Michael Joseph Murray (Mick) also known as Squire Murray[1] was an IRA Volunteer named as a ringleader of the Birmingham Pub Bombings.[2] He was born c1936 and died in 1999 and is buried in Clonmellon, County Westmeath.
He was born in Donnycarney, County Dublin [3] and was educated at Scoil Mhuire, Marino. He ran a pub in Kilbeggan.
He joined the IRA in the early 50s.
Murray's involvement in the bombing of the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town included choosing the targets and making the bombs. He transported the bombs to Birmingham city centre before handing them to the planters. He made the telephone warning using the codename Double X.[4] Murray would later tell Paddy Hill and Johnny Walker (see Birmingham Six) that the phone boxes to be used had been vandalised requiring the finding of another some distance away [5]
He was charged with explosives offences jointly with Michael Sheehan and James Kelly (Woods). All three were tried as part of the same trial that convicted the Birmingham Six.[6] Murray remained silent throughout the trial refusing to plead or acknowledge the proceedings. He was sentenced to 12 years. The trial judge, The Hon. Mr Justice Bridge, described Murray as having all the demeanour of a soldier and commended him for his manner.[7]
In prison he was active in the Blanket protest campaign. On release he was excluded from England and worked as a driver for An Phoblacht while resuming IRA activities. He stayed loyal to the Provisionals following the Real IRA secession but remained a hardliner within the organisation, strongly opposing decommissioning.[8]