Bobby Storey
Encyclopedia
Robert "Big Bobby" Storey is an Irish republican
from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
.
He spent in total 20 years in jail, almost all on remand charges. He also played a key role in the Maze (HM Prison)
prison escape, which was the biggest prison break in British penal history.
attacks on the district, moving to Manor Street, an interface area
also in north Belfast. Bobby’s father, also Bobby, along with Sam O’Hanlon, were involved in the defence of their area in the 1970s.
Bobby was one of four children, two brothers, Seamus and Brian, and Geraldine, his sister. Seamus escaped from Crumlin Road Jail in 1971. Seamus and Bobby’s father had been arrested after a raid on their home which uncovered a rifle and a pistol. His father was later released but Seamus was charged, escaping a couple of months later.
On his mother Peggy’s side of the family there was also a history of republicanism, but Bobby, according to An Phoblacht
, says “the dominant influences on” him “were the events that were happening around” him. These included the McGurk's Bar bombing
in the New Lodge
, some of those killed being people who knew his family, and also Bloody Sunday 1972. This then lead to his attempts to join the IRA.
Bobby left school when he was fifteen and went to work with his father selling fruit. At sixteen, he became a member of the IRA.
As the authorities were unable to convict him, he was released in March 1977, but was arrested again that August, charged with the shooting of two British soldiers. The charges were dropped however that December. Charged again in 1978 with shooting a soldier, he was again placed on remand but again was released in May 1979. Bobby was later arrested in London and charged with conspiring to hijack a helicopter to help Brian Keenan
escape from Brixton Prison, but was released in April 1981. That August he was arrested in possession of a rifle after a soldier was shot and sentenced to eighteen years' imprisonment.
He was involved in the Maze Prison escape
known as the “Great escape” in 1983, when 38 republican prisoners broke out of the H Blocks. Captured, Storey was given an additional seven years. Released in 1994, he was again arrested in 1996 and charged with having information on the Lord Chief Justice. Having spent over twenty years in prison, almost all of it on remand, his final release came in 1998, and he again became involved in developing republican politics and strategy.
On January 11, 2005, Ulster Unionist
Member of Parliament
for South Antrim
David Burnside
told the British House of Commons
under Parliamentary privilege
that Storey was head of intelligence for the Irish Republican Army.
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, 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...
.
He spent in total 20 years in jail, almost all on remand charges. He also played a key role in the Maze (HM Prison)
Maze (HM Prison)
Her Majesty's Prison Maze was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from mid-1971 to mid-2000....
prison escape, which was the biggest prison break in British penal history.
Early life
The family was originally from the Marrowbone area, on the Oldpark Road in North Belfast. The family had to move when Bobby was very young due to loyalistUlster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
attacks on the district, moving to Manor Street, an interface area
Interface area
Interface area is the name given to areas where segregated nationalist and unionist residential areas meet in Northern Ireland. They have been defined as "the intersection of segregated and polarised working class residential zones, in areas with a strong link betweenterritory and ethno-political...
also in north Belfast. Bobby’s father, also Bobby, along with Sam O’Hanlon, were involved in the defence of their area in the 1970s.
Bobby was one of four children, two brothers, Seamus and Brian, and Geraldine, his sister. Seamus escaped from Crumlin Road Jail in 1971. Seamus and Bobby’s father had been arrested after a raid on their home which uncovered a rifle and a pistol. His father was later released but Seamus was charged, escaping a couple of months later.
On his mother Peggy’s side of the family there was also a history of republicanism, but Bobby, according to An Phoblacht
An Phoblacht
An Phoblacht is the official newspaper of Sinn Féin in Ireland. It is published once a month, and according to its website sells an average of up to 15,000 copies every month and was the first Irish paper to provide an edition online and currently having in excess of 100,000 website hits per...
, says “the dominant influences on” him “were the events that were happening around” him. These included the McGurk's Bar bombing
McGurk's Bar bombing
On 4 December 1971, the Ulster Volunteer Force , a loyalist paramilitary group, exploded a bomb at McGurk's Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The pub was in a mainly Catholic and nationalist area. The explosion caused the building to collapse, killing fifteen Catholic civilians and wounding...
in the New Lodge
New Lodge
New Lodge may refer to:*New Lodge, Winkfield near Windsor, Berkshire, England*New Lodge, South Yorkshire, England*New Lodge, Belfast, an area of North Belfast, Northern Ireland...
, some of those killed being people who knew his family, and also Bloody Sunday 1972. This then lead to his attempts to join the IRA.
Bobby left school when he was fifteen and went to work with his father selling fruit. At sixteen, he became a member of the IRA.
Prison
On his seventeenth birthday, he was interned and held in Long Kesh for two years, having been arrested 20 times previous to this but being too young for internment. He was in the “Cages” as they were called in October, 1974 when republican prisoners burnt them down. He was released in 1975 but in 1976 was arrested again, charged with blowing up the Skyways Hotel. Held on remand for thirteen months, he was released but was arrested on the day of his trial leaving the court house and charged with a shooting related incident.As the authorities were unable to convict him, he was released in March 1977, but was arrested again that August, charged with the shooting of two British soldiers. The charges were dropped however that December. Charged again in 1978 with shooting a soldier, he was again placed on remand but again was released in May 1979. Bobby was later arrested in London and charged with conspiring to hijack a helicopter to help Brian Keenan
Brian Keenan (Irish republican)
Brian Keenan was a former member of the Army Council of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who received an 18-year prison sentence in 1980 for conspiring to cause explosions, and played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process.-Early life:The son of a member of the Royal Air Force,...
escape from Brixton Prison, but was released in April 1981. That August he was arrested in possession of a rifle after a soldier was shot and sentenced to eighteen years' imprisonment.
He was involved in the Maze Prison escape
Maze Prison escape
The Maze Prison escape took place on 25 September 1983 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. HM Prison Maze was a maximum security prison considered to be one of the most escape-proof prisons in Europe, and held prisoners convicted of taking part in armed paramilitary campaigns during the Troubles...
known as the “Great escape” in 1983, when 38 republican prisoners broke out of the H Blocks. Captured, Storey was given an additional seven years. Released in 1994, he was again arrested in 1996 and charged with having information on the Lord Chief Justice. Having spent over twenty years in prison, almost all of it on remand, his final release came in 1998, and he again became involved in developing republican politics and strategy.
On January 11, 2005, Ulster Unionist
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for South Antrim
South Antrim
South Antrim can refer to:*The southern part of County Antrim*South Antrim *South Antrim *South Antrim...
David Burnside
David Burnside
David Wilson Boyd Burnside is a Northern Ireland politician, and was Ulster Unionist Party Member of Parliament for South Antrim....
told the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
under Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
that Storey was head of intelligence for the Irish Republican Army.
External links
- House of Commons Hansard Debates for 11 January 2005 — House of Commons debate containing allegations against Storey
- The Trouble with Guns — journalist Malachi O'Doherty's account of a meeting with Storey in 1995
- Master spy keeps the troubled peace alive — journalist Sean Mac Carthaigh's article on Storey