery with them, so as to establish their weaknesses. The release said: These PR stunts, which have been becoming more frequent, serve only the normalisation of the Crown Force agenda which is being pushed on us and again, our children, by the Catholic Church, Sinn Fin, the SDLP. Terry McCormick was one of several boxing brothers who were brought up in St John's Place, Larne. 28 February 1985 - Alexander Donaldson (41), Rosemary McGookin (27), Geoffrey Campbell (24), Sean McHenry (19), David Topping (22), John Dowd (31) Ivy Kelly (29), Denis Price (22), and Paul McFerran (33), members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, were killed in a Provisional Irish Republican Army. Please check your inbox to verify your details, Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. 22 August 1972 - Joseph Fegan (28), Michael Gilleece (32), Craig Lawrence (33), John McCann (60), Patrick Murphy (45), Francis Quinn (28), all. unless otherwise stated. Lynch received a six-and-a-half-year sentence, with three years and three months to be spent in custody and the remainder on supervised licence on his release. 15 April 1990 - Eoin Morley (23), a member of the, 27 March 1992 - Colleen McMurray (34), a member of the. Mr Kerr was fatally wounded when a shot was fired. He also concluded that the control room in the centre of the H block was not operational as it should have been. February 27th: . The judge said the recordings, which included plots to kill, made for "grim and depressing reading". posts, comments and submissions available. They then hid out in an IRA weapons stash, which was a tiny crawl space between two floors. He also established links with the Provisional IRA, although he never joined the group. If you do what I tell, you wont be hurt. Omagh shooting: Senior PSNI officer insists New IRA responsible after 'confusing' speculation The Policing Board heard on Thursday police believe the New IRA is responsible for the attack on. There is an old saying often touted at police officers in the North and garda in the South: that IRA activists only need to be lucky once. This led to a huge outcry by Irish Republicans who were there. advertising. 29 February 1972 - Thomas Morrow (28), a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, shot by Official Irish Republican Army at a factory, Camlough Road, Newry; he died two days later. Friends say he endured a life of sleepless nights as result of his deep-seated shame over his role in the young soldier's execution. They had a policy of providing you with a most limited view of the jail.. The court on Friday heard that the secret recordings made by MI5 revealed: The men also voiced their frustrations at the lack of weapons, ammunition, low membership numbers and finances to fund their campaign. Irelands most popular baby names of 2022 - by county! 29 April 1994 - Michael Brown (23), alleged informer, originally from. Eamon Collins, member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is beaten and stabbed to death by an unidentified assailant(s) in the early morning hours of January 27, 1999, in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland.. Collins is born in 1954 in Camlough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, the son of Brian Collins, a farmer, livestock trader, and cattle . Minutes later, Nairac was kicking up a fuss at the bar, insisting his cigarettes had been stolen. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. They also refused to be treated as regular inmates and fought for Special Category Status which would mean they didn't have to wear uniforms or do prison work as well as some other things. Republicans saw the RUCNorthern Irelands police forceas illegitimate, sectarian, and enforcing British rule.The RUC was a highly militarized police force. After months of preparation, the prisoners had amassed a huge amount of information. Everything during this attempt operated on line of sight, so once one officer was taken, then that was the cue for the prisoner down the hall to take the next one. 10 October 1972 - John Ruddy (50), a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment, shot by Provisional Irish Republican Army, Dromalane Park, Newry. ", Nairacs Army ID card was found in his room in Bessbrook barracks after his death, He added: "Terry never got over what he'd done. Of the escapees, Gerard Fryers and Seamus Campell were never heard of again. Shortly after 6.30PM on 28 February, nine shells were launched from the lorry, which had been parked on Monaghan Street, about 250 yards (230m) from the base. The political fall out for the New IRA is clear with political leaders and communities joining together in abhorrenceat the incident. Were it not for the armour of their Saxon armoured vehicle and their flak jackets the injuries to the RUC and British soldiers would have been more serious''.The IRA statement added that it was also their Volunteers who carried out a grenade attack on a crown forces patrol in the Doon Road area of Lenadoon in West Belfast. Minutes later, Townson fired a bullet into Captain Nairac's skull. The first ten episodes are already out and deal with the following: Love Irish history? (Note, "the provos" is a slang term for the provisional IRA. For instance,a Real IRA factionin Cork refused to amalgamate into the new organisation. But two officers managed to wedge their cars in the gate, blocking the lorry from escaping. Within those old ranks of PIRA membership was a group of pure hardliners, intent on staying committed to violence. Bobby then motioned to Gerry Kelly and said to the driver: That man will remain with you throughout the escape. 3 The Army and RUC were quick to respond and within ten minutes of the prisoners escaping the prison, checkpoints were established around the prison and on some of the major roads in Northern Ireland. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 16 November 1974 - Thomas McCready (32), Ulster Defence Regiment member, shot by Provisional Irish Republican Army sniper while on mobile patrol in Newry. The orderlies soon found themselves positioned in places they shouldnt be, such as the control room of H7 block, in full view of the security camera feeds. Fergal Caraher - South Armagh Memorial Garden", Timeline of Official Irish Republican Army actions, Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, glaigh na hireann (Real IRA splinter group), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_members_of_the_Irish_Republican_Army&oldid=1124343283, Provisional Irish Republican Army members, Irish Republican Army (19191922) members, Irish Republican Army (19221969) members, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 November 2022, at 12:46. Though mastermind Larry Marley planned the escape, he stayed behind on the day, because his release date was coming up soon. He became heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and joined Na Fianna ireann while still a teenager. Alleged IRA member accused of postman's murder to contest he has case to answer Frank Kerr was killed during a robbery in Newry in November 1994 25 August, 2021 14:40 AN alleged IRA member. The prisoners planned each stage of their escape, diagrams were made showing the different alarm points around the prison, where guards could raise the alarm. Inmates in Northern Ireland had been granted this status in 1972, but it was subsequently, revoked in 1976 by the Labour Party Secretary of State, Merlyn Rees, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in 1979 and doubled down on the policy, Marley was aided by a number of other Nationalists, including, Kellys role at this point was to stay with McLoughlin and make sure he didnt drive away in the lorry. Therefore they do not also need the same amount of staff as they would on a normal working day.". All screws who obeyed our orders are safe. Kelly and his group made their way to a Nationalist Housing Estate in Lurgan, a town 14 miles away from Maze. The IRAparticularly its South Armagh Brigadehad repeatedly attacked the British Army and RUC with home-made mortars, but with limited success. Investigators are convinced this may have been Nairac's way of letting his contact know who he was. There were plans for a peace centre to be built on the site, but it is unlikely this will go ahead after disagreements between Sinn Fin and the DUP. In a search, they found a sawn-off shotgun loaded with two cartridges, a balaclava and a Halloween mask. We will shoot anyone who endangers our planned escape, including you.". Some headed towards the border to the Republic of Ireland and hoped to hide out across the border. But they were not free yet, they still had a long way to go to get out of Maze Prison. beta's mate wattpad; bud vape disposable device review; mozzarella liquid uses; new amsterdam fc youth academy; new construction homes under $200k in georgia; janet airlines flight tracker; henry godwinn broken neck; newry ira members. 10 January 1984 - William Fullerton (48), a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, shot by Provisional Irish Republican Army sniper while driving his car along Warrenpoint Road, Newry. Nairac - wearing a dark donkey jacket and jeans, with a shock of long curly hair - had confidently muscled his way through a throng of Saturday night revellers. (1998) The Real IRA: after Omagh, what now? This saw the mass arrest and internment of 350 Irish people suspected of being involved with the IRA. Each Day in Newry Eamon Collins sees neighbours he knows are IRA members, some of whom he "betrayed". Kellys role at this point was to stay with McLoughlin and make sure he didnt drive away in the lorry. When he was arrested by the Garda at a Dundalk farmhouse days later, Townson sang like a canary. In 1998, after the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Fin brought with it a loyal band of PIRA people who they say have dropped the armalite firearms of The Troubles in favour of the ballot box and peace. The prisoners needed 12 officers' uniforms to pull off this escape attempt, and needed to match the prisoner with the officer whose clothes they would steal. The Continuity IRA is a dissident republican group which is opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland and has carried out a number of bombings and shootings. But when the UVF attacked the McCormick home on September 16 1972, the family fled the Co Antrim port town for Newry. Are Iranian schoolgirls being poisoned by toxic gas? They would refer to the prison officers as screws: It was a very large camp and when the screws would move you from one place to another, they would move you in blacked-out vans. 24 September 1987 - Ian McKeown (37), shot by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in mistaken identity while sitting in his car on Kilmorey Street, Newry. British Prime Margaret Thatcher made a statement saying, It is a very, very grave incident indeed. They would clean and polish the area while learning information which would help in the eventual escape. Outside of the Maze, the IRA Army Council began to communicate with IRA prisoners who asked them to start assassinating prison officers. Both men were part of a gang responsible for a long series of anti-social activities and intimidation in the Newry area culminating in the looting of the Buttercrane shopping complex on 6/7 July. Nairac in his Grenadier Guardsman ceremonial uniform a year before his death. They also knew what time the food lorry arrived at, and were confident that they could hijack it and hide in the back. He fought like a tiger to save his life. A former Irish champion boxer, Terry McCormick was 34 when he forced Nairac from a south Armagh pub, suspecting he was a spy, Captain Nairac went on patrol dressed as an IRA man he even carried the IRAs favourite Thompson machine-gun and wore an Easter lily on his beret. [1] The third in the pecking order of the Continuity IRA leadership was Joseph "Tiny" Lynch, said the prosecution. Marley was aided by a number of other Nationalists, including Bobby Storey, Gerry Kelly, and Brendan McFarlene. On 28 February 1985, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) launched a heavy mortar attack on the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base at Corry Square in Newry, Northern Ireland. He said: "Working alongside our partners in MI5 we carried out a detailed and painstaking operation over a prolonged period of time to uncover the multitude of conspiracies that this group were planning. A former Irish champion boxer, McCormick was 34 when he forced Nairac from a south Armagh pub, suspecting he was a spy. Last year it murdered journalist. British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, called the attack barbaric, while the Republics prime minister, Garret FitzGerald, said it was cruel and cynical, and pledged the help of the ROI security forces to catch those responsible. A former champion boxer who played a leading role in the IRA murder of British Army Captain Robert Nairac has died in exile in the United States, the Sunday World can reveal. On February 28, 1985, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) launches a heavy mortar attack on the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base at Corry Square in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. Workers at the Hovis factory in South Belfast are set to . 6 October 1978 - Charles Henning (50), member of Ulster Defence Regiment, died four days after being shot by Provisional Irish Republican Army at a cattle mart, Patrick Street, Newry. Prisoner and IRA member Larry Marley was selected to lead the escape. 26 June 1972 - David Houston (22), a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, shot by Provisional Irish Republican Army while he grappled with a driver of a parked car on Water Street, Newry. All five received leg injuries.The attack was carried out at 10.10pm as the crown forces operated a checkpoint near the Hillview Road and Oldpark Road junction when an IRA unit drove through the British roadblock. All the defendants were made the subject of counter terrorism notifications, ranging from 10 years to 30 years. Stephen Fuller (d. 1984), a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Irish War of Independence and fought with Anti-Treaty forces during the Irish Civil War (1922-23). breaking news kittanning, pa. true freshwater flounder; lululemon goals and objectives The officer would sit at the controls beside an intercom, a panic button, a radio, and a telephone. The New IRA strategy is becoming clear it is focused on PSNI officers. The New IRA has purportedly claimed responsibility for the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh earlier this week. 13 were kicked or beaten, four were stabbed and two were shot. There was an escape officer selected from each block, as well as intelligence officers who would try to learn as much about the layout of the prison as possible. There were loyalists arrested too but they were the minority and by 1975, there were 1,981 people in the Maze, with 107 of them being loyalists. Police could not have prevented an IRA mortar attack that killed a police constable in Newry, County Down in 1992, a report has concluded. And afterwards he joined a number of locals who were enjoying the music. But he never returned to Northern Ireland. The PSNI's head of serious crime, Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray, described the sentences as "another significant milestone in our relentless efforts to protect communities and save lives by disrupting and frustrating the efforts of those involved in terrorist activities". It turns out that there was a hidden alarm button under the television in the tally lodge that one of the hostages had pressed. Each was arrested as they arrived but the prisoners soon began to become overwhelmed with the number of officers they had to arrest. Neil Smith, convicted of IRA membership in 2012, was one of five men arrested after garda stopped a cars near Dundalk, Co Louth, on August 8, 2010. 2022-06-30; Alamy Stock Photo At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. There was no chance of scaling the fences or digging under them. The last thing I thought of was the provos. Seamus Clarke, member of the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade; was sentenced to life for his role in the 1975, Terence "Cleaky" Clarke (died 13 June 2000), older brother of Seamus; acted as a body guard to Gerry Adams; was imprisoned for seven years after being convicted of assaulting, Seamus Finucance - senior IRA member and one of those alleged to have forced, Sean McIlvenna (1951-1984), killed by Loyalists, Michael O'Neill, Limerick man convicted of the manslaughter of Garda, Jeremiah Sheehy, Limerick man convicted of the manslaughter of Garda. He was recaptured in 1977. As they engaged in idle chit chat, the guards would reveal small bits of information about the prison, shift changes, when it's busy, and so on. He watched the entire scene unfold but didnt know who to shoot, as many of the prisoners were dressed as officers. Afterwards, a major building scheme was begun, to give police and military bases better protection from such attacks, IRA kill 9 RUC officers in mortar attack, Newry. They further admitted conspiracy to possess explosives, firearms and ammunition with intent, along with preparing acts of terrorism. John Mallon (21), died 15 December 1974 two weeks after being injured in the bomb attack. There was also an armed British soldier stationed at a watchtower by the main gate. In April 2022, following a Saoradh-organised event at a Derry cemetery, PSNI officers were attacked. Masked nationalist rioters launch petrol bombs at PSNI vehicles in Derry. Registered office: 3rd floor, Latin Hall, Golden Lane, Dublin 8. ", Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Kuenssberg: Sunak can't escape past Tory horrors, Echoes of Hillsborough for Arena families. 28 February 1973 - Kevin Heatley (12), shot dead by the British Army as he sat on a wall chatting with friends, Main Avenue, Derrybeg, Newry. 20 June 1981 - Neal Quinn (53), member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, shot by Provisional Irish Republican Army in Bridge Bar, Newry. Anxious to blend in, the undercover soldier - who had taught himself to speak in a dubious Belfast accent - even sang a couple of rebel songs with the pub folk group. It is known he had visited the pub the night before, but he failed to meet his man. Heaney was handed a three-and-a half-year sentence, divided equally between custody and probation. (Getty Images), October 13, 1984: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher addressing the Tory Party Conference in Brighton. Luck ran out in Omagh on Wednesday night, leaving a high-ranking PSNI officer badly injured after an attack that took place in front of his son. The last thing I thought of was the provos. Three of the others left Ireland shortly after the IRA death threat. The control room is where all the communication and monitoring equipment was in each block. In November 1977, Townson - a 24-year-old IRA man - was convicted at Dublin's Special Criminal Court of Captain Nairac's murder. Patrick Joseph "Mooch" Blair, 65, of Lissara Heights, Warrenpoint, County Down; Liam Hannaway, 50, of White Rise, Dunmurry; John Sheehy, 36, of Erskine Street, Newry; and Colin Patrick Winters, 49, of Ardcarn Park, Newry, admitted belonging or professing to belong to a proscribed organisation, providing weapons and explosives training, conspiring to possess explosives, firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. Keeping pace with the marchers and standing at the GPO were old former Provisional IRA men. Our Volunteers drove through the British roadblock, dismounted from their car and opened fire from close range at the crown forces. Mr Kerr (52) from Camlough, was shot in the neck as he carried out his work at the Royal Mail sorting office in Newry. Get on the ground. He never even told Townson and McCormick his real name. At this point, the prisoners were then surprised by a prison officer who came out of the ladies' toilets. Inmate Brendan McFarlane recalls: The reason we chose a Sunday was because Sunday is a closed day. He excelled academically and finished his education in Dublin's Trinity College. He settled in the Philadelphia area where he found work as a painter and decorator. Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week, Cricketers hope new league will inspire young women, 'Massive toll' of living in a leasehold property, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. It's available anywhere you get your podcasts or by clicking here.). 8 August 1984 - Brendan Watters (24), a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, died in a premature bomb explosion in a house, Barcroft Park, Newry. Now the site lies derelict and there are still some small sections of the prison visible but most has been demolished. Newry man Terry McCormick passed away last week in his Pennsylvania bolthole. 'Cut all ties with dissident republican activity', New IRA 'still dangerous' despite MI5 operation, Report warns of dissidents' 'growing sophistication', Snow warnings for Scotland and north of England, Scottish bakery Morton's Rolls 'ceases trading', Messages show Hancock reaction after kiss photo, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Klopp and Ten Hag urge end to 'tragedy chanting', Sacred coronation oil will be animal-cruelty free. He was quickly overpowered but Adams used this distraction to try and raise the alarm. The judge said the recordings, which included plots to kill, made for "grim and depressing reading". This was a problem for the inmates, as Adams was one of the officers they believed would create difficulty if they tried to overpower him. MI5 has gathered information that potential targets were discussed at a meeting. McCormick. At this time, Newry was a key battleground between the British Army and the IRA. The 1985 Newry mortar attack was an attack carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) on a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) station in Corry Square, Newry, Northern Ireland. services and One who didnt was shot in the head. Two months after the escape, an escapee, Kieran Fleming, drowned while trying to escape from a SAS ambush, while in the process of planting a bomb. 37 prisoners were then loaded into the back of the food truck and Kelly climbed into the footwell beside the driver and kept a gun pointed at him. Ask the GP: Could taking statins affect your dreams? This article was submitted to the IrishCentral contributors network by a member of the global Irish community. Copyright 2023 Irish Studio LLC All rights reserved. 24 December 1973 - Edward Grant (18) and Brendan Quinn (17), both Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteers, and Aubrey Harshaw (18), a civilian, were killed in a premature bomb explosion at Clarke's Bar, Monaghan Street, Newry. August 27th: Provisional IRA members ambush a British Army platoon with two roadside bombs in Warrenpoint, County Down. McLoughlin was essential for the escape because the officers recognized his face coming in and out of the prison.

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