Aidan McAnespie
Encyclopedia
Aidan McAnespie was an Irish Catholic
who was killed in contested circumstances by a bullet from a heavy machine-gun held by a soldier at Aughnacloy border checkpoint
in County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
during the Troubles
.
Gaelic football
club, was travelling to a match when he was killed by a gunshot wound to the back. He had just walked past a British Army checkpoint. The Army said that McAnespie had been hit when the weapon had discharged accidentally as a soldier was moving the gun with wet hands. Forensic evidence suggested that the fatal shot was one of three that had ricocheted off the road two metres behind McAnespie. Charges were initially brought against Grenadier Guard
Jonathan Holden for manslaughter
but were dropped prior to prosecution. He was fined for negligent discharge of the weapon and in 1990 was given a medical discharge.
McAnespie was an election worker for Sinn Féin
, but both the Provisional Irish Republican Army
and his priest said that he was not involved in paramilitary
activity. He had previously said that he had been threatened by the security forces, and, according to his sister, soldiers had threatened to kill him on several occasions. McAnespie's family allege a cover-up by the United Kingdom
and question the likelihood of accidental discharge killing their son from a distance of 300 metres. His father, in an article printed in the Observer Magazine, said that a soldier had stopped him some fifteen months before the shooting and told him I've a bullet here in the gun for your son Aidan
appointed Garda
Deputy Commissioner
Eugene Crowley to investigate the incident. The results of the investigation were received by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Gerry Collins on 8 April 1988, but have never been published. A Royal Ulster Constabulary
investigation also took place which concluded that the killing was accidental.
In June 2008, the Police Service of Northern Ireland Historical Enquiries Team
published its findings on the case. The report called the soldier's explanation for the killing the "least likely version" of what happened. The Ministry of Defence
said it had co-operated with the inquiry and understood that this did not uncover any new evidence that would warrant further investigation. In October 2008, a Police Service of Northern Ireland
investigation concluded that Jonathan Holden's gun required 9 lbs of pressure to pull the trigger, and that the soldier's account of the events were highly unlikely. It described the chances of this occurring, combined with hitting McAnespie by accident as, "so remote as to be virtually disregarded".
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
, Shaun Woodward
expressed "deep regret" at the incident in a statement made in July 2009, which was welcomed by McAnespie's family.
club hosted a weekend of Gaelic football and cultural events to mark the 20th anniversary of his death.
Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...
who was killed in contested circumstances by a bullet from a heavy machine-gun held by a soldier at Aughnacloy border checkpoint
Border checkpoint
A border checkpoint is a place, generally between two countries, where travellers and/or goods are inspected. Authorization often is required to enter a country through its borders. Access-controlled borders often have a limited number of checkpoints where they can be crossed without legal...
in County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
.
Death
McAnespie, a member of AghalooAghaloo O'Neills
Aghaloo O'Neills is a Gaelic Athletic Association club. The club is based in Aughnacloy and Caledon which encompasses the parish after which the club is named, Aghaloo, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland....
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
club, was travelling to a match when he was killed by a gunshot wound to the back. He had just walked past a British Army checkpoint. The Army said that McAnespie had been hit when the weapon had discharged accidentally as a soldier was moving the gun with wet hands. Forensic evidence suggested that the fatal shot was one of three that had ricocheted off the road two metres behind McAnespie. Charges were initially brought against Grenadier Guard
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
Jonathan Holden for manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
but were dropped prior to prosecution. He was fined for negligent discharge of the weapon and in 1990 was given a medical discharge.
McAnespie was an election worker for Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, but both the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
and his priest said that he was not involved in paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
activity. He had previously said that he had been threatened by the security forces, and, according to his sister, soldiers had threatened to kill him on several occasions. McAnespie's family allege a cover-up by the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and question the likelihood of accidental discharge killing their son from a distance of 300 metres. His father, in an article printed in the Observer Magazine, said that a soldier had stopped him some fifteen months before the shooting and told him I've a bullet here in the gun for your son Aidan
Investigations
The day after the killing, the Irish GovernmentIrish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
appointed Garda
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
Deputy Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner
A deputy commissioner is a police or administrative official in many different countries.-Australia:In all Australian police forces, deputy commissioner is the rank directly below that of commissioner and senior to the rank of assistant commissioner except in the New South Wales Police Force, where...
Eugene Crowley to investigate the incident. The results of the investigation were received by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Gerry Collins on 8 April 1988, but have never been published. A Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
investigation also took place which concluded that the killing was accidental.
In June 2008, the Police Service of Northern Ireland Historical Enquiries Team
Historical Enquiries Team
The Historical Enquiries Team is a unit of the Police Service of Northern Ireland set up in September 2005 to investigate the 3,269 unsolved murders committed during the Troubles ....
published its findings on the case. The report called the soldier's explanation for the killing the "least likely version" of what happened. The Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
said it had co-operated with the inquiry and understood that this did not uncover any new evidence that would warrant further investigation. In October 2008, a Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
investigation concluded that Jonathan Holden's gun required 9 lbs of pressure to pull the trigger, and that the soldier's account of the events were highly unlikely. It described the chances of this occurring, combined with hitting McAnespie by accident as, "so remote as to be virtually disregarded".
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
, Shaun Woodward
Shaun Woodward
Shaun Anthony Woodward is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for St Helens South since 2001. He served in the Cabinet from 28 June 2007 to 11 May 2010 as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland...
expressed "deep regret" at the incident in a statement made in July 2009, which was welcomed by McAnespie's family.
Tributes
The largest Gaelic football club in Boston, Massachusetts is named in his memory. Aghaloo O'Neills Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club hosted a weekend of Gaelic football and cultural events to mark the 20th anniversary of his death.