Thomas McMahon
Encyclopedia
Thomas McMahon is a former volunteer
in the South Armagh Brigade
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA), and was one of the IRA's most experienced bomb-makers.
McMahon was convicted of the murder of Admiral of the Fleet
Lord Mountbatten of Burma
and three others at Mullaghmore, County Sligo, in the West of Ireland
.
He planted a bomb in Shadow V, a 27 ft fishing boat belonging to Mountbatten at Mullaghmore, County Sligo, near Donegal Bay
.
Lord Mountbatten was killed in the bomb blast along with three other people:
The IRA admitted responsibility for the act in a statement released immediately afterwards. In the statement from the organisation they said: "This operation is one of the discriminate ways we can bring to the attention of the English people the continuing occupation of our country."
McMahon was arrested by the Garda
(the Republic of Ireland
's police force) two hours before the bomb detonated, having been initially stopped on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle.
He was tried for the murders in the Republic of Ireland, and convicted by forensic evidence supplied by Dr James O'Donovan
that showed flecks of paint from the boat and traces of nitroglycerine on his clothes.. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder on 23 November 1979, but was released in 1998 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
After his release, Toby Harnden
in Bandit Country reported that McMahon was holding a tricolour
in the first rank of the IRA colour party at a 1998 IRA meeting in Cullyhanna
. However according to a BBC report, McMahon has said that he had severed his links with the IRA in 1990.
He has twice refused to meet Paul Maxwell's father, John, who has sought him out to explain the reasons for his son's murder. In a May 2011 interview for The Telegraph
, he stated:
He likewise refused requests from Katchbull's twin brother, who lost an eye in the same explosion. The latter however has forgiven McMahon and other members of the IRA who committed the murders.
As of 2011, McMahon lives with his wife Rose in a hillside bungalow in Lisanisk, Carrickmacross
, County Monaghan
. He has two grown sons.
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
in the South Armagh Brigade
Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade
The South Armagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army operated during the Troubles in south County Armagh. It was organised into two battalions, one around Jonesborough and another around Crossmaglen. By the 1990s, the South Armagh Brigade was thought to consist of about 40 members,...
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
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...
(IRA), and was one of the IRA's most experienced bomb-makers.
McMahon was convicted of the murder of Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
Lord Mountbatten of Burma
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and three others at Mullaghmore, County Sligo, in the West of Ireland
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 planted a bomb in Shadow V, a 27 ft fishing boat belonging to Mountbatten at Mullaghmore, County Sligo, near Donegal Bay
Donegal Bay
Donegal Bay is an inlet in the northwest of Ireland. Three counties – Donegal to the north and west, Leitrim and Sligo to the south – have shorelines on the bay, which is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean...
.
Lord Mountbatten was killed in the bomb blast along with three other people:
- The Dowager Baroness BrabourneDoreen Knatchbull, Baroness BrabourneDoreen Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne, CI was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, socialite and victim of the Provisional IRA.-Family life:...
, Mountbatten's elder daughter's mother-in-law (aged 83). - The Hon. Nicholas Knatchbull, his elder daughter's fourth son (aged 14).
- Paul Maxwell, from County FermanaghCounty FermanaghFermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, who was working as a crew member (aged 15).
The IRA admitted responsibility for the act in a statement released immediately afterwards. In the statement from the organisation they said: "This operation is one of the discriminate ways we can bring to the attention of the English people the continuing occupation of our country."
McMahon was arrested by the Garda
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
(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,...
's police force) two hours before the bomb detonated, having been initially stopped on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle.
He was tried for the murders in the Republic of Ireland, and convicted by forensic evidence supplied by Dr James O'Donovan
James O'Donovan
Dr James O'Donovan was until his retirement in 2002, the senior forensic scientist to the Garda Technical Bureau of the Garda Síochána...
that showed flecks of paint from the boat and traces of nitroglycerine on his clothes.. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder on 23 November 1979, but was released in 1998 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
After his release, Toby Harnden
Toby Harnden
Toby Harnden is an Anglo-American journalist and author. He has been US editor of The Daily Telegraph since 2006.-Background:...
in Bandit Country reported that McMahon was holding a tricolour
Tricolour
A tricolour is a flag or banner more-or-less equally divided into three bands of differing colours...
in the first rank of the IRA colour party at a 1998 IRA meeting in Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies on the main road between Newtownhamilton and Crossmaglen. It had a population of 306 in the 2001 Census...
. However according to a BBC report, McMahon has said that he had severed his links with the IRA in 1990.
He has twice refused to meet Paul Maxwell's father, John, who has sought him out to explain the reasons for his son's murder. In a May 2011 interview for The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, he stated:
- I would like some kind of explanation from him in relation to his actions.” Furthermore, he revealed that his son’s killer has snubbed two requests for a meeting.
- I’ve made two approaches to McMahon, the first through a priest, who warned me in advance that he thought there wouldn’t be any positive response. And there wasn’t. I have some reservations about meeting him, obviously – it might work out in such a way that I would regret having made the contact. On the other hand, if we met and I could even begin to understand his motivation. If we could meet on some kind of a human level, a man to man level, it could help me come to terms with it. But that might be very optimistic. McMahon knows the door is open at this end.
- I think I would put a question to him directly, along the lines of...’If I had killed his son, for whatever reason, how would he feel about it? Would he be capable of putting himself in my shoes, to look at it from my angle?’ I’d be interested to know how he would reply to that.
He likewise refused requests from Katchbull's twin brother, who lost an eye in the same explosion. The latter however has forgiven McMahon and other members of the IRA who committed the murders.
As of 2011, McMahon lives with his wife Rose in a hillside bungalow in Lisanisk, Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross or Carrickmacros is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town and environs had a population of 4,387 according to the 2006 census, making it the second largest town in the county. The town won the prestigious European Entente Florale Silver Medal Award. It is a market town which...
, County Monaghan
County Monaghan
County 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...
. He has two grown sons.