Thomas Begley

Thomas Begley (nicknamed "Bootsy") (10 November 1970 – 23 October 1993), was a volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). Begley was killed when a bomb he was planting on the Shankill Road, West Belfast, Northern Ireland intending to kill Johnny Adair and senior members of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) exploded prematurely, killing him and nine Protestant civilians.

Background

Begley was born in the nationalist Ardoyne area of north Belfast. Begley not only believed in Irish republicanism but also in republicanism and non sectarianism. In January 1993 Begley joined the IRA and was noted by his commanders for his eagerness and determination in comprehending the techniques and methods used by more senior members of his brigade. ["Tírghrá", National Commemoration Centre, 2002. PB) ISBN 0-9542946-0-2 p.358]

Paramilitary activities

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 UDA and Johnny Adair, one of the leaders of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) on 23 October, 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 it to the fish shop. When they arrived, Begley and Sean Kelly, wearing the white coats and caps of delivery men, entered the shop carrying the bomb. Begley was killed when the bomb exploded prematurely killing him and nine civilians, including two children. Forensic evidence pointed to Begley holding the five pound bomb, which had an 11 second fuse, 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. [A Secret History of the IRA", Ed Moloney, 2002. (PB) ISBN 0-393-32502-4 (HB) ISBN 0-71-399665-X p.415]

Funeral

IRA member Eddie Copeland was shot and injured when a British Army soldier fired 20 live rounds in a crowd of mourners who were attending Begley's wake in north Belfast. Private Andrew Clarke, 27 from Merseyside, who fired the shots, was later jailed for ten years for attempted murder. [ [http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0519/republican.html Leading Republican awarded almost £28,000 shooting by soldier] ] [ [http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/Sunday_People/arts2003/jun22_top_republican_stood_down.php IRA bosses force out godfather of terror] ] [ [http://www.uhb.fr/Langues/CEI/chron95.htm Events of 1995] ] [ [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/victims/ardoyne/ardoyne02c.htm Ardoyne - The Untold Truth - Conclusion Ardoyne Commemoration Project (2002)] ]

Begley's funeral caused comment when the Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams carried Begley's coffin. [ [http://www.iraatrocities.fsnet.co.uk/shankill.htm The Shankill bomb Massacre] ] [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,162636,00.html The Crying Game] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/294812.stm I only want justice says bomb victims' daughter] ]

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 male Catholic civilian was shot and killed, and within a week five others were also killed. [ [http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2003/oct21_black_week_in_history.php Remembering a black week in our history] ]

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 those killed by the bomb attached, as riot police escorted schoolgirls and their parents along Ardoyne Road to Holy Cross primary school. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1615370.stm Bombing marked by school protesters] ]

A mural dedicated to Begley was painted in Ardoyne Avenue near the centre of Begley's native Ardoyne. [ [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/mccormick/album55.htm A Directory of Murals - Album 55] ]

References