Glenanne gang
Encyclopedia
The Glenanne gang was a name given, since 2003, to a loose alliance of Northern Irish
loyalist
extremists who carried out sectarian killings and bomb attacks in the 1970s against the Irish Catholic
and Irish nationalist
community. Most of its attacks took place in the area of County Armagh
and mid Ulster
referred to as the "murder triangle" by journalist Joe Tiernan. It also launched attacks elsewhere in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland
. The gang included soldiers of the British Army
, its Ulster Defence Regiment
(UDR), the Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC), the Mid-Ulster Brigade
of the illegal paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and some Ulster Defence Association
(UDA) members. It was allegedly commanded by British Military Intelligence and/or RUC Special Branch
.
The Pat Finucane Centre
has attributed 87 killings to the Glenanne gang, including the Dublin and Monaghan bombings
, the Miami Showband killings
, and the Reavey and O'Dowd killings
. A number of these attacks has been affirmed by Glenanne gang member and RUC Special Patrol Group
(SPG) officer John Weir
in his sworn (3 February 1999) affidavit
published in the 2003 Barron Report. This was the findings of an official investigation into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings commissioned by Irish Supreme Court Justice Henry Barron. The RUC Special Patrol Group was a specialised police unit tasked with counter-terrorism
in Northern Ireland.
The name "Glenanne gang" is derived from the farm in Glenanne (near Markethill
, County Armagh) that was used as the gang's arms dump and bomb-making site.
The gang has also been linked to Military Intelligence Liaison officer Captain Robert Nairac
who worked for 14th Intelligence Company (The Det). On The Hidden Hand programme made by Yorkshire Television in 1993, it was claimed that Robin Jackson was controlled by Nairac and 14th Intelligence. In May 1977, Nairac was kidnapped by the IRA in Drumintee
and taken across the border into the Republic of Ireland where he was shot dead by Liam Townson in Ravensdale Woods, County Louth
.
Merlyn Rees, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
, lifted the proscription against the UVF on 4 April 1974, but it was made illegal once again on 3 October 1975; therefore, during the period between April 1974 and October 1975, membership of the UVF was not a crime. The largest loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland, the Ulster Defence Association
(UDA) was also legal.
In 2004, the Pat Finucane Centre asked Professor Douglas Cassel (formerly of Northwestern University School of Law
in Chicago
) to convene an international inquiry to investigate alleged collusion by members of the British security forces in sectarian killings in Northern Ireland committed during the mid-1970s. The Glenanne gang's involvement in the killings was to be investigated in particular. The panel interviewed victims and their relatives, as well as four members of the security forces. About 25 attacks are believed by the Pat Finucane Centre
to have been the work of the Glenanne gang. The four members of the security forces were: RUC SPG officers John Weir and Billy McCaughey; psychological warfare
operative Colin Wallace
and MI6 operative Captain Fred Holroyd. They all implicated the Glenanne gang in the attacks. In seven out of eight cases, ballistic tests corroborated Weir's claims linking the killings to weapons carried by the security forces. The interviews revealed many similarities in the way the attacks were carried out, while various documents (including the Barron Report) established a chain of ballistic history linking weapons and killings to the gang. Justice Barron commented in reference to the Glenanne gang:
1972 and 1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1980
, killing another seven civilians.
Mitchell and his female housekeeper, Lily Shields both denied knowledge that the farm was used for illicit paramilitary activity. They also denied partaking in any UVF attacks. In his sworn affidavit, John Weir affirms that the farmhouse was used as a base for UVF operations that included the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. Weir also stated that on one occasion an RUC constable gave him two weapons to store at the Glenanne farm:
In his affidavit, Weir recounted when in March 1976 he had gone to the farm where between eight to ten men dressed in camouflage
had been parading in the farmyard. Inside he had discussed with Mitchell and others the details of a planned bombing and shooting attack against a nationalist pub, Tully's in Belleeks. Mitchell had shown him the floor plans of the pub's interior which he had drawn up highlighting the lack of escape routes for the pub's patrons. The plan was temporarily called off when it was discovered that the Army's Parachute Regiment was on patrol that evening in the area. Weir returned to Belfast the next day and the attack went ahead that evening, 8 March. There were no casualities, however, as Mitchell's floor plans had been inaccurate, and the customers had fled into the pub's living quarters for safety once the shooting had commenced outside, and the bomb only caused structural damage to the building.
Mr. Justice Barron concluded in his report:
by armed UVF men wearing British Army uniforms at a bogus military checkpoint. Two UVF men (Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville) loaded a time delay bomb on the minibus but it exploded prematurely and killed them. The remaining UVF gunmen then opened fire on the bandmembers, killing three (Brian McCoy, Anthony Geraghty and Fran O'Toole) and wounding two (Stephen Travers and Des McAlea). Two of the three men convicted of the killings and sentenced to life imprisonment were serving members of the UDR, and the third was a former member. The Luger pistol used in the attack was found to have been the same one used to kill Provisional IRA
member John Francis Green in January 1975 and was also used in the O'Dowd killings of January 1976. The following May, the security forces found Jackson's fingerprints on insulating tape wrapped around a home-made silencer attached to a Luger. Although charged, Jackson avoided conviction. A Sterling 9mm submachine gun was also used in the Miami Showband killings. The 2003 Barron Report suggests that the guns were taken from the stockpile of weapons at the Glenanne farm. The Luger pistol used in the Green, Miami Showband, and O'Dowd attacks was later destroyed by the RUC on 28 August 1978.
Liaison officer Captain Robert Nairac
has been linked to the Miami Showband killings and the killing of John Francis Green. Miami Showband survivors Stephen Travers and Des McAlea both testified in court that a man with a "crisp, clipped English accent, and wearing a different uniform and beret" had been at the scene of the explosion and subsequent shootings. Martin Dillon
in The Dirty War, however, adamantly states that Nairac was not involved in either attack. The Cassel Report concluded that there was "credible evidence that the principal perpetrator [of the Miami Showband attack] was a man who was not prosecuted - alleged RUC Special Branch agent Robin Jackson". Although Jackson had been questioned by the RUC following the Showband attack, he was released without having been charged.
to retaliate with a tit-fot-tat sectarian attack the following day. It stopped a minibus at Kingsmill and shot dead the ten Protestant passengers
, after being taken out of their minibus which was transporting them home from their workplace in Glenanne.
In 2001 an unidentified Glenanne gang-member (a former RUC man who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in the gang's killings) revealed that the gang had planned to kill at least thirty Catholic schoolchildren as revenge for Kingsmill. It drew up plans to attack St Lawrence O'Toole Primary School in the South Armagh village of Belleeks. The plan was aborted at the last minute on orders of the UVF leadership; who ruled that it would be "morally unacceptable", would undermine support for the UVF, and could lead to civil war
. The gang-member who suggested the attack was a UDR soldier; he was later shot dead by the IRA. The UVF leadership allegedly suspected that he was working for Military Intelligence, and that military intelligence were seeking to provoke a civil war. In 2004, gang-member McCaughey spoke of the planned retaliation and said that the UVF leadership also feared the potential IRA response.
A month before Nairac's killing, a Catholic chemist, William Strathearn, was gunned down at his home in Ahoghill
, County Antrim. SPG officers Weir and McCaughey were charged and convicted for the killing. Weir named Jackson as having been the gunman but Jackson was never interrogated for "reasons of operational strategy". The Special Patrol Group was disbanded in 1980 by the RUC after the convictions of Weir and McCaughey for the Strathearn killing.
In December 1978 the authorities raided the Glenanne farm and found weapons and ammunition. This made it necessary for the gang to seek an alternative base of operations and arms dump. James Mitchell was charged and convicted of storing weapons on his land. Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Robert Lowry presided over his trial on 30 June 1980. The farm had been under RUC observation for several months before the raid.
On 16 October 1979, Robin Jackson was arrested when he was found with a number of weapons and hoods. In January 1981 he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for possession of guns and ammunition, but was then released in May 1983. John Weir stated that the Glenanne gang usually did not use the name "UVF" whenever it claimed its attacks; instead it typically employed the cover names of Red Hand Commando, Red Hand Brigade or Protestant Action Force.
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...
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...
extremists who carried out sectarian killings and bomb attacks in the 1970s against the Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...
and Irish nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
community. Most of its attacks took place in the area of 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...
and mid Ulster
Mid Ulster
Mid Ulster can refer to:* Central Ulster* Mid Ulster * Mid Ulster * Mid Ulster English* the proposed Mid-Ulster District local authority...
referred to as the "murder triangle" by journalist Joe Tiernan. It also launched attacks elsewhere in Northern Ireland and 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,...
. The gang included soldiers of 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...
, its Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
(UDR), 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...
(RUC), the Mid-Ulster Brigade
UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade
UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade formed part of the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force in Northern Ireland. The brigade was established in Lurgan, County Armagh in 1972 by its first commander Billy Hanna. The unit operated mainly around the Lurgan and Portadown areas. Subsequent leaders of the...
of the illegal paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and some Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA) members. It was allegedly commanded by British Military Intelligence and/or RUC Special Branch
Special Branch
Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security in British and Commonwealth police forces, as well as in the Royal Thai Police...
.
The Pat Finucane Centre
Pat Finucane Centre
The Pat Finucane Centre is a human rights advocacy and lobbying entity in Northern Ireland. Named in honour of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, it operates advice centres in Derry and Newry, dealing mainly with complaints from nationalists and republicans...
has attributed 87 killings to the Glenanne gang, including the Dublin and Monaghan bombings
Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
The Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any single day during the conflict known as The Troubles.A loyalist...
, the Miami Showband killings
Miami Showband killings
The Miami Showband killings was a paramilitary attack at Buskhill, County Down, Northern Ireland, in the early morning of 31 July 1975. It left five people dead at the hands of Ulster Volunteer Force gunmen, including three members of The Miami Showband...
, and the Reavey and O'Dowd killings
Reavey and O'Dowd killings
The Reavey and O'Dowd killings took place on 4 January 1976 in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Volunteers from the Ulster Volunteer Force , a loyalist paramilitary group, shot dead five Catholic civilians – two from the Reavey family and three from the O'Dowd family – in two co-ordinated attacks....
. A number of these attacks has been affirmed by Glenanne gang member and RUC Special Patrol Group
Special Patrol Group (RUC)
The Special Patrol Group in the Royal Ulster Constabulary was a police unit tasked with counter terrorism. Each SPG had 30 members. Many of the SPG units were accused of collusion with the illegal paramilitary group the Ulster Volunteer Force, particularly the actions of a unit based in Armagh.-A...
(SPG) officer John Weir
John Weir (loyalist)
John Oliver Weir , is an Ulster loyalist born in the Republic of Ireland. He served as an officer in Northern Ireland's Royal Ulster Constabulary's Special Patrol Group , and was a volunteer in the illegal Ulster Volunteer Force...
in his sworn (3 February 1999) affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
published in the 2003 Barron Report. This was the findings of an official investigation into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings commissioned by Irish Supreme Court Justice Henry Barron. The RUC Special Patrol Group was a specialised police unit tasked with counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
in Northern Ireland.
The name "Glenanne gang" is derived from the farm in Glenanne (near Markethill
Markethill
Markethill is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,292 people. It sits at the southern side of Gosford Forest Park...
, County Armagh) that was used as the gang's arms dump and bomb-making site.
Alleged members
The following people, among others, have been implicated by Justice Barron and Professor Douglass Cassel in their respective reports as having been members of the Glenanne gang:Key figures
- John Oliver WeirJohn Weir (loyalist)John Oliver Weir , is an Ulster loyalist born in the Republic of Ireland. He served as an officer in Northern Ireland's Royal Ulster Constabulary's Special Patrol Group , and was a volunteer in the illegal Ulster Volunteer Force...
(b.1950, County MonaghanCounty MonaghanCounty Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Republic of Ireland) — an officer in the RUC's Special Patrol Group (an anti-terrorist unit) and former UVF volunteerVolunteer (Ulster loyalist)Volunteer, abbreviated Vol., is a title used by a number of Ulster loyalist paramilitary organisations to describe their members.-History of the term volunteer in Ireland:...
. Weir was the son of a gamekeeper and was brought up on an estate near Castleblaney. He attended a Protestant boarding school in Dublin. After joining the RUC in 1970 he worked at Strandtown RUC station in Belfast. In 1972, he was transferred to Armagh where he was recruited by the SPG on 1 August 1973. Following the Provisional IRAProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe 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...
killing of two members of the security forces in 1974 and 1975, he was sent for his own safety to the SPG unit in Castlereagh, Belfast. On an unspecified date between January 1975 and September 1976, he joined the Glenanne gang. Weir then spent six weeks at the Lisanelly Army base in OmaghOmaghOmagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
; in 1976 he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to the Newry RUC station. He claimed to have been directly involved in the bomb attack at Tully's Bar in Belleek, the attempted bombing of Renaghan's Bar in Clontibret, and to have visited the Glenanne farm regularly during the autumn of 1976. In November 1977, he was sent to Newtownhamilton RUC station. In 1980, he left the RUC upon his conviction for the 1977 killing of Catholic civilian, William Strathearn, a chemist. He was released from prison in 1992. During and after his imprisonment he made a number allegations incriminating his former associates in the Glenanne gang. His 1999 sworn affidavit was published in the 2003 Barron Report on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. - William "Billy" McCaugheyBilly McCaugheyWilliam "Billy" McCaughey was a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary's Special Patrol Group and the illegal Ulster Volunteer Force in the 1970s. He was imprisoned for 16 years for murder from 1980 to 1996...
(died 2006) — a UVF volunteer and Armagh RUC SPG officer. He was former member of the Ulster Special ConstabularyUlster Special ConstabularyThe Ulster Special Constabulary was a reserve police force in Northern Ireland. It was set up in October 1920, shortly before the founding of Northern Ireland. It was an armed corps, organised partially on military lines and called out in times of emergency, such as war or insurgency...
. McCaughey was implicated by his colleague Weir in many Glenanne gang attacks such as the O'Dowd shootings, the assault on the Rock Bar, and he admitted to having kidnapped a Roman Catholic priest. McCaughey was convicted along with Weir for the Strathearn killing and sentenced to 16 years imprisonment. McCaughey received a seven-year sentence for wounding Michael McGrath during the attack on the Rock Bar and also sentenced in relation to causing the explosion and possession charges. He was also sentenced to three years' imprisonment for the kidnapping of Fr Murphy. - Billy HannaBilly HannaWilliam Henry Wilson "Billy" Hanna MM was a high-ranking Northern Irish loyalist who founded and led the Mid-Ulster Brigade of the Ulster Volunteer Force until he was killed, allegedly by Robin Jackson, who took over command of the brigade.According to RUC Special Patrol Group officer John Weir,...
(c.1929 – 27 July 1975, LurganLurganLurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, County Armagh) — founder of the UVF Mid-Ulster BrigadeUVF Mid-Ulster BrigadeUVF Mid-Ulster Brigade formed part of the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force in Northern Ireland. The brigade was established in Lurgan, County Armagh in 1972 by its first commander Billy Hanna. The unit operated mainly around the Lurgan and Portadown areas. Subsequent leaders of the...
and its commander until July 1975; he also served as a captain in the C Company, 11th Battalion UDR11th Battalion Ulster Defence RegimentThe 11th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment was formed from companies of the 2nd Battalion Ulster Defence Regiment and the 3rd Battalion Ulster Defence Regiment in 1972...
. He was the gang's staff instructor. Colin WallaceColin WallaceJohn Colin Wallace is a former British soldier and psychological warfare operative who was one of the members of the 'Clockwork Orange' project, which is alleged to have been an attempt to smear a number of British politicians in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
maintained that he organised the Dublin bombings in May 1974. Journalist Joe Tiernan alleged that he was a Military Intelligence agent. He was the person who had approached the Glenanne farm's owner for permission to use the property as an arms dump and bomb-making site. Hanna was shot dead outside his home in Lurgan in July 1975. - Robin "The Jackal" JacksonRobin JacksonRobert John "Robin" Jackson, known as the Jackal was a Northern Irish loyalist who held the rank of brigadier in the Ulster Volunteer Force during the period of violent religious and political conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles.From his home in the small village of Donaghcloney,...
(27 September 1948, Donaghmore, County Tyrone – 30 May 1998, DonaghcloneyDonaghcloneyDonaghcloney or Donacloney is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Lagan between Lurgan, Dromore and Banbridge. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 972.-Linen industry:...
, County Down) — commander of the UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade from July 1975 to the early 1990s and an alleged RUC Special Branch agent with ties to Military Intelligence. He assumed leadership of the brigade upon the shooting death of Hanna, for which he was said by Tiernan to have been responsible. John Weir has implicated Robin Jackson in a number of the gang's killings, and has named him as having been a "key figure" in the gang. The Pat Finucane CentrePat Finucane CentreThe Pat Finucane Centre is a human rights advocacy and lobbying entity in Northern Ireland. Named in honour of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, it operates advice centres in Derry and Newry, dealing mainly with complaints from nationalists and republicans...
has attributed over 100 killings to Jackson, including the Dublin bombingsFollowing the 1993 Yorkshire Television programme The Hidden Hand which implicated Jackson in the Dublin bombings but did not mention him by name, he was questioned. Jackson denied involvement in the three car bombings which left 26 people dead. [Ref: The Barron Report (2003), pp. 85, 119] and Miami Showband killings. He was only convicted once (in 1981), for possession of a .22 pistol, a .38 revolver, a magazine, 13 rounds of ammunition, and hoodsHood (headgear)A hood is a kind of headgear that covers most of the head and neck and sometimes the face. They may be worn for protection from the environment, for fashion, as a form of traditional dress or uniform, to prevent the wearer from seeing or to prevent the wearer from being identified.-History and...
; however, he was released after having served two years of a seven-year sentence. Jackson’s fingerprint was found on insulating tape on a home-made silencer for a Luger pistol (serial number U 4) found at Ted Sinclair's farm in 1976. Jackson’s name appeared on the Garda suspects list for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. Jackson was named in court as one of the killers of William Strathern by Weir and McCaughey. The court was told by an RUC officer that Jackson and Kerr were not before the court as part of "operational strategy". - Robert McConnellRobert McConnell (loyalist)Robert William McConnell , was a Northern Irish loyalist who allegedly carried out or was an accomplice to a number of sectarian attacks and killings, although he never faced any charges or convictions...
— a UVF volunteer and 2nd Battalion UDR corporal. The Barron Report lists him as one of the suspects in the Dublin bombings. He had alleged links to RUC Special Branch and Military Intelligence; and it was claimed he was controlled before and after the bombings by Robert Nairac. McConnell was named by both Shields and McClure as being involved in the Donnelly's Bar killings. Weir states he took part in the John Francis Green shooting along with Robin Jackson and Harris Boyle. He was also named by Weir as the leading gunman in the Reavey family shootings. McConnell was killed by the IRA on 5 April 1976. - Laurence McClure — a UVF volunteer and RUC SPG officer, having joined the Armagh SPG in May 1975. He was a close neighbour of James Mitchell and owned a repair garage adjacent to the farm. McClure was named by Weir as having taken part in several sectarian attacks including those at Donnelly's Bar and Rock Bar, the latter for which he was convicted and received a two-year sentence, suspended for three years. Weir alleges that McClure had helped assemble the bombs used in Dublin. McClure admitted being a getaway driver for those involved in the Donnelly's Bar bombing and to have waited in the car with Lily Shields; the two acting as a "courting couple". McClure was charged with withholding information in relation to the Donnelly's Bar attack. The trial judge and Director of Public ProsecutionsDirector of Public ProsecutionsThe Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
(DPP) entered a nolle proseque against the charge. - James Mitchell (1920 – May 2008) — an RUC reserve officer and the owner of the Glenanne farm. He joined the RUC reserve in September 1974 and was stationed at Markethill. He left the force on 1 July 1977 for "personal reasons". Weir named him as a UVF member who regularly participated in paramilitary activities. Weir claimed that Mitchell admitted being involved in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, and went on to claim that he had seen Mitchell mixing home-made ammonium-nitrate-and-fuel-oil explosive in the farmyard on one occasion. He was convicted for possession of weapons found on his land after an RUC raid in December 1978. In an RUC interview on 9 August 2000, he staunchly denied Weir's allegations and referred to him as "a damned liar and convicted murderer". Mitchell died, aged 88, in May 2008 at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry.
- Robert John "R.J". Kerr (c.1943 – 7 November 1997) — UDAUlster Defence AssociationThe Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
commander. He was charged with having weapons and ammunition in suspicious circumstances in 1972; later found guilty of the 10 March 1973 armed robbery. Kerr was sentenced in 1974 in relation to the intimidation and assaulting of two men in 1973 and received 18 months in jail. Kerr was named as one of the killers of William Strathearn by Weir and McCaughey. The court was told by an RUC officer that Jackson and Kerr were not before the court as part of "police strategy". He died in a mysterious explosion, his body having been found in the vicinity of a burnt-out boat that was being towed on a trailer on the main Newry to Warrenpoint Road. - Harris BoyleHarris BoyleHarris Boyle was a Ulster Defence Regiment soldier and a high-ranking member of the Ulster Volunteer Force , a Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary organisation. Boyle was implicated in the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings which left a total of 33 people dead...
(1953, Portadown – 31 July 1975, Buskhill, County Down) — UDR soldier and UVF volunteer. Boyle was unmarried and worked as a telephone wireman. He was charged with having weapons and ammunition in suspicious circumstances in 1972. Boyle was killed when a bomb he had placed on the Miami Showband bus exploded prematurely. He was also implicated in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, and the killing of John Francis Green. According to submissions received by Mr Justice Barron, the Monaghan bomb was assembled at his home on Festival Road in Portadown's Killycomain estate. - Wesley SomervilleWesley SomervilleWesley Somerville was a Northern Irish loyalist, who held the rank of lieutenant in the Ulster Volunteer Force's Mid-Ulster Brigade during the period of religious-political conflict known as "The Troubles". He also served as a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment...
(from MoygashelMoygashelMoygashel is a small village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is near the southern edge of Dungannon. Although the village's name is pronounced , the trademark of the Irish linen named after it is pronounced .- History :Moygashel is a mill town and mills have been in operation...
, County Tyrone – died 31 July 1975, Buskhill, County Down) — UDR soldier and a lieutenant in the UVF. He was a textile worker. He was killed when a bomb he had placed on the Miami Showband bus exploded prematurely. Wesley Somerville was also charged along with two others for kidnapping two bread deliverymen. The kidnapping charge was also connected to a bomb attack at Mourne Crescent in Dungannon. Weir names him as having been involved in the Monaghan bombing. - Gary Armstrong — RUC Sergeant, given a two-year suspended sentence in relation to the kidnap of Fr. Murphy. Armstrong was named by Judge Barron as one of the group of RUC members who carried out the gun and bomb attack on Rock Bar.
- Joseph Stewart Young — UVF volunteer from Portadown. His name appears on the Garda suspects list for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. John Weir claims that Young had been part of the unit that carried out the Monaghan bombing. When questioned, Young denied the allegation. He was also suspected of involvement in the attack on Donnelly's bar.
Other members
- Captain John Irwin — UDR intelligence officer. Weir declares in his affidavit that Irwin provided the explosives for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, and delivered them to Mitchell's farm where they were then assembled.
- Thomas Raymond Crozier (b. 1951, Lurgan, County Armagh) — Lance-Corporal in the C Company, 11th Battalion UDR, and UVF volunteer, he worked as a painting contractor. He was convicted in October 1976 in relation to the Miami Showband killings. He was also arrested in 1975 along with Samuel Fulton Neil and Robin Jackson in possession of four shotguns.
- James Roderick McDowell (from Lurgan, County Armagh) — Sergeant in the C Company, 11th Battalion UDR, and UVF volunteer, he was an optical worker; convicted in October 1976 in relation to Miami Showband killings.
- John James Somerville (from Moygashel, County Tyrone) — Former UDR soldier; brother of Wesley (see above); worked as a lorry-helper; convicted on 9 November 1981 in relation to the Miami Showband killings. Somerville was also charged along with two others with kidnapping two bread deliverymen. The kidnapping charge was also connected to a bomb attack at Mourne Crescent in Dungannon. He was also convicted of an armed robbery on a CIE bus in Aughnacloy and causing approximately £12,000 worth of damage to the bus. He is named by Weir as having been involved in the Monaghan bombing.
- Sarah Elizabeth "Lily" Shields — Mitchell's housekeeper. She was named by Weir as having provided the getaway car for those who attacked McArdle's Bar and Donnelly's Bar. Charges were later brought against her for withholding information regarding the latter attack. However, the trial judge and DPP brought a nolle prosequi against the charge in April 1981.
- Norman Greenlee — UDR soldier and UVF volunteer. The Star pistol (serial number 344164) used in a number of Glenanne gang attacks was found at Greenlee's farm in RichhillRichhill, County ArmaghRichhill is a large village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the townland of Legacorry , roughly halfway between Armagh and Portadown...
, County Armagh in 1979. A large number of other weapons and ammunition was also found. He subsequently received a seven year sentence for possessing the weapons and a concurrent four year sentence for UVF membership. - George Moore - found guilty of the attempted killing of Patrick Turley, assault and possession of a gun and ammunition.
- Gordon Liggett — Ulster Defence AssociationUlster Defence AssociationThe Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA) commander. He was found guilty of causing grievous and actual bodily harm to Patrick Turley; as well as armed robbery and possession of a gun and ammunition. - William Ashton Wright — UDR soldier. He was charged with having weapons and ammunition in suspicious circumstances in 1972. He was later found guilty of armed robbery, which had taken place on 10 March 1973. Wright was sentenced in 1974 in relation to the intimidation and assaulting of two men in 1973 and received a six month suspended sentence.
- George Hyde — charged in connection with the attempted murder of Patrick Turley; he was later found beaten to death in prison.
- Edward "Ted" Sinclair (from Dungannon, County Tyrone) — He was convicted of possession of a Luger pistol (serial number U 4), a .38 ACP pistol, home made machine guns, gelignite and ammunition in 1976. Released in 1979. Arrested in 1980 and charged with possession of a .45 revolver and ammunition. However, charges were withdrawn by the DPP. Sinclair was also charged with the 1981 killings of Peter and Jane McKearney (a married couple mistakenly believed to be the parents of an IRA volunteer with the same surname, Margaret McKearney, although there was no relation). In 1982 (the following year), these charges were also dropped by the DPP.
- Garnet James Busby — convicted of the killings of Peter and Jane McKearney (see above). He was also convicted of the killings of Andrew Small, James McCaughey, Joseph Kelly and Patrick Barnard at the Hillcrest Bar in Dungannon. He planted the bomb at O'Neill's Bar in Dungannon. During his trial an RUC inspector told the court that the same UVF gang was responsible for the attack on the Miami Showband.
- William Parr — convicted of Denis Mullen's killing.
- Billy Corrigan — named as taking part in Denis Mullen's killing during the trial of William Parr. Corrigan was killed by the IRA in 1976.
- Henry Garfield Liggett — convicted of the killing of Patrick McNeice.
- Dorothy Mullan — convicted of driving the car to the site of Patrick McNeice's killing.
- Garfield Gerard Beattie — convicted in of the killings of Denis Mullan, Jim McLoughlin and Patrick McNeice. He was also convicted of the attempted killings of other patrons in the Eagle Bar in Charlemont, County Armagh.
- David Henry Kane — convicted of the killing of Jim McLoughlin and the attempted killings of the other patrons inside the Eagle Bar.
- Joey Lutton — convicted of the killing of Jim McLoughlin at the Eagle Bar.
- Samuel Fulton Neill (died 25 January 1976) — brother-in-law of Robin Jackson, arrested in 1975 alongside Jackson and Thomas Crozier in possession of four shotguns. He was fatally shot five times in the head after leaving a Portadown pub, allegedly by Jackson, for having passed on information to the police about the people involved in the Miami Showband attack.
- Trevor Barnard — charged along with two others with the kidnapping of two bread deliverymen. The kidnapping charge was also linked to a bomb attack at Mourne Crescent in Dungannon.
- Laurence Tate — UDR soldier. He was convicted along with two others of the bombing of an empty bungalow near Dungannon. He was also convicted of the bombing of Killen's Bar in Dungannon. He was arrested as part of the Miami Showband investigation.
- Harold Henry McKay — convicted along with two others of the bombing of an empty bungalow near Dungannon. Also convicted of the bombing of Killen's Bar in Dungannon. He was arrested as part of the Miami Showband investigation.
- John Nimmons — convicted along with two others of the bombing of an empty bungalow near Dungannon. Also convicted of the bombing of Killen’s Bar in Dungannon. He was arrested as part of the Miami Showband investigation.
- William Thomas Leonard — UDR soldier convicted of the killings of James and Gertrude Devlin, a married couple. He was also convicted of the bombing of Killen's Bar in Dungannon, and of an armed robbery on a CIE bus in Aughnacloy which caused approximately £12,000 worth of damage to the bus.
- Sammy McCoo — named by McClure and Shields as being involved in the attack on Donnelly’s bar. McCoo’s name later appeared on the Garda suspects list for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
- Ian Mitchell — RUC officer, received a two-year sentence, suspended for three years in relation to the attack on the Rock Bar. Ian Mitchell was one of the investigating officers into the killings of Betty McDonald and Gerald McGleenan the Step Inn, Keady, County Armagh.
- David Wilson — RUC officer, received a one-year sentence, suspended for two years in relation to the attack on the Rock Bar.
- Alexander McCaughey — father of Billy McCaughey, given a one-year suspended sentence in relation to the kidnapping of Fr. Murphy.
The gang has also been linked to Military Intelligence Liaison officer Captain Robert Nairac
Robert Nairac
Captain Robert Laurence Nairac GC was a British Army officer who was abducted from a pub in south County Armagh during an undercover operation and killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on his fourth tour of duty in Northern Ireland as a Military Intelligence Liaison Officer...
who worked for 14th Intelligence Company (The Det). On The Hidden Hand programme made by Yorkshire Television in 1993, it was claimed that Robin Jackson was controlled by Nairac and 14th Intelligence. In May 1977, Nairac was kidnapped by the IRA in Drumintee
Drumintee
Dromintee or Drumintee is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 364 people. It lies within the Newry and Mourne District Council area.- People :...
and taken across the border into the Republic of Ireland where he was shot dead by Liam Townson in Ravensdale Woods, County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Merlyn Rees, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
, lifted the proscription against the UVF on 4 April 1974, but it was made illegal once again on 3 October 1975; therefore, during the period between April 1974 and October 1975, membership of the UVF was not a crime. The largest loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland, the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA) was also legal.
Attacks attributed to the Glenanne gang
Northwestern University School of Law
The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law of the Old University of Chicago. The first law school established in Chicago, it became jointly controlled by Northwestern University in...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) to convene an international inquiry to investigate alleged collusion by members of the British security forces in sectarian killings in Northern Ireland committed during the mid-1970s. The Glenanne gang's involvement in the killings was to be investigated in particular. The panel interviewed victims and their relatives, as well as four members of the security forces. About 25 attacks are believed by the Pat Finucane Centre
Pat Finucane Centre
The Pat Finucane Centre is a human rights advocacy and lobbying entity in Northern Ireland. Named in honour of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, it operates advice centres in Derry and Newry, dealing mainly with complaints from nationalists and republicans...
to have been the work of the Glenanne gang. The four members of the security forces were: RUC SPG officers John Weir and Billy McCaughey; psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
operative Colin Wallace
Colin Wallace
John Colin Wallace is a former British soldier and psychological warfare operative who was one of the members of the 'Clockwork Orange' project, which is alleged to have been an attempt to smear a number of British politicians in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
and MI6 operative Captain Fred Holroyd. They all implicated the Glenanne gang in the attacks. In seven out of eight cases, ballistic tests corroborated Weir's claims linking the killings to weapons carried by the security forces. The interviews revealed many similarities in the way the attacks were carried out, while various documents (including the Barron Report) established a chain of ballistic history linking weapons and killings to the gang. Justice Barron commented in reference to the Glenanne gang:
"This joining of RUC and UDR members with members of Loyalist paramilitary organisations is emphasised by the use of the same or connected guns by intermingled groups of these organistions."As a result, the Pat Finucane Centre has linked the following attacks to the Glenanne gang:
1972 and 1973
- 4 October 1972: Killing of Catholic civilian Patrick Connolly. He was killed when a grenade was thrown into his house in PortadownPortadownPortadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
, County Armagh. His mother and brother were wounded. The grenade was of a type manufactured in the United Kingdom "for use by the British Armed Forces". - 20 February 1973: An armed robbery on a CIE bus in AughnacloyAughnacloyAughnacloy, sometimes spelt Auchnacloy , is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Close to the border with County Monaghan, the village is about southwest of Dungannon, and southeast of Ballygawley. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 801....
, which caused approximately £12,000 worth of damage to the bus. - 10 March 1973: Attempted murder of Patrick Turley in Portadown.
- 10 March 1973: Armed robbery, for which Glenanne gang members were later jailed.
- 24 March 1973: Shooting incident on at 219 Redlion Road near LoughgallLoughgallLoughgall is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 285 people.Loughgall was named after a small nearby loch. The village is at the heart of the apple-growing industry and is surrounded by orchards. Along the village's main street...
, County Armagh. - 24 May 1973: Bombing of Killen's Bar in DungannonDungannonDungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, County Tyrone. UDR soldiers Laurence Tate and William Thomas Leonard were convicted, along with two others. - 13 June 1973: Shooting incident at the Argory, County Armagh.
- 4 August 1973: Attempted killing of members of the McAliskey family at their home in CoalislandCoalislandCoalisland is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a population of 4,917 people . As its name suggests, it was formerly a centre for coal mining.-History:...
, County Tyrone. - 5 August 1973: Killing of Catholic civilians Francis and Bernadette Mullan, who were shot dead at their farmhouse in Broughadoey, County Tyrone.
- 16 August 1973: Bomb attack on O'Neill’s bar, Dungannon.
- 28 October 1973: Killing of Catholic civilian Francis McCaughey, who was wounded by a booby-trap bomb on his farm at CarnteelCarnteelCarnteel is a hamlet and townland about 2 miles northeast of Aughnacloy in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.-References:...
, County Tyrone. He died on 8 November. The Ulster Freedom Fighters claimed responsibility. - 29 October 1973: Killing of Catholic civilian Patrick Campbell, who was shot dead at his house in BanbridgeBanbridgeBanbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road. It was named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. The town grew as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing...
, County Down. Although Robin Jackson was arrested and Campbell's widow picked him out as the killer at an identity parade, murder charges against him were soon afterwards dropped.
1974
- 17 January 1974: Gun attack on Boyle's Bar in CappaghCappaghCappagh is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is between Pomeroy, Ballygawley, Galbally and Carrickmore, with the hamlet of Galbally about one mile to the east...
, County Tyrone. Gunmen entered the pub and opened fire. Catholic civilian Daniel Hughes was killed and three others wounded. - 19 February 1974: Bomb attack on Traynor's Bar in Aghinlig near BlackwatertownBlackwatertownBlackwatertown, also known as Blackwaterstown, is a small village in the townland of Lisbofin, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It sits on the River Blackwater, close to the border with County Tyrone. It had a population of 399 people in the 2001 Census...
, County Armagh. Catholic civilian Patrick Molloy and Protestant civilian John Wylie were killed. Two other civilians were wounded. In 1981 a serving UDR soldier, a former UDR soldier and a former UVF member were convicted of the murders. - 11 April 1974: Killing of Catholic civilian Owen Boyle who was shot at his home in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, and died on 22 April 1975.
- 7 May 1974: Killing of Catholic civilians James and Gertrude Devlin (husband and wife), who were shot dead as they drove into the laneway of their home at Congo near Donaghmore, County Tyrone. UDR soldier William Thomas Leonard was convicted for the killings.
- 17 May 1974: Dublin and Monaghan bombingsDublin and Monaghan BombingsThe Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any single day during the conflict known as The Troubles.A loyalist...
, in which 33 civilians were killed (see below). - 3 September 1974: Shooting of T.J. Chambers in MountnorrisMountnorrisMountnorris is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies about six miles south of Markethill. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 165 people. It is within the Armagh City and District Council area.- History :...
, County Armagh. - 3 September 1974: Shooting incident. The 9 mm Luger pistol used in the incident was the same often used in other Glenanne gang attacks including the murders of the Reavey brothers.
- 27 October 1974: Killing of Catholic civilian Anthony Duffy, who was found shot dead in a field near Portadown.
- 20 November 1974: Gun attack on Falls Bar in Aughamullen near ClonoeClonoeClonoe is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It includes O'Rahilly Park where the Clonoe O'Rahillys Gaelic Athletic Association club play their home games....
, County Tyrone. Catholic civilian Patrick Falls was killed and another wounded. - 29 November 1974: Bomb and gun attack on McArdle's Bar in CrossmaglenCrossmaglenCrossmaglen or Crosmaglen is a village and townland in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,459 people in the 2001 Census and is the largest village in south Armagh...
, County Armagh. Catholic civilian Thomas McNamee was critically wounded and died from injuries a year later. - 29 November 1974: Bomb attack on Hughes Bar in NewryNewryNewry 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...
. Catholic civilian John Mallon died of his wounds on 15 December. - 8 December 1974: Shooting incident at Dundalk Road, NewtownhamiltonNewtownhamiltonNewtownhamilton is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is within the townland of Tullyvallan and the barony of Upper Fews. It is part of the Newry and Mourne District Council area...
, County Armagh.
1975
- 10 January 1975: Killing of IRA volunteer John Francis GreenJohn Francis GreenJohn Francis Green , was a leading member of the North Armagh Brigade of the Provisional IRA, holding the rank of Staff Captain and Intelligence Officer. He was killed in a farmhouse outside Castleblayney, County Monaghan, by members of the Mid-Ulster Brigade of the Ulster Volunteer Force...
, who was found shot dead at a farmhouse in Tullynageer near CastleblayneyCastleblayneyCastleblayney or Castleblaney is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town has a population of about 3,000.Castleblayney lies near the border with County Armagh and is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry...
, County Monaghan. In his statement, Weir claims that the gunmen were Robin Jackson, Robert McConnell, and Harris Boyle. - 10 February 1975: Gun attack on Hayden's Bar in Gortavale, near RockRock, County TyroneRock is a small village in east County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The village derives its name from a stone quarry on the site, which operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
, County Tyrone. Catholic civilians Arthur Mulholland and Eugene Doyle were killed. - 1 April 1975: Killing of Catholic civilian Dorothy Trainor and attempted murder of her husband. They were shot in a park near Garvaghy Road, Portadown.
- 12 April 1975: Killing of Catholic civilian Owen Boyle who was shot at his home in Glencull near Aughnacloy and died ten days later on 22 April. The attack was claimed by the Protestant Action Force.
- 21 April 1975: Killing of Catholic civilians Marion Bowen (who was 7 months pregnant), Seamus McKenna and Michael McKenna. They were killed by a booby-trap bomb in a house at Killyliss near GranvilleGranville, County TyroneGranville is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, about 2.5 miles southwest of Dungannon.Most of the village is within the townland of Derryveen , although some of it extends into Cormullagh...
, County Tyrone. The house was being renovated for Bowen and her husband. The attack was claimed by the Protestant Action Force. - 27 April 1975: Gun attack on a social club in BlearyBlearyBleary is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is close to the County Armagh border; near Craigavon, Lurgan and Portadown. In the 2001 Census its population was counted as part of Craigavon...
, County Down. Catholic civilians Joseph Toman, John Feeney and Brendan O'Hara were killed. The attack was claimed by the Protestant Action Force. - 7 May 1975: Gun and bomb attack on the Glenside Bar (Tully's Bar), Belleeks, County Armagh.
- 24 May 1975: Bombing the home of the Grew family in MoyMoy, County TyroneMoy or The Moy is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 1,218.It is about southeast of Dungannon and is beside the smaller village of Charlemont. Charlemont is on the east bank of the River Blackwater and Moy on the west; the two are...
, County Tyrone. Six children were inside at the time. Although most of the house was destroyed and the children were taken to hospital, none was badly wounded. In 1981 a serving UDR soldier, a former UDR soldier and a former UVF member were convicted of partaking in the attack. - 31 May 1975: Bombing of an unoccupied bungalow near Dungannon.
- 31 July 1975: Miami Showband killingsMiami Showband killingsThe Miami Showband killings was a paramilitary attack at Buskhill, County Down, Northern Ireland, in the early morning of 31 July 1975. It left five people dead at the hands of Ulster Volunteer Force gunmen, including three members of The Miami Showband...
at Buskhill, County Down (see below) - 1 August 1975: Gun attack on a minibus (returning from a bingo session) near GilfordGilfordGilford is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village sits on the River Bann between the towns of Banbridge, Tandragee and Portadown. It covers the townlands of Loughans, Ballymacanallen and Drumaran. It had a population of 1,573 people in the 2001 Census...
, County Down. Catholic civilians James Marks and Joseph Toland were killed. Several other passengers were wounded and one was left using a wheelchair. Like the Miami Showband killings, the minibus had been stopped at a bogus UDR checkpoint. - 2 August 1975: Shooting at Fane Valley Park, Altnamacken, County Armagh.
- 22 August 1975: Gun attack on McGleenan's Bar in ArmaghArmaghArmagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
. Catholic civilians John McGleenan, Patrick Hughes and Thomas Morris were killed. - 24 August 1975: Killing of Catholic civilians Colm McCartney and Sean Farmer, who were found shot dead shortly after being kidnapped from a car in Altnamachin, outside Tullyvallen. They had been stopped at a fake UDR checkpoint. In his statement, Weir claims that an RUC officer confessed to partaking in the attack, alongside a UDR soldier and UVF members. The attack was claimed by the Protestant Action Force.
- 1 September 1975: Killing of SDLPSocial Democratic and Labour PartyThe Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
political activist Denis Mullen, who was shot dead at his home in Collegeland, County Armagh. - 4 September 1975: Gun and bomb attack on McCann's Bar in Ballyhegan, County ArmaghAnnahughAnnahugh is a small village and townland near Loughgall in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. While most of the settlement is within the townland of Annahugh, part of it extends into the neighbouring townland of Ballyhagan . Hence, the two names are sometimes used to refer to the same settlement.In...
. Catholic civilian Margaret Hale died of her wounds on 22 September. - 23 October 1975: Killing of Catholic civilians Peter and Jane McKearney (a married couple mistakenly believed to be the parents of an IRA volunteer with the same surname, Margaret McKearney, although there was no relation). The couple was shot dead at their home in Listamlet near Moy. A contemporary newspaper article reported that "Army issue ammunition" was used.
- 19 December 1975: Car bomb attack on Kay's Tavern in DundalkDundalkDundalk 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...
, County Louth. Catholic civilians Hugh Watters and Jack Rooney were killed and twenty others were wounded. The attack was claimed by the Red Hand Commandos. The 2006 report of Mr. Justice Barron's inquiry into the bombing linked the Glenanne gang to the attack. RUC SPG officer Laurence McClure admitted involvement. UDR Corporal Robert McConnell was also involved, according to John Weir and Lily Shields.
- 19 December 1975: Gun and bomb attack on Donnelly's Bar in Silverbridge, County ArmaghSilverbridge, County ArmaghSilverbridge is a small village in the townland of Legmoylin in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is within the Newry and Mourne District Council area. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 165 people.- See also :*The Troubles in Silverbridge...
. Two Catholic civilians (Patrick and Michael Donnelly) and an English civilian (Trevor Brecknell, married to a local woman) were killed. The attack was claimed by the Red Hand Commandos. Credible evidence from the RUC officer who led the investigation indicates that police believed they knew who the killers were and that the killers included RUC and UDR officers. - 26 December 1975: Bomb attack on Vallelly's Bar, Ardress, County ArmaghArdress, County ArmaghArdress is a townland between Loughgall and Annaghmore in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is made up of Ardress East and Ardress West. It is within the civil parish of Loughgall and barony of Oneilland West....
. Catholic civilian Seamus Mallon was killed.
1976
- 4 January 1976: Killing and wounding of three Reavey family membersReavey and O'Dowd killingsThe Reavey and O'Dowd killings took place on 4 January 1976 in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Volunteers from the Ulster Volunteer Force , a loyalist paramilitary group, shot dead five Catholic civilians – two from the Reavey family and three from the O'Dowd family – in two co-ordinated attacks....
, who were shot at their home in Whitecross, County Armagh (see below). RUC officer Billy McConnell admitted involvement and accused RUC reserve officer James Mitchell of being involved too. UDR Corporal Robert McConnell was the lead gunman, according to Weir. - 4 January 1976: Murder of three O'Dowd family membersReavey and O'Dowd killingsThe Reavey and O'Dowd killings took place on 4 January 1976 in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Volunteers from the Ulster Volunteer Force , a loyalist paramilitary group, shot dead five Catholic civilians – two from the Reavey family and three from the O'Dowd family – in two co-ordinated attacks....
, who were shot dead at their home in Ballydougan, County Armagh (see below). Robin Jackson planned and led this attack, according to the testimony of Weir. - 7 March 1976: Car bomb attack on the Three Star Inn, Castleblayney, County Monaghan. Catholic civilian Patrick Mohan was killed. According to Weir, the attack was carried-out by RUC officer Laurence McClure and UDR soldier Robert McConnell, using explosives provided by UDR Captain John Irwin and stored beforehand at James Mitchell’s farmhouse.
- 8 March 1976: Bomb and shooting attack on Tully's Bar in Belleeks, County Armagh. RUC SPG officer John Weir admitted helping to plan the attack and accused RUC Reserve officer James Mitchell of being the mastermind.
- 17 March 1976: Car bomb attack on Hillcrest Bar in Dungannon on Saint Patrick's Day. Four Catholic civilians (including two children) were killed and twelve wounded.
- 15 May 1976: Attacks in CharlemontCharlemontCharlemont is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 150 people in the 2001 Census. It is situated within the Armagh City and District Council area...
, County Armagh. A bomb attack on Clancy's Bar left three Catholic civilians (Felix Clancy, Sean O'Hagan and Robert McCullough) dead and others wounded. Shortly after, a gun attack on the nearby Eagle Bar led to the death of Catholic civilian Frederick McLaughlin and the wounding of many others. Locals claimed that the UDR had been patrolling the village for a number of nights beforehand, but were absent the night of the attacks. UDR soldier Joey Lutton was later convicted of partaking in both attacks. - 5 June 1976: Attack on the Rock Bar near KeadyKeadyKeady is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated south of Armagh city and very close to the border with the Republic of Ireland. The town had a population of 2,960 people in the 2001 Census....
, County Armagh. Three RUC officers threw a bomb into the pub but it failed to explode. They then shot Catholic civilian Michael McGrath, badly wounding but not killing him. - 25 July 1976: Killing of Catholic civilian Patrick McNeice, who was shot dead at his home in Ardress, County Armagh.
- 15 August 1976: Attempted bombing of Renaghan's Bar in ClontibretClontibretClontibret is a village and a parish in County Monaghan, Ireland.-Village:The village is situated close to the border with Northern Ireland, between the towns of Monaghan and Castleblayney, along the N2 National primary road, which links Dublin and Derry. The village population in 2006 was...
, County Monaghan. The plan was aborted because the town had been sealed off by the Gardaí and Irish Army, both having received an earlier warning by authorities in Northern Ireland that a bomb attack was expected. RUC SPG officer John Weir admitted involvement. - 16 August 1976: Car bomb attack on the Step Inn, Keady, County Armagh. Catholic civilians Elizabeth McDonald and Gerard McGleenon were killed.
1977
- 25 February 1977: Killing of Catholic RUC officer Joseph Campbell, who was shot dead outside the RUC base in CushendallCushendallCushendall and formerly known as Newtown Glens is a village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.It is on the A2 coast road between Glenariff and Cushendun, in the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, County Antrim. Weir claims that the killers were alleged RUC Special Branch agent Robin Jackson, RUC officer William McCaughey, and R.J. Kerr. - 19 April 1977: Killing of Catholic civilian William Strathearn, who was shot dead at his shop in AhoghillAhoghillAhoghill or Ahohill is a large village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, four miles from Ballymena. It has a population of 3,055 people . It is within the Borough of Ballymena....
, County Antrim. RUC SPG officers John Weir and Billy McCaughey were convicted for the killing.
1978
- 18 June 1978: Kidnapping of Father Hugh Murphy. This was in retaliation for the IRA's kidnapping and killing of an RUC officer the day before. Murphy was eventually released unharmed after appeals from a number of Protestant ministers including Rev. Ian PaisleyIan PaisleyIan 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...
. RUC Sergeant Gary Armstrong, RUC officer Billy McCaughey and his father Alexander McCaughey were convicted for the kidnapping.
1980
- 29 February 1980: Killing of Catholic civilian Brendan McLaughlin, who was killed in a drive-by-shooting on Clonard Street, Belfast. He was killed with the same Sterling submachine gun used in Miami Showband, O'Dowd family and Devlin family killings.
| Attack | Date | .455 Webley revolver (1) | 9 mm Luger pistol Serial No. U 4 (1) | 9mm Luger pistol (2) | .38 ACP pistol | .455 Webley revolver (2) | 9 mm Sterling SMG (1) | 9 mm Sterling SMG (2) | 9 mm SMG (3) | 9mm SMG (4) | Star pistol | 9 mm Emra SMG | .45 ACP Colt pistol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Turley | 10 March 1973 | X | |||||||||||
| Loughgall shooting | 24 March 1973 | X | |||||||||||
| Argory shooting | 13 June 1973 | X | |||||||||||
| McAliskey family | 4 August 1973 | ||||||||||||
| Mullan family | 5 August 1973 | X | |||||||||||
| Boyle’s Bar | 17 January 1974 | X | |||||||||||
| Devlin family | 7 May 1974 | X | X | ||||||||||
| T.J. Chambers | 3 September 1974 | X | X | ||||||||||
| Shooting incident | 3 September 1974 | X | |||||||||||
| Falls Bar | 20 November 1974 | X | |||||||||||
| Newtownhamilton shooting | 8 December 1974 | X | X | ||||||||||
| John Francis Green | 10 January 1975 | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Trainor family | 1 April 1975 | X | |||||||||||
| Owen Boyle | 11 April 1975 | X | |||||||||||
| Glenside Bar | 7 May 1975 | X | |||||||||||
| Miami Showband | 31 July 1975 | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Altnamacken shooting | 2 August 1975 | X | |||||||||||
| McCartney/Farmer | 24 August 1975 | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Denis Mullen | 1 September 1975 | X | |||||||||||
| McKearney family | 23 October 1975 | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Donnelly’s Bar | 19 December 1975 | X | |||||||||||
| O’Dowd family | 4 January 1976 | X | |||||||||||
| Reavey family | 4 January 1976 | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Eagle Bar | 15 May 1976 | X | |||||||||||
| Rock Bar | 5 June 1976 | X | X | ||||||||||
| Patrick McNeice | 25 July 1976 | X | |||||||||||
| William Strathearn | 19 April 1977 | X | |||||||||||
| Ahoghill shooting | 23 June 1977 | X | |||||||||||
| Brendan McLaughlin | 29 February 1980 | X |
The Glenanne farm and the Dublin and Monaghan bombings
It is claimed in the Barron Report that Billy Hanna had asked James Mitchell for permission to use his farm as a UVF arms dump and bomb-making site. Information that Loyalist paramilitaries were regularly meeting at the farm appeared on Army Intelligence documents from late 1972. According to submissions received by Mr Justice Barron, the Glenanne farm was used to build and store the bombs that exploded in Dublin and Monaghan. The report claims they were placed onto Robin Jackson's poultry lorry, driven across the border to a carpark, then activated by Hanna and transferred to three allocated cars. These cars exploded almost simultaneously in Dublin's city centre at about 5.30pm during evening rush hour, killing 26 civilians. Ninety minutes later a fourth car bomb exploded in MonaghanMonaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
, killing another seven civilians.
Mitchell and his female housekeeper, Lily Shields both denied knowledge that the farm was used for illicit paramilitary activity. They also denied partaking in any UVF attacks. In his sworn affidavit, John Weir affirms that the farmhouse was used as a base for UVF operations that included the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. Weir also stated that on one occasion an RUC constable gave him two weapons to store at the Glenanne farm:
"He then offered me the two sub-machine guns because he knew about my connection to Loyalist paramilitaries. I accepted them and took them to Mitchell's farmhouse".
In his affidavit, Weir recounted when in March 1976 he had gone to the farm where between eight to ten men dressed in camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
had been parading in the farmyard. Inside he had discussed with Mitchell and others the details of a planned bombing and shooting attack against a nationalist pub, Tully's in Belleeks. Mitchell had shown him the floor plans of the pub's interior which he had drawn up highlighting the lack of escape routes for the pub's patrons. The plan was temporarily called off when it was discovered that the Army's Parachute Regiment was on patrol that evening in the area. Weir returned to Belfast the next day and the attack went ahead that evening, 8 March. There were no casualities, however, as Mitchell's floor plans had been inaccurate, and the customers had fled into the pub's living quarters for safety once the shooting had commenced outside, and the bomb only caused structural damage to the building.
Mr. Justice Barron concluded in his report:
"It is likely that the farm of James Mitchell at Glenanne played a significant part in the preparation for the attacks [Dublin and Monaghan bombings]. It is also likely that members of the UDR and RUC either participated in, or were aware of those preparations."
Miami Showband massacre
On 31 July 1975, four days after Hanna's shooting and Jackson's assumption of leadership of the Mid-Ulster brigade, the Miami Showband's minibus was flagged-down outside NewryNewry
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...
by armed UVF men wearing British Army uniforms at a bogus military checkpoint. Two UVF men (Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville) loaded a time delay bomb on the minibus but it exploded prematurely and killed them. The remaining UVF gunmen then opened fire on the bandmembers, killing three (Brian McCoy, Anthony Geraghty and Fran O'Toole) and wounding two (Stephen Travers and Des McAlea). Two of the three men convicted of the killings and sentenced to life imprisonment were serving members of the UDR, and the third was a former member. The Luger pistol used in the attack was found to have been the same one used to kill Provisional IRA
Provisional 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...
member John Francis Green in January 1975 and was also used in the O'Dowd killings of January 1976. The following May, the security forces found Jackson's fingerprints on insulating tape wrapped around a home-made silencer attached to a Luger. Although charged, Jackson avoided conviction. A Sterling 9mm submachine gun was also used in the Miami Showband killings. The 2003 Barron Report suggests that the guns were taken from the stockpile of weapons at the Glenanne farm. The Luger pistol used in the Green, Miami Showband, and O'Dowd attacks was later destroyed by the RUC on 28 August 1978.
Liaison officer Captain Robert Nairac
Robert Nairac
Captain Robert Laurence Nairac GC was a British Army officer who was abducted from a pub in south County Armagh during an undercover operation and killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on his fourth tour of duty in Northern Ireland as a Military Intelligence Liaison Officer...
has been linked to the Miami Showband killings and the killing of John Francis Green. Miami Showband survivors Stephen Travers and Des McAlea both testified in court that a man with a "crisp, clipped English accent, and wearing a different uniform and beret" had been at the scene of the explosion and subsequent shootings. Martin Dillon
Martin Dillon
Martin Dillon is an author and journalist from Northern Ireland. He worked for eighteen years at the BBC and has written a number of plays and novels, but he is best known for his non-fiction books about the Troubles....
in The Dirty War, however, adamantly states that Nairac was not involved in either attack. The Cassel Report concluded that there was "credible evidence that the principal perpetrator [of the Miami Showband attack] was a man who was not prosecuted - alleged RUC Special Branch agent Robin Jackson". Although Jackson had been questioned by the RUC following the Showband attack, he was released without having been charged.
Reavey and O'Dowd killings and the Kingsmill massacre
The co-ordinated sectarian shootings of the Reavey and O'Dowd families, allegedly perpetrated by the Glenanne gang and organised by Robin Jackson, provoked the South Armagh Republican Action ForceSouth Armagh Republican Action Force
The 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...
to retaliate with a tit-fot-tat sectarian attack the following day. It stopped a minibus at Kingsmill and shot dead the ten Protestant passengers
Kingsmill massacre
The Kingsmill massacre took place on 5 January 1976 near the village of Kingsmill in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Ten Protestant men were taken from a minibus and shot dead by a group calling itself the South Armagh Republican Action Force...
, after being taken out of their minibus which was transporting them home from their workplace in Glenanne.
In 2001 an unidentified Glenanne gang-member (a former RUC man who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in the gang's killings) revealed that the gang had planned to kill at least thirty Catholic schoolchildren as revenge for Kingsmill. It drew up plans to attack St Lawrence O'Toole Primary School in the South Armagh village of Belleeks. The plan was aborted at the last minute on orders of the UVF leadership; who ruled that it would be "morally unacceptable", would undermine support for the UVF, and could lead to civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. The gang-member who suggested the attack was a UDR soldier; he was later shot dead by the IRA. The UVF leadership allegedly suspected that he was working for Military Intelligence, and that military intelligence were seeking to provoke a civil war. In 2004, gang-member McCaughey spoke of the planned retaliation and said that the UVF leadership also feared the potential IRA response.
Convictions
The Cassel Report states that convictions were obtained in only nine of the 25 cases it investigated and that several of those convictions are suspect as erroneous and incomplete.A month before Nairac's killing, a Catholic chemist, William Strathearn, was gunned down at his home in Ahoghill
Ahoghill
Ahoghill or Ahohill is a large village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, four miles from Ballymena. It has a population of 3,055 people . It is within the Borough of Ballymena....
, County Antrim. SPG officers Weir and McCaughey were charged and convicted for the killing. Weir named Jackson as having been the gunman but Jackson was never interrogated for "reasons of operational strategy". The Special Patrol Group was disbanded in 1980 by the RUC after the convictions of Weir and McCaughey for the Strathearn killing.
In December 1978 the authorities raided the Glenanne farm and found weapons and ammunition. This made it necessary for the gang to seek an alternative base of operations and arms dump. James Mitchell was charged and convicted of storing weapons on his land. Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Robert Lowry presided over his trial on 30 June 1980. The farm had been under RUC observation for several months before the raid.
On 16 October 1979, Robin Jackson was arrested when he was found with a number of weapons and hoods. In January 1981 he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for possession of guns and ammunition, but was then released in May 1983. John Weir stated that the Glenanne gang usually did not use the name "UVF" whenever it claimed its attacks; instead it typically employed the cover names of Red Hand Commando, Red Hand Brigade or Protestant Action Force.
See also
- Shankill ButchersShankill ButchersThe Shankill Butchers is the name given to an Ulster loyalist gang, many of whom were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force . The gang conducted paramilitary activities during the 1970s in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was most notorious for its late-night kidnapping, torture and murder of random...
- Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actionsTimeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actionsThis is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Volunteer Force , a loyalist paramilitary group formed in 1966. It includes actions carried out by the Red Hand Commando , a group integrated into the UVF shortly after their formation in 1972. It also includes attacks claimed by the Protestant Action...