Thomas Begley
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Thomas Begley (nicknamed "Bootsy") (Irish: Tómas Ó Beaglach), (born 10 November 1970 – 23 October 1993), was a member (volunteer) in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Begley was killed when a bomb he was planting on the Shankill Road, West Belfast, Northern Ireland exploded prematurely.
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[edit] Background
Begley was born in the nationalist Ardoyne area of north Belfast. Begley not only believed in Irish republicanism but in republicanism and non sectarianism. In January 1993, Begley joined the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and was noted by his commaders for his eagerness and determination in comprehending the techniques and methods used by more senior members of his Brigade.[1]
[edit] Paramilitary career
Intelligence given to Begley and fellow members of his ASU stated that a meeting was scheduled to take place between senior members of various loyalist faction leaders, including several senior members of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Johnny Adair, one of the leaders of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) on October 23, 1993 in a flat above Frizzell's Fish Shop on the Shankill Road.
Three IRA volunteers from the Ardoyne area, including Begley, hijacked a blue Ford Escort and drove to the the chip shop and two, Begley and Sean Kelly, wearing white coats and caps of delivery men entered the shop carrying the bomb.
Begley was killed when a bomb he planted under a UDA meeting room exploded prematurely killing himself and nine Protestant civilians, including two children. Forensic evidence pointed to Begley holding the five pound bomb above the refrigerated serving counter at the fish shop when it exploded. Sean Kelly was convicted of murder for his part in the Shankill Road bombing.[2] Begley and Kelly intended to set the bomb and then make their escape. Kelly has subsequently claimed that as the bomb's fuse was activated, they intended to shout a warning to the civilians, giving them 11 seconds to escape.[citation needed]
[edit] Funeral
PIRA member Eddie Copeland was shot and injured when a British Army solider fired 20 rounds in a crowd of mourners who were attending Belgley's wake in north Belfast. Private Andrew Clarke, 27 from Merseyside, who fired the shots, was later jailed for ten years for attempted murder. [3][4][5][6]
Begley's funeral caused more controversy when the Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was criticised[attribution needed] for carrying Begley's coffin.[7][8][9]
[edit] Aftermath
Violence erupted in Northern Ireland in the weeks after Begley's death. The UFF stated that they would obtain revenge for the attack and claimed "John Hume, Gerry Adams and the nationalist electorate will pay a heavy, heavy price for today's atrocity." Within 12 hours of the Shankill bombing a 22-year old Catholic civilian man was shot and killed and within a week five others would also be killed.[10]
In 2001, Loyalist and Unionist residents from the Glenbryn area in Belfast displayed a banner, on the 8th anniversary of Begley's bombing, with the words "Walk of Shame" and photographs of the bomb victims attached, as riot police escorted schoolgirls and their parents along Ardoyne Road to Holy Cross primary school.[11]
A mural in of honour of Begley was painted in Ardoyne Avenue near the centre of Begley's native Ardoyne.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ Tírghrá, National Commemoration Centre, 2002. PB) ISBN 0-9542946-0-2 p.358
- ^ A Secret History of the IRA, Ed Moloney, 2002. (PB) ISBN 0-393-32502-4 (HB) ISBN 0-71-399665-X p.415
- ^ Leading Republican awarded almost £28,000 shooting by soldier
- ^ IRA bosses force out godfather of terror
- ^ Events of 1995
- ^ Ardoyne - The Untold Truth - Conclusion Ardoyne Commemoration Project (2002)
- ^ The Shankill bomb Massacre
- ^ The Crying Game
- ^ I only want justice says bomb victims' daughter
- ^ Remembering a black week in our history
- ^ Bombing marked by school protesters
- ^ A Directory of Murals - Album 55
