Billy McMillen
Encyclopedia
Billy McMillen was an Irish republican activist and an officer of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA). He was killed in 1975, in a feud with the Irish National Liberation Army
, which had broken away from the OIRA.
in 1927 and joined the IRA at age 16 in 1943. During the IRA's Border Campaign
(1956–62), he was interned and held in Crumlin Road jail. In 1964, he ran in the British general election
as an Independent Republican
candidate. The term Independent Republican was used owing to the legal ban on Sinn Féin
. When McMillen placed the Irish tricolour in the window of his election office in the lower Falls area, this sparked a riot between republicans, loyalists
and the Royal Ulster Constabulary
. There had been tensions on the issue since the government of Northern Ireland
banned the flying of the tricolour. In October 1964, during the general election campaign a photo of McMillen, who was the candidate, was placed in the window of the election office in Divis Street flanked on one side by the Starry Plough flag and on the other by the tricolour. Initially the authorities did not intervene, but they were jolted into action following threats from the Reverend Ian Paisley
that if the flag was not removed he and his supporters would march on the office and remove it themselves. On the same night, Wednesday 28 September 1964 a large force of Royal Ulster Constabulary armed with rifles, sten-guns, batons and crowbars smashed down the doors of McMillen's election HQ and removed the tricolour. The following day the IRA replaced the flag in the window and police attacked a crowd who had gathered to support McMillen. Rioting ensued. MacMillen at around this time also succeeded Billy McKee
as commander of the IRA Belfast Brigade.
, being a member of a three-man committee which drew up the Association's constitution. The NICRA was dedicated to moderate reform of the Northern Ireland state, however its activities resulted in widespread rioting, leading to fears that Catholic areas would come under attack by loyalists. In May 1969, when asked at an IRA army council meeting by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
how many weapons the Belfast IRA had for defensive operations, McMillen stated they had only one pistol, a machine gun and some ammunition.
By August 14, 1969, serious rioting had broken out in Belfast and Catholic districts came under attack from loyalists and the RUC (police). McMillen's IRA command by this point still had only a limited amount of weapons (one rifle, two sub-machine guns and nine hand guns according to one account) because the leadership in Dublin were reluctant to release guns to injure other working class people. While McMillen was involved in some armed actions on this day, he was widely blamed in republican circles for the IRA's failure to adequately defend Catholic areas. He was arrested and temporarily detained by the RUC on the morning of August 15, but was released shortly afterwards. (See also Northern Ireland riots of August 1969).
McMillen's role in the 1969 riots was very important within IRA circles, as it was one of the major factors contributing to the split in the movement in late 1969. In a June 1972 lecture organised by Official Sinn Féin in Dublin, McMillen defended his conduct, stating that by 1969 the total membership of the Belfast IRA was approximately 120 men and their armaments had increased to a grand total of 24 weapons, most of which were short range pistols.
, when this group split off from the IRA in December 1969. McMillen himself remained loyal to the IRA's Dublin leadership, which became known as the Official IRA
. The split rapidly developed into a bitter rivalry between the two groups.
In April 1970, McMillen was shot and wounded by Provisional IRA members in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
In June 1970, McMillen's Official IRA had their first major confrontation with the British Army
, which had been deployed to Belfast in the previous year, in an incident known as the Falls Curfew
. The Army mounted an arms search in the Official IRA stronghold of the Lower Falls, where they were attacked with a grenade by Provisional IRA members. In response, the British flooded the area with troops and declared a curfew
. This led to a three day gun battle between 80-90 Official IRA members led by MacMillen and up to 3000 British troops. Five civilians were killed in the fighting and about 60 wounded. In addition 35 rifles, 6 machine guns, 14 shotguns, grenades, explosives and 21,000 rounds of ammunition, all belonging to the OIRA, were seized. McMillen blamed the Provisionals for instigating the incident and then refusing to help the Officials against the British.
This ill-feeling eventually led to an all out feud between the republican factions in Belfast in March 1971. The Provisionals attempted to kill McMillen again, and his second in command Jim Sullivan
. In retaliation, McMillen had Charlie Hughes, a young PIRA member killed and Tom Cahill, brother of leading Provisional Joe Cahill
was also shot and wounded. After these deaths, the two IRA factions in Belfast negotiated a ceasefire and directed their attention instead at the British Army in the city.
in August 1971, McMillen fled Belfast for Dundalk
in the Republic of Ireland
, where he remained for several months. During this time, the Official IRA carried out many attacks on the British Army and other targets in Northern Ireland. However, in April 1972, the organisation in Belfast was badly weakened by the death of their commander in the Markets area, Joe McCann. In May of that year, the Dublin leadership of the OIRA called a ceasefire, a move which McMillen supported. Nevertheless, in the year after the ceasefire, McMillen's command killed seven British soldiers in what they termed "retaliatory attacks".
In this period, Billy McMillen also served on the Árd Comhairle (leadership council) of Official Sinn Féin.
and the Irish National Liberation Army
. Many OIRA members under McMillen's command, including the entire Divis flats unit, defected to the new grouping. This provoked another intra-republican feud in Belfast. The feud began with arms raids on OIRA dumps and beatings of their members by the INLA. McMillen, in response was accused of drawing up a "death list" of IRSP/INLA members and even of handing information on them over to the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force.
The first killing came on 20 February 1975, when the OIRA shot dead an INLA member named Hugh Ferguson in west Belfast. A spate of shootings followed on both sides.
On April 28, 1975, Billy McMillen was shot dead by INLA member Gerard Steenson
, as he was shopping in a hardware shop on Spinner Street, with his wife Mary. McMillen was hit in the neck and died on the scene. His murder was unauthorised and was condemned by the INLA/IRSP leader Seamus Costello
. Despite this, the OIRA tried to kill Costello on May 9, 1975 and eventually killed him two years later.
Billy McMillen' death was a major blow to the OIRA in Belfast. His leadership had retained a substantial presence for the Officials in the city and their organisation there never really recovered from his loss.
The writer and lyricist Dominic Behan
who shared McMillen's socialist republican politics paid tribute to him in a poem, Bás, Fás, Blás, delivered after his death.
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
, which had broken away from the OIRA.
Early republican activity
McMillen was born in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1927 and joined the IRA at age 16 in 1943. During the IRA's Border Campaign
Border Campaign
The Border Campaign may refer to several armed campaigns, in particular:*The US Army's Mexican Border Campaign of 1916-17*The Irish Republican Army's Border Campaign of 1956-62...
(1956–62), he was interned and held in Crumlin Road jail. In 1964, he ran in the British general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
as an Independent Republican
Independent Republican (Ireland)
Independent Republican was a political title frequently used by Irish republicans when contesting elections in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland since the 1920s....
candidate. The term Independent Republican was used owing to the legal ban on Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
. When McMillen placed the Irish tricolour in the window of his election office in the lower Falls area, this sparked a riot between republicans, loyalists
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
and the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
. There had been tensions on the issue since the government of Northern Ireland
Government of Northern Ireland
The Government of Northern Ireland is, generally speaking, whatever political body exercises political authority over Northern Ireland. A number of separate systems of government exist or have existed in Northern Ireland....
banned the flying of the tricolour. In October 1964, during the general election campaign a photo of McMillen, who was the candidate, was placed in the window of the election office in Divis Street flanked on one side by the Starry Plough flag and on the other by the tricolour. Initially the authorities did not intervene, but they were jolted into action following threats from the Reverend Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
that if the flag was not removed he and his supporters would march on the office and remove it themselves. On the same night, Wednesday 28 September 1964 a large force of Royal Ulster Constabulary armed with rifles, sten-guns, batons and crowbars smashed down the doors of McMillen's election HQ and removed the tricolour. The following day the IRA replaced the flag in the window and police attacked a crowd who had gathered to support McMillen. Rioting ensued. MacMillen at around this time also succeeded Billy McKee
Billy McKee
Billy McKee is an Irish republican and was a founding member and former leader of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .-Early life:McKee was born in Belfast in the early 1920s, and joined the Irish Republican Army in 1939. During the Second World War, the IRA carried out a number of armed...
as commander of the IRA Belfast Brigade.
Civil Rights and August 1969 riots
In 1967, McMillen was involved in the formation of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights AssociationNorthern Ireland Civil Rights Association
The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was an organisation which campaigned for equal civil rights for the all the people in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, being a member of a three-man committee which drew up the Association's constitution. The NICRA was dedicated to moderate reform of the Northern Ireland state, however its activities resulted in widespread rioting, leading to fears that Catholic areas would come under attack by loyalists. In May 1969, when asked at an IRA army council meeting by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh is an Irish republican. He is a former chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army , former president of Sinn Féin and former president of Republican Sinn Féin.-Early life:...
how many weapons the Belfast IRA had for defensive operations, McMillen stated they had only one pistol, a machine gun and some ammunition.
By August 14, 1969, serious rioting had broken out in Belfast and Catholic districts came under attack from loyalists and the RUC (police). McMillen's IRA command by this point still had only a limited amount of weapons (one rifle, two sub-machine guns and nine hand guns according to one account) because the leadership in Dublin were reluctant to release guns to injure other working class people. While McMillen was involved in some armed actions on this day, he was widely blamed in republican circles for the IRA's failure to adequately defend Catholic areas. He was arrested and temporarily detained by the RUC on the morning of August 15, but was released shortly afterwards. (See also Northern Ireland riots of August 1969).
McMillen's role in the 1969 riots was very important within IRA circles, as it was one of the major factors contributing to the split in the movement in late 1969. In a June 1972 lecture organised by Official Sinn Féin in Dublin, McMillen defended his conduct, stating that by 1969 the total membership of the Belfast IRA was approximately 120 men and their armaments had increased to a grand total of 24 weapons, most of which were short range pistols.
Split in the IRA, confrontation with the British Army
In September, McMillen called a meeting of IRA commanders in Belfast. Billy McKee and several other republicans arrived at the meeting armed and demanded McMillen's resignation. He refused, but many of those unhappy with his leadership broke away and refused to take orders from McMillen or the Dublin IRA leadership. Most of them joined the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
, when this group split off from the IRA in December 1969. McMillen himself remained loyal to the IRA's Dublin leadership, which became known as the Official IRA
Official IRA
The Official Irish Republican Army or Official IRA is an Irish republican paramilitary group whose goal was to create a "32-county workers' republic" in Ireland. It emerged from a split in the Irish Republican Army in December 1969, shortly after the beginning of "The Troubles"...
. The split rapidly developed into a bitter rivalry between the two groups.
In April 1970, McMillen was shot and wounded by Provisional IRA members in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
In June 1970, McMillen's Official IRA had their first major confrontation with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, which had been deployed to Belfast in the previous year, in an incident known as the Falls Curfew
Falls Curfew
The Falls Curfew was a British Army operation during 3–5 July 1970 in an area along the Falls Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The operation started with a weapons search but quickly developed into rioting and gun battles between British soldiers and the Official Irish Republican Army...
. The Army mounted an arms search in the Official IRA stronghold of the Lower Falls, where they were attacked with a grenade by Provisional IRA members. In response, the British flooded the area with troops and declared a curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
. This led to a three day gun battle between 80-90 Official IRA members led by MacMillen and up to 3000 British troops. Five civilians were killed in the fighting and about 60 wounded. In addition 35 rifles, 6 machine guns, 14 shotguns, grenades, explosives and 21,000 rounds of ammunition, all belonging to the OIRA, were seized. McMillen blamed the Provisionals for instigating the incident and then refusing to help the Officials against the British.
This ill-feeling eventually led to an all out feud between the republican factions in Belfast in March 1971. The Provisionals attempted to kill McMillen again, and his second in command Jim Sullivan
Jim Sullivan (Irish Republican)
Jim Sullivan was a leading member of the Official Irish Republican Army from the lower Falls area of Belfast.Sullivan was second in command of the Belfast Brigade of the Official IRA and played an important role in events in Belfast during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
. In retaliation, McMillen had Charlie Hughes, a young PIRA member killed and Tom Cahill, brother of leading Provisional Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill was a prominent Irish republican and former chief of staff of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .- Background :In May 1920, Cahill was born in Divis Street in West Belfast, Ireland, where his parents had been neighbours of the Scottish-born Irish revolutionary James Connolly.Cahill...
was also shot and wounded. After these deaths, the two IRA factions in Belfast negotiated a ceasefire and directed their attention instead at the British Army in the city.
OIRA ceasefire
When the Northern Ireland authorities introduced internmentInternment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
in August 1971, McMillen fled Belfast for Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, where he remained for several months. During this time, the Official IRA carried out many attacks on the British Army and other targets in Northern Ireland. However, in April 1972, the organisation in Belfast was badly weakened by the death of their commander in the Markets area, Joe McCann. In May of that year, the Dublin leadership of the OIRA called a ceasefire, a move which McMillen supported. Nevertheless, in the year after the ceasefire, McMillen's command killed seven British soldiers in what they termed "retaliatory attacks".
In this period, Billy McMillen also served on the Árd Comhairle (leadership council) of Official Sinn Féin.
INLA split, death of McMillen
By 1974, many of the most militant OIRA members were unhappy with the ceasefire. In December 1974, they broke away from the Official movement, forming the Irish Republican Socialist PartyIrish Republican Socialist Party
The Irish Republican Socialist Party or IRSP is a republican socialist party active in Ireland. It claims the legacy of socialist revolutionary James Connolly, who founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party in 1896 and was executed after the Easter Rising of 1916.- History :The Irish Republican...
and the Irish National Liberation Army
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
. Many OIRA members under McMillen's command, including the entire Divis flats unit, defected to the new grouping. This provoked another intra-republican feud in Belfast. The feud began with arms raids on OIRA dumps and beatings of their members by the INLA. McMillen, in response was accused of drawing up a "death list" of IRSP/INLA members and even of handing information on them over to the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force.
The first killing came on 20 February 1975, when the OIRA shot dead an INLA member named Hugh Ferguson in west Belfast. A spate of shootings followed on both sides.
On April 28, 1975, Billy McMillen was shot dead by INLA member Gerard Steenson
Gerard Steenson
Gerard Steenson was an Irish republican socialist paramilitary activist. He was a member of the Irish National Liberation Army group during the Troubles in Northern Ireland....
, as he was shopping in a hardware shop on Spinner Street, with his wife Mary. McMillen was hit in the neck and died on the scene. His murder was unauthorised and was condemned by the INLA/IRSP leader Seamus Costello
Seamus Costello
Seamus Costello was a leader of Official Sinn Féin and the Official Irish Republican Army and latterly of the Irish Republican Socialist Party and the Irish National Liberation Army ....
. Despite this, the OIRA tried to kill Costello on May 9, 1975 and eventually killed him two years later.
Billy McMillen' death was a major blow to the OIRA in Belfast. His leadership had retained a substantial presence for the Officials in the city and their organisation there never really recovered from his loss.
The writer and lyricist Dominic Behan
Dominic Behan
Dominic Behan was an Irish songwriter, short story writer, novelist and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also a committed socialist and Irish Republican...
who shared McMillen's socialist republican politics paid tribute to him in a poem, Bás, Fás, Blás, delivered after his death.
Sources
- The Lost Revolution: The Story of the Official IRA and the Workers' Party, Brian Hanley and Scott Millar, ISBN 1844881202
- Éamon Mallie, Patrick Bishop, The Provisional IRA
- Jack Holland, Henry McDonald, INLA, Deadly Divisions
- Repsol Pamphlet No.21, Liam McMillen - Separatist, Socialist, Republican (1975)