The Troubles in Armagh

The Troubles in Armagh recounts incidents during The Troubles in Armagh, County Armagh, Northern Ireland; the violence was substantial enough for the city to be referred to by some as "Murder Mile". Over the span of 20 years, 24 individuals were killed in 13 different incidents.

1975

• 22 August 1975 - The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) launched a gun and bomb attack on McGleenan's Bar on Upper English Street, Armagh. One gunman opened fire while another planted the bomb. It exploded as they ran to a getaway car, causing the building to collapse. John McGleenan (45), Patrick Hughes (30) and Thomas Morris (22), all Catholic civilians, were killed. Morris died on 28 August 1975.^[1][2]

1979

• 19 April 1979, Agnes Wallace (40), a Prison Officer, was shot dead and three female colleagues were injured in a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) gun and grenade attack outside Armagh women's prison.^[3][4] Wallace and three female colleagues had just left the prison when a hand grenade was thrown from a passing car and shots were fired. All four were injured in the attack and Wallace died at the scene. She had joined the Prison Service in January 1979 and was the first female Prison Officer to be killed in the Troubles.^[5]
• 2 June 1979 - Alan Dunne (36), an off duty member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and David Stinson (32), a civilian, both Protestants, were shot dead by Irish Republicans while standing outside Dunne’s home, Ballinahone Crescent, Armagh.^[4]
• 2 August 1979 - Paul Reece (18) and Richard Furminger (19), both members of the British Army, were killed in a Provisional Irish Republican Army land mine attack on their mobile patrol, Cathedral Road, Armagh.^[4]

1982

• 12 December 1982 - Seamus Grew (31) and Rodney Carroll (22), both Catholic members of the Irish National Liberation Army, were shot dead by undercover Royal Ulster Constabulary members at a vehicle checkpoint at Mullacreevie Park, Armagh.^[6] This became the third incident after which allegations were made that security forces were operating a 'shoot to kill' policy.^[7] Their deaths were subsequently investigated by John Stalker as part of his investigation into the Shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland.

1986

• 1 January 1986 - James McCandless (39) and Michael Williams (24), both Protestant members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, were killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army remote controlled bomb hidden in a litter bin and detonated when their foot patrol passed at Thomas Street, Armagh.^[8]

1990

• 22 January 1990 - Derek Monteith (35), an off-duty member of the RUC, was shot and killed by IRA gunmen at his home in Kilburn Park, Armagh.^[9]
• 24 July 1990 - Joshua Willis (35), William Hanson (37) and David Sterritt (34), Protestant members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Sister Catherine Dunne (37), a Catholic nun, were killed in a Provisional Irish Republican Army land mine attack on an RUC armoured patrol car, Killylea Road, Armagh. Dunne was killed while travelling in another vehicle near to the patrol car^[9] and a travelling companion was injured. The bomb contained at least 1,000 pounds of explosives and left a 20-foot crater in the road.^[10] Two men, Henry McCartney (26) and Tarlac Connolly (29), were later charged with the murders.^[11] Connolly was convicted, given a life sentence^[12] and then released in 2000 under the Good Friday Agreement.^[13]

1991

• 1 March 1991 - Paul Sutcliffe (32, from England) and Roger Love (20), both members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, were killed in a Provisional Irish Republican Army horizontal mortar attack on their mobile patrol, Killylea Road, Armagh. Love died on 4 March 1991.^[14] This was the first recorded use of the IRA's Mark-12 horizontal-mortar bomb.^[15]

1992

• 18 April 1992 - Brendan McWilliams (50), a Catholic civilian employee of the British Army, was shot and killed by the IRA at his home at Nialls Crescent, off Killylea Road, Armagh.^[16]

1993

• 9 February 1993 - Michael Beswick (21), a member of the British Army, was killed in Cathedral Road, Armagh, when a remote-controlled bomb hidden by the IRA in a wall exploded as an army foot patrol was passing by.^[17]

1994

• 18 May 1994 - Gavin McShane (17) and Shane McArdle (17), both Catholic civilians, were shot dead by the Ulster Volunteer Force, while in a taxi depot, Lower English Street, Armagh.^[18] Gavin McShane died instantly and Shane McArdle 24 hours later. A taxi driver was also injured in the attack.^[19]
• 21 May 1994 - Reginald McCollum (19), an off-duty member of the Royal Irish Regiment, was abducted and shot dead by the IRA at a field near Mullaghcreevie housing estate, Armagh.^[18] He had been on a stag night with friends, before being abducted, interrogated and shot nine times. He was the third member of his family to be killed in the Troubles.^[19][20]

References

1. McKittrick, David. Lost Lives. Mainstream, 1999. p. 565
2. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1975". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
3. "A Chronology of the Conflict - 1979". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 29 January 2010.
4. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1979". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
5. "Memorials". Prison Service Trust. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
6. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1982". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
7. "A Chronology of the Conflict, 1982". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
8. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1986". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
9. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1990". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
10. "Ulster Nun Killed with 3 Policemen". New York Times (Sheila Rule, 25 July 1990). 25 July 1990. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
11. "Two Charged in Ulster". New York Times (Sheila Rule, 1 August 1990). 1 August 1990. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
12. "Republicans". The Telegraph (27 July 2000) (London, UK). 27 July 2000. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
13. "Closure of the Maze: All Out; Terrorist killers and bombers are freed from jail". The Mirror (28 July 2000). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
14. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1991". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 5 December 2010.
15. McKittrick, pp. 1227
16. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1992". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 17 December 2010.
17. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1993". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 5 December 2010.
18. "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1994". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 5 December 2010.
19. Victor, Peter (22 May 1994). "Family mourns its third Ulster victim". The Independent (22 May 1994) (London). Retrieved 23 January 2010.
20. "Deaths - Roll of Honour (May)". Operation Banner. Retrieved 4 December 2011.