Fergal Caraher
Encyclopedia
Fergal Caraher was a Provisional IRA volunteer and Sinn Féin
member who was killed by British military forces during an ambush in Cullyhanna
, County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
.
, County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
to a republican family. He was an IRA and Sinn Féin
member.
On 30 December 1990 he was killed by Royal Marines
near a checkpoint in Cullyhanna
. His brother Michael Caraher, who was severely wounded in the shooting, later became the commander of one of the South Armagh sniper squads
, which killed seven British soldiers and two RUC
members. Michael Caraher was imprisoned in 1997, but released in 2000 under the prisoner release terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
In 1996 Fergal Caraher's sister Maria was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum
in Newry and Armagh
, but she did not stand in the subsequent Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
. She is currently the Principal of Bunscoil an Iúir
, an Irish language
school in Newry
.
were charged with Caraher's murder. Both men, Lance Corporal Richard Elkington, 23, and Private Andrew Callaghan, 21, from the 45 Unit, denied the charges and were acquitted.
Prosecutors outlined that Elkington smashed the driver's window with his rifle and opened fire on the car, ordering Callaghan to do likewise as the brothers attempted to drive from a pub car park. They also stated that the investigation into the shooting had been hampered as British soldiers had removed spent bullet bullet cases instead of preserving the scene for police scenes-of-crime officers and that there was no lawful justification for firing on the car.
Elkington told police he had fired nine aimed shots at the driver, believing that a third soldier was being carried away on the bonnet of the car. Callaghan explained that he fired 12 shot as he feared for the life of the third Marine, who was out of sight.
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...
member who was killed by British military forces during an ambush in Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies on the main road between Newtownhamilton and Crossmaglen. It had a population of 306 in the 2001 Census...
, 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...
, 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...
.
Background
Fergal Caraher was born in CullyhannaCullyhanna
Cullyhanna is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies on the main road between Newtownhamilton and Crossmaglen. It had a population of 306 in the 2001 Census...
, 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...
, 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...
to a republican family. He was an IRA and 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...
member.
On 30 December 1990 he was killed by Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
near a checkpoint in Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies on the main road between Newtownhamilton and Crossmaglen. It had a population of 306 in the 2001 Census...
. His brother Michael Caraher, who was severely wounded in the shooting, later became the commander of one of the South Armagh sniper squads
South Armagh Sniper (1990-1997)
The South Armagh Sniper is the generic name given to the members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army's South Armagh Brigade who conducted a sniping campaign against British security forces from 1990 to 1997....
, which killed seven British soldiers and two RUC
RUC
RUC may refer to: or Coimbra University Radio, a Portuguese university station* Rapid Update Cycle, an atmospheric prediction system* Renmin University of China* Roskilde University or Roskilde Universitetscenter...
members. Michael Caraher was imprisoned in 1997, but released in 2000 under the prisoner release terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
In 1996 Fergal Caraher's sister Maria was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum
Northern Ireland Forum
The Northern Ireland Forum was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Belfast Agreement in 1998....
in Newry and Armagh
Newry and Armagh (Assembly constituency)
Newry and Armagh is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
, but she did not stand in the subsequent Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
-Seats summary:-Details:Although the SDLP won the most first preference votes, the Ulster Unionists won the most seats in the Assembly. This has been attributed to several reasons, including:...
. She is currently the Principal of Bunscoil an Iúir
Bunscoil an Iúir
Bunscoil an Iúir is a Gaelscoil, that is to say an Irish medium primary school in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. It caters for girls and boys aged from 3 to 11. It was founded as a cross-community school in 1989...
, an Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
school in Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
.
Murder trial
In 1993, two Royal MarinesRoyal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
were charged with Caraher's murder. Both men, Lance Corporal Richard Elkington, 23, and Private Andrew Callaghan, 21, from the 45 Unit, denied the charges and were acquitted.
Prosecutors outlined that Elkington smashed the driver's window with his rifle and opened fire on the car, ordering Callaghan to do likewise as the brothers attempted to drive from a pub car park. They also stated that the investigation into the shooting had been hampered as British soldiers had removed spent bullet bullet cases instead of preserving the scene for police scenes-of-crime officers and that there was no lawful justification for firing on the car.
Elkington told police he had fired nine aimed shots at the driver, believing that a third soldier was being carried away on the bonnet of the car. Callaghan explained that he fired 12 shot as he feared for the life of the third Marine, who was out of sight.