Tom O'Farrell, Seans father, believes he knows why: They were let out to be slaughtered.. BY SHANE Mac THOMIS. Off duty UDR ambushed leaving home, Coalisland. [19] One of the wounded was the brother of IRA volunteer Kevin O'Donnell, who had been killed by the Special Air Service (SAS) in February during an ambush at the nearby hamlet of Clonoe, shortly after carrying out a machine-gun attack on the local RUC base. However, Judge McFarland said "the story has all the appearances of one concocted to fit the prosecution case against him. 2023 Getty Images. Also revealed in the report is information The blast sparked an immediate reaction by an undercover Special Air Service unit, who shot and wounded Gareth Doris, an Irish republican and alleged IRA volunteer. Coalisland Athletic Football Club has been fined 250 after video footage emerged of players singing a song which contains lyrics supporting the IRA. This report shows the exterior of an RUC station and damage caused to . It also offers professional touring companies the opportunity to stage shows, concerts and workshops. On 4 December 1983, at the height a crown forces' shoot-to-kill policy, two unarmed IRA Volunteers were summarily executed by undercover British operatives. The town was served by a canal (the Coalisland Canal or Tyrone Navigation), although this is now derelict. Judge McFarland, who delivered his judgment yesterday after hearing Campbell's the Diplock style case at Belfast Crown Court, said for all of reasons set out in his 34 page judgment, "I am satisfied that the prosecution have proved to the extent that I am firmly convinced that the defendant unlawfully and maliciously caused an explosion of a nature likely to endanger life". They in no way reflect my own opinions and I take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or factual errors, was ambushed and eight of its members killed. Another man who was shot and injured is suing the. mens killings was opened in 2002, a full inquest has not taken place. He saw two men disappeared down an alleyway, followed moments later by the sound of two explosions, and the two men running back out of the alleyway. The army shot at least two other men, one found in the adjoining cemetery, the other arrested a mile down the road after crashing his car through a hedge. Killed by: British Army (BA)Shot by undercover British Army (BA) members, in the car park of St Patricks Roman Catholic Church, Dernagh, near Coalisland, shortly after he had been involved in gun attack on Coalisland British Army (BA) / Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base, County Tyrone. On the basis of this intelligence, the SAS [16], On the evening of 17 May, a fist-fight began at Lineside Road, where a group of young men were having a drink. Enter email address The vehicle used by the IRA volunteers can be seen on the far right of the image, Justice Treacy described the evidence of Soldier A, the soldier in charge of the SAS operation that night and who was involved in the killings, as utterly implausible. Formed in Belfast on 9 April 1967, the civil rights campaign attempted to achieve reform by publicising, documenting, and lobbying for an end to discrimination against . Despite these losses, the IRA campaign continued unabated; 33 British bases were destroyed and nearly 100 damaged during the next five years. The Mid Ulster League are very disappointed about it. A local IRA source pointed out areas of incompetence in the attack by the IRA unit involved that led to its destruction: During the funeral services for O'Donnell and O'Farrell in Coalisland, the parish priest criticised the security forces for what happened at Clonoe church, which had resulted in the deaths of the four IRA men. Weather. 327 (Apr., 1994), "Troubles Chronology" pp. On Census day (27 March 2011) there were 5,682 people living in Coalisland. Yesterday, Judge McFarland dismissed Campbell's claims, ruling that he was "sure" that he was assisting the bomber, who was also shot and wounded by a 'Soldier A', and arrested and subsequently jailed. find out the truth. Coalisland Athletic FC has been contacted for comment, but has not yet responded. Man convicted of IRA bomb attack in 1997. all of the men and the attack on the RUC station could have been avoided, the When the lads were dismantling their weapons, they opened fire--no chance for return fire, said Francie Molloy, 40, a member of the local council for Sinn Fein, the legal political party that supports the IRA. The Irish FA said in a statement: "The Mid Ulster Football League referred a complaint to the Irish Football Associations Disciplinary Committee in relation to the conduct of Coalisland Athletic FC following their appearance in the fonaCAB Junior Cup Final on Monday 2 May. S.A.S KILL 4 IRA MEN WHO ATTACK COALISLAND POLICE STATION. Discover your full benefits as a Premium subscriber. Aidan McKeever, one of two men wounded on the night as the Volunteers were There were many armed RUC officers outside the church during the funeral, the RUC having changed its policy after the Milltown Cemetery attack. Tel: Email: Address: 028 8774 0540; info@coalislandcu.com; Credit Union Buildings The Square Coalisland Co.Tyrone BT71 4LN; Opening hours. The SAS unit was then surrounded by a crowd of protesters who prevented them approaching Doris or (I.R.A) History & Background, 16th February Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles, 16th February Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles | Belfast Child. In the months before their son died, the O'Donnells said they had heard or seen unmarked police cars drive into their lane at night and sit there. There is no excuse for this and theres nothing to be gained by playing this down. The IRA claims to be fighting a war. It functions as a frontier fort, often housing more British troops than police. Monday 4 | 7C. Grenade attack on Coalisland Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) Station, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) claim responsibility. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. An IRA member drove a digger with a bomb in its bucket through the perimeter fence, while the rest of the unit arrived in a van and fired on the building. Justice gives a clear and consistent picture. [6] Another high-profile attack of the East Tyrone Brigade was carried out on 11 January 1990 near Augher, where a Gazelle helicopter was shot down. A TERROR chief who was publicly accused of being behind the Shergar kidnapping nips down to the bookies on the anniversary of the legendary racehorse's disappearance. IRA VOLUNTEERS OF COALISLAND & CLONOE 1921-1992 PART ONE 26,158 views Apr 27, 2011 75 Dislike Share Save antiscrappydoo 723 subscribers the story of IRA volunteers from Coalisland & Clonoe. [1] Mr Justice Treacy of Northern Ireland's High Court awarded McKeever, the IRA getaway driver, 75,000 in damages in 2011. Coalisland (Irish: Oilen an Ghuail)[2] is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a population of 5,682 in the 2011 Census. Provisional IRA attack on British army patrol near the village of Cappagh, County Tyrone: Resulted in: Parachute Regiment patrols in Northern Ireland cancelled before official tour's end; [11] SASs operational area around the RUC barracks and the ambush site. Justice report last month, Kevin Barry ODonnells sister, Roisin U Mhuir, The IRA attackers then drove off at speed up Annagher hill, without any apparent pursuit from the security forces. It is understood that the footage was initially posted on the team's Facebook page, but has since been removed.. said she and the other relatives deserve to know what happened. The Ulster Volunteer Force was responsible for the murder of a Catholic civilian in the nearby town of Aughamullan.[7]. While it was possible to exploit these resources, the difficulty was getting the coal to market in Dublin. Turning to the defence case, the judge said Campbell claimed he had gone to town that evening to get a video, however he did not see any running men, nor Doris getting shot, although he was aware of an explosion and of shots being fired. The club should confirm the authenticity of this video and where it stands on such behaviour, said the Mid Ulster Assembly candidate. [6][14] Two pubs were ransacked by the troops[15] and a number of civilian cars were damaged. RUC officers arrived and fired plastic bullets at the crowd, allowing the special forces to leave the area. Picture by Brian Little/PA Wire. [5] British intelligence identified them as the perpetrators of the Ballygawley bus bombing, which killed eight British soldiers. The 1992 Coalisland riots were a series of clashes on 12 and 17 May 1992 between local Irish nationalist civilians and British Army soldiers (of the Third Battalion of the Parachute Regiment [1] and the King's Own Scottish Borderers) in the town of Coalisland, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. [15], Several witnesses to the ambush later claimed that some of the IRA men tried to surrender to the British Army engaging unit during the ambush, but were summarily executed. [4] Three months later, an IRA bomb attack on a British Army patrol at Cappagh, in which a paratrooper lost his legs, triggered a series of clashes between local residents and British troops on 12 and 17 May. The British Government should hold up its It was a case of mistaken identity; the IRA had received information that he was working as a labourer on a British Army barracks (he was a joiner by trade), but this turned out to be untrue. Coalisland railway station was opened on 28 July 1897, closed for passenger traffic on 16 January 1956 and for goods traffic on 5 October 1959, finally closing altogether on 1 April 1965. Coalisland ( Irish: Oilen an Ghuail) [2] is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a population of 5,682 in the 2011 Census. An eight-man unit of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) launched an attack on the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base in the village. It seemed to be that our boys had run out of ammunition, that they had fired that much up in the town that they didnt leave themselves enough to cover themselves. S.A.S KILL 4 IRA MEN WHO ATTACK COALISLAND POLICE STATION. Killed were Kevin Barry O'Donnell, 21; Sean O'Farrell, 22; Peter Clancy, 21; and Patrick Vincent, 20, the only one of the four not under suspicion by army intelligence. But this was an act of insanity, to go in with the tactics of 1920 against the high-tech armor of 1992.. [14] An IRA statement reported that another active service unit made up of at least four volunteers taking part in the operation at Coalisland "escaped unharmed"[2] under heavy fire in other vehicles after splitting up into two teams. a British Army SAS ambush in 1992 that left four Tyrone IRA Volunteers dead Kevin Barry ODonnell, Patrick Vincent, Sen OFarrell and Peter Clancy dead CatholicStatus: Irish Republican Army (IRA). [19], Fresh clashes between local residents and soldiers were reported at Coalisland on 6 March 1994, a few months before the first IRA ceasefire. [17] In the mele, a rifle and a light machine gun were stolen. Under the light of army flares and a hail of automatic fire, the others tried to flee. The central plank of the report is that the As a result, the paratroopers were redeployed outside the urban areas. A local Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) unit was ambushed by the Special Air Service and 14 Intelligence Company at a graveyard after launching a heavy machine gun attack on the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base in Coalisland. [9], The population of the village increased during the 19th century:[10][11][12][13]. [13] While Francis Molloy, a local Sinn Fin councillor, walked out of the church in protest, leading republicans Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness remained in their seats. Coffin carried along, piper in lead MS Gerry Adams, Provisional Sinn Fein MP for Belfast West, carrying coffin on one side LMS Police station PAN to funeral procession going past MS Masked IRA men. In Jim O'Donnells eyes, his son was a child of the troubles, born the year after civil unrest brought British troops onto the streets of Northern Ireland. ambush) that name two of the dead Volunteers. To locals it seemed clear that the armys elite Special Air Service had notched another ambush. It is unclear whether or not this decision was appealed, or whether the damages were ever paid.[16]. Specially trained units of the British army, led by the counterterrorist SAS, have refined a tactic of staging ambush-style operations reliant on advance information of IRA plans gleaned from informers, phone-tapping and detailed surveillance. Documents disclosed at a preliminary A ruling by the Belfast High Court in [34] Authors Andrew Sanders and Ian S. Wood[19] suggested that the deployment of the battalion in Coalisland and elsewhere hindered the British policy of police primacy in Northern Ireland. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. [16] The youths smashed a backpack radio which had been left behind by the troops. Moloney, who wrote A Secret History of the IRA, reported that the IRA East Tyrone Brigade lost 53 members during the Troubles the highest of any Brigade area. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000creators to create content exclusively for your brand. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. [35], Confrontation between a British paratrooper and a civilian in Coalisland. Niall O'Donnell, 17, said he is proud of his brother and the three others who died. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. MS IRA fire shots over coffin, QuickTime 8-bit Photo-JPEG SD 720x576 25i. 7.2% of people aged 1674 were unemployed. Amnesty International raised its concerns over the shooting[10] and the fact that no warning was given beforehand. Campbell denied the charges, but received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence. This show of force was criticised as it ensured new young recruits to the IRA.[1]. attack on the RUC station. Who knows what they can see and hear?. Immediately on arrival, the IRA attackers were in the process of preparing to abandon the attack vehicles and dismounting the DShk to take with them when they were assailed by a British Army detachment that had been lying in wait for them in the car park's perimeter, primarily composed of soldiers from the Special Air Service, who engaged them with sustained automatic fire. There they spent the last rounds of ammunition firing in the air and shouting, Up the RA, thats for Tony Doris!. was carried out by up to 12 SAS soldiers who lay in wait for the Volunteers at Five were bound over. [17], Gareth Doris was admitted to South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon,[9] where he was arrested after undergoing surgery. Several people were allegedly hit with sticks. Receive today's headlines directly to your inbox every morning and evening, with our free daily newsletter. Prior approval required if clip features ITN newsreader or reporter in sound or vision; please contact your local Getty Images representative. The Clonoe ambush happened on 16 February 1992 in the village of Clonoe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The SAS unit was then surrounded by a crowd of protesters who prevented them approaching Doris or leaving. It was one of the very few incidents in which the army confirmed SAS involvement. The dearth of official information about the incident provides fertile ground for inflammatory gossip and rising anger. There can be no place for such songs in sport., Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle ONeill congratulated Coalisland Athletic on their win, posting on Twitter: Fantastic win for Coalisland Athletic in the Junior Cup today. Tipperary Tim astounding 1928 Grand National winner at 100/1 & a proud resident of Glencairn ! A year earlier, they had attended the funerals of the eight IRA men killed in an SAS ambush at Loughgall, 10 miles southeast of Coalisland, in which the army also killed a passing civilian. [9] The Ulster Television documentary Counterpoint of June 1993 claimed that Northern Ireland's Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Alisdair Fraser returned the case file to the RUC recommending no prosecution. The DShK could be used up to 2,000 metres from the target, and its armour-piercing capabilities at 1,500 metres are still considerable. He persuaded a jury that he was a devout Catholic who opposed the IRA, had been shocked to find the rifles in his cousins car and was trying to throw them away. [11] Several witnesses claimed some of the IRA volunteers were trying to surrender but were summarily executed by the SAS. O'Donnell and Clancy were cut down a few yards from the truck. Coalisland Athletic Football Club has been fined 250 after video footage emerged of players singing a song which contains lyrics supporting the IRA. The two vehicles then drove up the Annagher hill and drove past the house of Tony Doris, an IRA member killed the previous year. [3] The SAS ambush had no noticeable long-term effect on the level of IRA activity in East Tyrone. [6] Other paratroopers received lesser wounds, according to the same statement. The two gunmen had hijacked a car and forced the owner to drive them towards Coalisland and from there they escaped on foot across fields. Tuesday 3 | 10C. The unit opened fire on the base at point-blank with armour-piercing tracer ammunition. The march went from Coalisland to Dungannon. O'Farrell got to the road about 50 yards away before being hit. [25], Fortnight issues 302-12, Fortnight Publications, 1992, pg. RM2D3M7J6 - Senior Republican Brian Keenan, who was once reported to have been appointed chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1998, speaks at an Irish Republican rally to commemorate the 87th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising in Coalisland, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, April 19, 2003. The Clonoe Ambush was a military action between the British Army and the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) that occurred during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. The same document states that British [2] A number of men, apparently SAS soldiers, got out of civilian vehicles wearing baseball caps with "Army" stamped on the front. The ambush that left Tyrone Volunteers Kevin Barry O'Donnell, Patrick Vincent, Sen O'Farrell and Peter Clancy dead was carried out by up to 12 SAS soldiers who lay in wait for the Volunteers at Clonoe, near Coalisland, in east Tyrone. Loughgall FC unveils ambitious ground redevelopment plans, Glenavon announce new signing while midfielder heads for exit door, Mick McDermott replaced as Glentoran boss but remains at club at boardroom level, Saturday's defeat at home to Larne was the Oval club's fifth loss in a row in the league, the first time this had happened since 1935, Larne make it a County Antrim hat-trick but win marred by David Walsh injury, Linfield goalkeeper stretchered off as Invermen win on penalties, Tyrone vs Derry: Mattie Donnelly believes emerging stars will drive Red Hands forward in 2023, The first cup of the new season is up for grabs when Tyrone clash with rivals Derry in Saturday night's Dr McKenna Cup final in the Athletic Grounds, Tiernan Lynch pays tribute to players after incident-packed final, Larne boss hopes Co Antrim Shield triumph is start of successful season, What channel is Co Antrim Shield final on? Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. In all, the British soldiers fired 514 Coalisland town center is dominated by the massive brick building fronted by a bulletproof watchtower, surrounded by high metal grills, draped with anti-mortar netting and crowned by a battery of infrared-sensitive cameras keeping constant watch on the surrounding hostile populace. From 1985 onwards, the IRA in East Tyrone had been at the forefront of a campaign against British state police and army facilities and their personnel. The prosecutor acknowledged that Campbell would have been released by that time under the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, but argued that that was a decision for the parole commission, not the court. [17] While Francis Molloy, a local Sinn Fin councillor, walked out of the church in protest, leading Sinn Fin politicians Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness remained in their seats. SAS take out four IRA men Clonoe ambush. The town grew up around the canal workings. ", PSNI appeal for information on fourth anniversary of fatal shooting, School closures and traffic updates as snow hits Northern Ireland - RECAP, A weather warning is in place until midday, Belfast 'arson' under investigation after early morning blaze, It happened in the St Georges Gardens area, Belfast Midwives: NI health worker speaks on grief and bereavement after baby loss, Gillian features in episode three of Channel 4's Belfast Midwives supporting a family who loses their twin daughters during pregnancy, Belfast mum's plea for help as 'mice run across children's beds', "My youngest son at the age of 10 months cant even crawl or learn to walk because of it", DUP's Wilson joins Tory MPs in backing law to restrict strikes, The bill would require "minimum service levels" during public sector strikes, but trade unions have condemned the plan. IRA members Peter Clancy, Kevin Barry O'Donnell, Sen O'Farrell, and Patrick Vincent were killed, while two others escaped. A neighbor told them he had spotted two soldiers climbing down from a spy post in the roof of his farm shed beside the O'Donnell home. Picture by Brian Little/PA Wire. COALISLAND IRA FUNERALS; NORTHERN IRELAND: County Tyrone: Coalisland: My autobiography: A Belfast Child is now available to pre-order on Amazon , launch date is 30th April. Two other IRA men, one of them being Aidan McKeever, who were found sitting in a car in the car park with the intention of acting as getaway drivers, surrendered after being wounded and were taken prisoner. O'Donnells departure from the Old Bailey courthouse was all but overlooked in the drama elsewhere in the building: The Court of Appeal was freeing six Irish men who, it conceded, should not have spent 17 years in prison for IRA bombings in Birmingham, England. The improvised landmine was described in an IRA statement as an "anti-personnel device". The footage was captured on board the team. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. [8], On 16 February 1992 at 22:30, a car and a truck carrying a number of IRA members drove into the centre of Coalisland and stopped at the fortified RUC/British Army base. [6], On 3 June 1991, three IRA men, Lawrence McNally, Michael Pete Ryan and Tony Doris, died in another SAS ambush at Coagh, where their car was riddled with gunfire. A 41-year-old Co Tyrone man has been remanded into custody after being convicted of causing an explosion at an RUC station over two decades ago.

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