Ronnie Bunting
Encyclopedia
Ronnie Bunting was an Irish republican and socialist activist in Ireland
. He became a member of the Official IRA
in the early 1970s and was a founder member of the Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA) in 1974. He became leader of the INLA in 1978 and was assassinated in 1980.
, had been a major in the British Army
and Ronnie grew up in various military barracks around the world. Contrary to his son, his father became a supporter and associate of Ian Paisley
and ran for election under the Protestant Unionist Party
banner. He returned to Northern Ireland
in his teens. Having completed his education, Bunting briefly became a teacher of history
in Belfast
, but from around 1971, he became a full time political and paramilitary activist. Unlike most Protestants in Northern Ireland, Bunting became a militant Irish republican. His father, by contrast, was a committed loyalist
, who organised armed stewards for demonstrations called by Ian Paisley
- most famously at Burntollet
, when his followers attacked a civil rights march of the People's Democracy
on 4 January 1969.
(PIRA) was seen by some to be more Catholic and nationalist in its outlook. At this time, the communal conflict known as the Troubles
was beginning and the Official IRA were involved in shootings and bombings. Bunting was interned
in 1971 and held in Long Kesh. He was one of only two Protestants interned out of 350 initial detainees. Bunting was later released in 1973.
and other militants, who disagreed with the OIRA's ceasefire of 1972 into a new grouping, the Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA). Immediately, a violent feud broke out between the OIRA and the INLA that simmered until 1977. Seamus Costello was killed in this year by an OIRA gunman in Dublin. Bunting was hit in the neck by a rifle bullet while driving in Belfast. It is not clear whether the bullet was fired by the British Army, loyalists or rival republicans. In any case, Bunting and his family hid in Wales
until 1978, when he returned to Belfast.
For the remaining two years of his life, Bunting was the military leader of the INLA. The grouping regularly attacked the British Army and RUC
in Belfast. Bunting called in claims of responsibility to the media by the code name "Captain Green". The INLA's most notorious activity around this time was the assassination of Airey Neave
.
(UDA) but the INLA claimed that the SAS
were involved.
Bunting's father refused to let his son be buried with other dead INLA men and instead buried him in a family plot.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He became a member of the Official IRA
Official IRA
The Official Irish Republican Army or Official IRA is an Irish republican paramilitary group whose goal was to create a "32-county workers' republic" in Ireland. It emerged from a split in the Irish Republican Army in December 1969, shortly after the beginning of "The Troubles"...
in the early 1970s and was a founder member of the Irish National Liberation Army
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
(INLA) in 1974. He became leader of the INLA in 1978 and was assassinated in 1980.
Background
Bunting came from a Protestant family. His father, Ronald BuntingRonald Bunting
Major Ronald Terence Bunting was a British Army officer and unionist political figure in Northern Ireland.Bunting was commissioned into the Armagh and Down Army Cadet Force in May 1946 and resigned in March 1950 when he transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as a Lieutenant...
, had been a major in 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...
and Ronnie grew up in various military barracks around the world. Contrary to his son, his father became a supporter and associate of Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
and ran for election under the Protestant Unionist Party
Protestant Unionist Party
The Protestant Unionist Party was a unionist political party operating in Northern Ireland from 1966 to 1971. It was set up by Ian Paisley, and was the forerunner of the modern Democratic Unionist Party and emerged from the Ulster Protestant Action movement.The UPA had two councillors elected,...
banner. He returned to 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...
in his teens. Having completed his education, Bunting briefly became a teacher of history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
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...
, but from around 1971, he became a full time political and paramilitary activist. Unlike most Protestants in Northern Ireland, Bunting became a militant Irish republican. His father, by contrast, was a committed 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 organised armed stewards for demonstrations called by Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
- most famously at Burntollet
Burntollet
Burntollet was the setting for an infamous attack during the so called Troubles of Northern Ireland. A nationalist march from Belfast to Derry was attacked whilst passing through Burntollet on the 4th of January, 1969 . A loyalist crowd, numbering in the region of 200, attacked the civil rights...
, when his followers attacked a civil rights march of the People's Democracy
People's Democracy
People's Democracy was a political organisation that, while supporting the campaign for civil rights for Northern Ireland's Catholic minority, stated that such rights could only be achieved through the establishment of a socialist republic for all of Ireland...
on 4 January 1969.
Membership of the Official IRA
Bunting joined the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) in around 1970 - being attracted to their left wing and secular interpretation of Irish republicanism and believing in the necessity of armed revolution to overthrow Northern Ireland. The other wing of the IRA - the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(PIRA) was seen by some to be more Catholic and nationalist in its outlook. At this time, the communal conflict known as 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...
was beginning and the Official IRA were involved in shootings and bombings. Bunting was interned
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
in 1971 and held in Long Kesh. He was one of only two Protestants interned out of 350 initial detainees. Bunting was later released in 1973.
Membership of the INLA
In 1974, Bunting followed Seamus CostelloSeamus Costello
Seamus Costello was a leader of Official Sinn Féin and the Official Irish Republican Army and latterly of the Irish Republican Socialist Party and the Irish National Liberation Army ....
and other militants, who disagreed with the OIRA's ceasefire of 1972 into a new grouping, the Irish National Liberation Army
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
(INLA). Immediately, a violent feud broke out between the OIRA and the INLA that simmered until 1977. Seamus Costello was killed in this year by an OIRA gunman in Dublin. Bunting was hit in the neck by a rifle bullet while driving in Belfast. It is not clear whether the bullet was fired by the British Army, loyalists or rival republicans. In any case, Bunting and his family hid in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
until 1978, when he returned to Belfast.
For the remaining two years of his life, Bunting was the military leader of the INLA. The grouping regularly attacked the British Army and RUC
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...
in Belfast. Bunting called in claims of responsibility to the media by the code name "Captain Green". The INLA's most notorious activity around this time was the assassination of Airey Neave
Airey Neave
Airey Middleton Sheffield Neave DSO, OBE, MC was a British soldier, barrister and politician.During World War II, Neave was one of the few servicemen to escape from the German prisoner-of-war camp Oflag IV-C at Colditz Castle...
.
Death
On 15 October 1980, several gunmen entered Bunting's home in the Lower Falls area of Belfast and shot him, his wife Suzanne and another INLA man, Noel Lyttle. Suzanne Bunting survived, but the two men were killed. The attack was claimed by the Ulster Defence AssociationUlster 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) but the INLA claimed that the SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
were involved.
Bunting's father refused to let his son be buried with other dead INLA men and instead buried him in a family plot.
Sources
- Jack Holland, Henry McDonald - INLA -Deadly Divisions
- Walter EllisWalter EllisWalter Ellis is a Northern Ireland-born, United States-based writer.Ellis is the author of The Beginning of the End: The Crippling Disadvantage of a Happy Irish Childhood, the story of his early life in Belfast, Durham, Cork, and Brussels, and his uneasy relationship with his cousin, Ronnie...
- The Beginning of the End