Catholic Reaction Force
Encyclopedia
The name Catholic Reaction Force (CRF) was used to claim responsibility for attacks and threats against Protestants
in Northern Ireland
during "The Troubles
". In 1983 it claimed responsibility for shooting dead three Protestant civilians at a church service near Darkley
, County Armagh
. That was claimed as retaliation for attacks on Catholic civilians. An Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA) member was involved, but the INLA said it had not ordered the attack.
, County Armagh
. A church service was taking place at the time. Three Protestant civilians were shot dead at the entrance: Harold Brown (59), David Wilson (44) and Victor Cunningham (39). The gunmen then sprayed the church with bullets, wounding seven people.
A telephone caller claimed responsibility on behalf of the "Catholic Reaction Force". He said it was
A week after, Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA) leader Dominic McGlinchey
gave an interview. He admitted that one of the gunmen had been an INLA member and admitted supplying him with the gun. McGlinchey explained that the INLA member asked him for a gun to shoot a known loyalist
, who'd been involved in sectarian killings. However, "clearly deranged by the death of his brother" at the hands of loyalists, he "used it instead to attack the Darkley Gospel Hall". McGlinchey said: "this INLA member was a brother of someone who had been killed…and he must have been unbalanced or something to have gone and organised this killing. We are conducting an enquiry into the whole affair".
The CRF declared a ceasefire on 28 October 1994.
In August 2002, a death threat was sent in the name of the CRF. It warned that CRF would kill three unnamed Protestants who worked at hospitals in Belfast
and who had links to the security forces. Soon after, loyalists threatened to kill Catholics working at two Belfast hospitals. Gerry Kelly
and Sue Ramsey of Sinn Féin
said they believed the CRF threat was sent by loyalists to raise sectarian tension. Kelly added: "The Catholic Reaction Force is a non-existent organisation".
Protestantism in Ireland
Protestantism in Ireland- 20th Century decline and other developments:In 1991, the population of the Republic of Ireland was approximately 3% Protestant, but the figure was over 10% in 1891, indicating a fall of 70% in the relative Protestant population over the past century.The effect of...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during "The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
". In 1983 it claimed responsibility for shooting dead three Protestant civilians at a church service near Darkley
Darkley
Darkley is a small village and townland near Keady in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 282 people.- History :Historically Darkley was a mill village and produced linen....
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
. That was claimed as retaliation for attacks on Catholic civilians. An 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....
(INLA) member was involved, but the INLA said it had not ordered the attack.
Darkley killings
The name was first used to claim responsibility for a shooting on 20 November 1983. That night, two masked men opened-fire outside Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church near DarkleyDarkley
Darkley is a small village and townland near Keady in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 282 people.- History :Historically Darkley was a mill village and produced linen....
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
. A church service was taking place at the time. Three Protestant civilians were shot dead at the entrance: Harold Brown (59), David Wilson (44) and Victor Cunningham (39). The gunmen then sprayed the church with bullets, wounding seven people.
A telephone caller claimed responsibility on behalf of the "Catholic Reaction Force". He said it was
...in retaliation for the murderous sectarian campaign carried out by the Protestant Action Force … by this token retaliation we could easily have taken the lives of at least 20 more innocent Protestants. We serve notice on the PAF to call an immediate halt to their vicious indiscriminate campaign against innocent Catholics, or we will make the Darkley killings look like a picnic.The caller named nine Catholics who had been attacked or killed recently.
A week after, 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....
(INLA) leader Dominic McGlinchey
Dominic McGlinchey
Dominic McGlinchey from Bellaghy, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland was an Irish republican paramilitary with the Irish National Liberation Army .-Background:...
gave an interview. He admitted that one of the gunmen had been an INLA member and admitted supplying him with the gun. McGlinchey explained that the INLA member asked him for a gun to shoot a known loyalist
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...
, who'd been involved in sectarian killings. However, "clearly deranged by the death of his brother" at the hands of loyalists, he "used it instead to attack the Darkley Gospel Hall". McGlinchey said: "this INLA member was a brother of someone who had been killed…and he must have been unbalanced or something to have gone and organised this killing. We are conducting an enquiry into the whole affair".
The CRF declared a ceasefire on 28 October 1994.
Other claims
On the 20th of August 2001 the group was believed to have been responsible for shooting into a house in Cloughmills, Armagh. On the same night a pipe-bomb was thrown at a Protestant home in BallymenaIn August 2002, a death threat was sent in the name of the CRF. It warned that CRF would kill three unnamed Protestants who worked at hospitals in Belfast
Belfast
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...
and who had links to the security forces. Soon after, loyalists threatened to kill Catholics working at two Belfast hospitals. Gerry Kelly
Gerry Kelly
Gerard "Gerry" Kelly is an Irish republican politician and former Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer who played a leading role in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998...
and Sue Ramsey of 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...
said they believed the CRF threat was sent by loyalists to raise sectarian tension. Kelly added: "The Catholic Reaction Force is a non-existent organisation".
See also
- Protestant Action ForceProtestant Action GroupThe names Protestant Action Force and, less commonly, Protestant Action Group were used by the Ulster Volunteer Force to avoid taking blame for attacks during "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland...
- South Armagh Republican Action ForceSouth Armagh Republican Action ForceThe South Armagh Republican Action Force was an alleged Irish republican paramilitary group that was active from 1975 to 1977 during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Its area of activity was mainly the southern part of County Armagh. According to writers such as Ed Moloney and Richard English, it...