The bomb was initially blamed on republicans by the british government and the royal ulster constabulary. Six unresolved troubles killings claiming british state. Mcgurk s also called the tramore bar was a twostorey public house on the corner of north queen street and great george s street, in the new lodge area to the north of belfast city centre. Nov 17, 20 ciaran macairts grandmother, kathleen, was one of 15 innocent civilians murdered in the bombing of mcgurks bar on 4th december 1971. Image caption the loyalist paramilitary attack at mcgurks bar in belfast killed 15 people in december, 1971. Context is everything, without doubt, the message coming out of ciaran macairts new book about the uvf bomb attack on mcgurks bar in december 1971. Ciaran macairt is the author of the mcgurks bar bombing 4. A glasgowbased uvf boss smuggled in the explosives used to bomb mcgurks bar killing 15 people, a new book claims. It was funded by the community relations council and filmed by northern visions.
What stands out above all else in the mcgurks bar bombing however, is the sheer level of sourced research presented, backed up and cross referenced throughout, all in an articulate style which never strays into overelaboration or confusion. Jul 03, 2017 i remember my dad telling me how he trawled the bookshops of belfast in the late 70s, demanding that the latest book on the troubles be removed from the shelves, as every single one reported the mcgurk s bar bombing as the work of the ira, not the uvf. One person, john taylor now lord kilclooney, seemed central to that question but had more or less eluded any discussion of the matter. Kitson himself wrote of this battle on the very day of the mcgurks bar bombing on 4th december 1971 in future developments in belfast. May 01, 2014 image caption the loyalist paramilitary attack at mcgurk s bar in belfast killed 15 people in december, 1971. Relatives of the victims called for an investigation into allegations that british forces helped the bombers. New lodge witnesses record a heavy british military presence at vehicle checkpoints vcp throughout the morning and day of the mcgurks bar bombing due mainly to the embarrassing escape of 3 republican prisoners from nearby crumlin road jail on the 2nd december. Coverup of mcgurks bar bombing relatives for justice. Loss of innocence was filmed by northern visions with funding from the community relations council.
It was the most deadly incident to take place in the north during the armed conflict prior to the 1998 omagh bombing. Pa a 75yearold belfast man has been arrested in connection with one of the worst pub bombing. Unlike print books, digital books are subject to vat. Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth on a cold, quiet night in december 1971, the ulster volunteer force uvf detonated a bomb outside the door of the family owned and operated mcgurks bar in downtown belfast. They killed 15 men, women and children the countrys most devastating massacre of civilians since the nazi blitz.
Mcgurks bar bombing victims launch legal action against. Below are books written by a grandson of one of the mcgurks bar victims which have made headline news and feature as evidence in highprofile court cases. On 4 december 1971, the ulster volunteer force uvf, an ulster loyalist paramilitary group, detonated a bomb at mcgurks bar in belfast, northern ireland. Northern ireland police were biased in investigation of. Preorder for summer 2012 easons waterstones amazon. Every single book smeared his mum and the other 14 victims as terrorists.
I remember my dad telling me how he trawled the bookshops of belfast in the late 70s, demanding that the latest book on the troubles be removed from the shelves, as every single one reported the mcgurks bar bombing as the work of the ira, not the uvf. Ciaran macairt, a grandson of two of the mcgurk s bar victims, discovered an entry in a log book dated december 5 1971 which claimed that the bomb was to be picked up by the provisional ira. This was a mainly irish nationalist and catholic neighbourhood, and the pub s regular customers were from the community. Six unresolved troubles killings claiming british state collusion. The mcgurks bar bombing kindle edition by macairt, ciaran. Nov 29, 2018 british military presence before the mcgurks bar bombing. An extremely well written account of the devastating atrocity that occurred in mcgurk s bar, belfast 1971. The explosion caused the building to collapse, killing fifteen catholic civiliansincluding two. Books by ciaran macairt, the mcgurks bar bombing and trope.
Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth in new york journal of books. In the early evening of saturday 4th december 1971, british extremists of the ulster volunteer force planted a nowarning bomb on the doorstep of a familyrun bar in north belfast. The attacks were coordinated by william big bill campbell, the uvf s top commander in scotland, who was possibly involved with the 1971 mcgurk s bar bombing in belfast which killed 15 people according to a book published in 2012. Buy the mcgurks bar bombing ist by ciaran macairt isbn. Collusion, coverup and the search for truth by ciaran macairt with a foreword by colin wallace, frontline noir, pp244. A book on the mcgurk s bar bombing could shine new light on the 1971 massacre, it has been claimed. The first is the critically acclaimed book on the atrocity and its aftermath, the mcgurks bar bombing. It is a tribute to author ciaran macairt to document events in their historical context. Dec 01, 2015 mcgurk s bar bombing on 4 december 1971, the ulster volunteer force uvf, an ulster loyalist paramilitary group, detonated a bomb at mcgurk s bar in belfast, northern ireland.
It is likely that having fined down the enemy organizations to the extent we have done, future successes will be increasingly hard to achieve from an operational point of view, unless we are able to make our own organization very much more efficient. Mcgurks bar bombing on 4 december 1971, the ulster volunteer force uvf, an ulster loyalist paramilitary group, detonated a bomb at mcgurks bar in belfast, northern ireland. Ciaran will be available to sign copies of his book and answer any questions at an event in clifton house, belfast, on 15 th november at 7pm. Books by ciaran macairt include the critically acclaimed mcgurks bar bombing and his most recent collection, trope essays and articles proceeds of the latter will be donated to the charity, paper trail, to support victims and survivors in their pursuit of truth. Sep 10, 2012 a glasgowbased uvf boss smuggled in the explosives used to bomb mcgurk s bar killing 15 people, a new book claims. Man arrested over 1971 belfast pub bomb massacre uk news. On 4 december 1971, the ulster volunteer force uvf, an ulster loyalist paramilitary group. On 4 december 1971, the ulster volunteer force placed a bomb at the entrance to a pub in new lodge, belfast.
In the early evening of saturday the 4th december 1971, british extremists from the ulster volunteer force planted a nowarning bomb on the doorstep of a familyrun bar in north belfast. I bought this after seeing it advertised recently and having hust read another book a very british jihad on the same collusion story lines i felt i had to read this too to disvover more about what happened. They expressed concerns about the circumstances of the bombing and the subsequent investigation. We met with relatives of some of some of the victims of the mcgurks bar bombing. Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth macairt, ciaran on. Mcgurks bar bombing victims launch legal action against psni. The mcgurks bar bombing collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth. A police investigation led to campbell, along with eight other uvf members which included angus mckenna, to be sentenced at glasgow high court in june 1979 and. Mar 12, 2014 rescue workers digging in the rubble of mcgurk s bar in belfast after the 1971 bombing. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. Loss of innocence our film was released to coincide with the launch of the book, the mcgurks bar bombing. May 29, 2014 mcgurks bar bombing 15 people were killed when the loyalist ulster volunteer force exploded a nowarning bomb outside the catholicowned mcgurks bar in north belfast on december 4, 1971. A book on the mcgurks bar bombing could shine new light on the 1971 massacre, it has been claimed. The atrocity, perpetrated by anticatholic, probritish loyalists illustrated the depravity to which some sunk in deliberately targeting innocent civilians, their crime being irish.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. The book pulls together the results of ciarans searches in various archives, responses to. Pa a 75yearold belfast man has been arrested in connection with one. Where did the deception over the 1971 mcgurks bar bombing that victimised those killed, their families and community originate. The explosion caused the building to collapse, killing fifteen catholic civiliansincluding two childrenand wounding seventeen more. Uschi grandel and the info nordirland team, the film is also. Paper trail is an effort which grew out of macairts own pursuit of truth. In the early evening of saturday 4th december 1971, british extremists of the ulster volunteer force planted a nowarning bomb on the doorstep of a family run. This was a mainly irish nationalist and catholic neighbourhood, and the pubs regular customers were from the community. This was a mainly irish nationalist and catholic neighbourhood, and the pubs regular customers were from that community. A uthor ciaran macairt, whose grandparents were among 15 people killed when the no warning bomb. Finally, over social media, he answered some questions yesterday.
The explosion tore through the building and killed 15 men, women. Little did i know that the family run mcgurks bar had been obliterated by a cowardly uvf bomb taking with it 15 innocent men, women and children. The campaigning families of the mcgurks bar massacre victims have appealed to secretary of state for northern ireland, james brokenshire, to release a 45yearold british file containing evidence of collusion in the atrocity between british security forces and loyalist paramilitaries. The attacks were coordinated by william big bill campbell, the uvfs top commander in scotland, who was possibly involved with the 1971 mcgurks bar bombing in belfast which killed 15 people according to a book published in 2012. In 2001 a memorial was unveiled on the site of mcgurk s bar to mark the 30th anniversary of the bombing. Q and a with john taylor posted by admin october 7, 2017 october 7, 2017 posted in 1970s tags.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth with a foreword by colin wallace, just published by frontline noir. Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth frontline noir, price. The pub was frequented by irish catholicsnationalists. The insistence of absence the legacy of the mcgurks bar. An extremely well written account of the devastating atrocity that occurred in mcgurks bar, belfast 1971. Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth also says scottish police told the ruc six days after the 1971 massacre william big bill campbell was involved but were ignored. Rescue workers digging in the rubble of mcgurks bar in belfast after the 1971 bombing. Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth with a foreword by colin wallace, just published by frontline noir, is the first book by ciaran macairt, grandson of one of those killed in the bombing and the most visible campaigner on behalf of the victims and their families.
Image caption the loyalist paramilitary attack at mcgurk s bar in belfast killed 15 people in december 1971. On 4 december 1971, the ulster volunteer force, an ulster loyalist paramilitary group, detonated a bomb at mcgurks bar in belfast, northern ireland. Mcgurks also called the tramore bar was a twostorey public house on the corner of north queen street and great georges street, in the new lodge area to the north of belfast city centre. Sep 07, 2012 the mcgurks bar bombing collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth. Mcgurks bar bombing on 4 december 1971 belfast child. Fifteen people were killed when loyalist paramilitary group the ulster volunteer force exploded a bomb outside mcgurks bar in belfast on december 4, 1971. Mcgurks bar bombing families demand fresh inquest to. Despite evidence to the contrary, the british security forces asserted that a bomb had. Ciaran macairt, a grandson of two of the mcgurks bar victims, discovered an entry in a log book dated december 5 1971 which claimed that the bomb was to be picked up by the provisional ira. The pub was owned by patrick and philomena mcgurk, who lived on the upper floor.
The 2009 book killing for britain, written by former uvf member john black, claimed that the british undercover unit known as the military. A spokesman for the police ombudsman s office said. Collusion, coverup and a campaign for truth, was a resounding success. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. We met with relatives of some of some of the victims of the mcgurk s bar bombing. This is not likely to be the only print of this enlightening book as although all the questions are. Nine families of people killed in a pub bombing in belfast more than 40 years ago are. Ruc cleared of colluding in deadly loyalist attack on mcgurks bar in 1971, which had been blamed on ira own goal by police henry mcdonald and owen bowcott mon 21.
Mcgurks bar bombing families demand fresh inquest to challenge coverup, collusion and conspiracy from left, priscilla clarke, pat irvine, margaret mccready, tommy mccready and sam irvine, at. Reviewed in the united kingdom on december 10, 2012. Image caption the loyalist paramilitary attack at mcgurks bar in belfast killed 15 people in december 1971. By mcgurks bar campaign for truth december 6, 2012 taken at portcullis house again with superb crossparty support, the westminster, london, launch of the book, the mcgurks bar bombing. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the mcgurks bar bombing. We are now looking at those concerns and carrying out some initial research into the issues raised. The mcgurks bar bombing kindle edition by ciaran macairt. Mcgurk s bar bombing families demand fresh inquest to challenge coverup, collusion and conspiracy from left, priscilla clarke, pat irvine, margaret mccready, tommy mccready and sam irvine, at. British military presence before the mcgurks bar bombing. The second is trope, a collection of articles and essays by the author which is being sold with all proceeds going to the charity, paper trail. The pub was owned by patrick and philomena mcgurk, who lived on the upper floor with. Mcgurks bar bombing 15 people were killed when the loyalist ulster volunteer force exploded a nowarning bomb outside the catholicowned mcgurks bar in north belfast on december 4, 1971. Mcgurks bar bombing simple english wikipedia, the free. The bomb killed 15 people, injured 17 others and destroyed the building.
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