Claudy Bombing
Encyclopedia
The Claudy bombing occurred on 31 July 1972, when three car bomb
s exploded mid-morning on the Main Street of Claudy
in County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. The attack killed nine civilians, and became known as "Bloody Monday". Those who planted the bombs had attempted to send a warning before the explosions took place. However, this warning was delayed because the telephones were out-of-order due to an earlier bomb attack. The Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) issued an immediate denial of responsibility. The IRA later claimed that "an internal court of inquiry" had found that its local unit did not carry out the attack.
On 24 August 2010, following an eight year investigation, the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI) published a report into the bombing, which concluded that Father James Chesney, a local Catholic priest
, was the IRA's quartermaster
and Director of Operations in the area and was directly involved in the bombings. The report also stated that his role was covered up by senior police officers, government ministers and the Catholic hierarchy.
had begun Operation Motorman
. This was an operation to regain control of the "no-go area
s" (areas controlled by Irish republican
paramilitaries
) that had been established in Belfast
and Derry
. The bombing of Claudy may have been made in response to this operation.
Shortly before 10:00 am, three car bombs were placed in the centre of the village, which was busy with shoppers at the time. Initial police investigations found that a car was seen travelling from Claudy at 10:00. It had stopped at the nearby village of Feeny
where a passenger tried to use the public telephone box, which was out-of-order. The car then travelled to Dungiven
where it stopped on the Main Street. Two men got out and went into separate shops to use the telephones, which were also out-of-order following a bomb attack at the local telephone exchange
. The men then asked the shop assistants to tell the police at Dungiven that there were three bombs in Claudy, but by this time the first bomb had already detonated.
The first bomb, hidden inside a stolen Ford Cortina
, exploded at 10:15 outside McElhinney’s bar and store on Main Street. Six people were killed by this bomb, including an eight year old girl. A second bomb, hidden inside a stolen Morris Mini Van parked outside the Post Office on Main Street, was spotted by a police officer, who then began directing people away from the area towards Church Street. At 10:30, a bomb hidden inside a stolen Mini Van detonated outside the Beaufort Hotel on Church Street. The bomb outside the Post Office exploded almost simultaneously, killing three people.
(IRA) denied involvement at the time of the attack. However, Derry politician Ivan Cooper
(of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
) claimed that the IRA and Father James Chesney (a Catholic priest from the nearby parish of Cullion) were involved in the attack. Cooper stated:
The type and colour of car used by those who gave the bomb warning was rare in Northern Ireland at that time. In the first week of August 1972, the RUC arrested a suspect (called "Man A") who owned a similar car. However, he provided an alibi that he had been at Chesney's home in Bellaghy
at the time. Chesney and another corroborated the man's alibi and he was released after being questioned. According to the OPONI report, when Chesney was stopped at a police checkpoint in September 1972, a sniffer dog found traces of explosives in his car. The police officers involved in the original police investigation suspected the following:
In October 1972, police intelligence alleged that Chesney had formed an "independent group of the IRA".
Some time after the bombing Chesney was questioned by the then Bishop of Derry
Neil Farren, and later again by Farren's successor Bishop Edward Daly
. At both times Chesney denied any involvement. Chesney served in the parish of Cullion from July 1972 until November 1972. He was then hospitalised and spent a period of recovery in County Donegal
. In December 1973 he was transferred to the parish of Convoy in County Donegal. Although he often crossed the border into Northern Ireland, he was never arrested and never faced a police interview.
In 2004 a loyalist mural appeared on a wall on Lower Newtownards Road
in Belfast
showing a priest wearing a balaclava and holding a bomb, alongside the word "Claudy".
(PSNI) in 2002. As part of the investigation, the police uncovered documents showing that the then Secretary of State
Willie Whitelaw discussed Chesney's involvement with Cardinal William Conway. The actions of two other Catholic priests, Patrick Fell
and John Burns, were also examined.
On 30 November 2005, the PSNI detained four people in connection with the bombing. However they were released without charge the next day and deny involvement. Among those arrested was the then Sinn Féin
MLA
Francie Brolly, who subsequtnly secured an out-of-court settlement in a legal action against the police.
and the Catholic Church had conspired to cover-up Chesney's alleged involvement. The report stated:
According to the report by Al Hutchinson
, the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman,
The report found the following:
Mr Whitelaw died in 1999, Cardinal Conway in 1977, Sir Graham in 2001 and Father Chesney (aged 46) in 1980.
to those killed and injured by the bombing was erected on Claudy's Main Street in 2000, consisting of a bronze
figure of a kneeling girl, created by sculptor Elizabeth McLaughlin, mounted on a stone plinth. A number of plaques commemorating the victims are affixed to the wall enclosing the statue. The statue was damaged on 20 October 2006 when vandals knocked it from the plinth.
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
s exploded mid-morning on the Main Street of Claudy
Claudy
Claudy is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies southeast of Derry, where the River Glenrandal joins the River Faughan. Claudy is located in the Faughan Valley....
in County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, 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...
. The attack killed nine civilians, and became known as "Bloody Monday". Those who planted the bombs had attempted to send a warning before the explosions took place. However, this warning was delayed because the telephones were out-of-order due to an earlier bomb attack. 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...
(IRA) issued an immediate denial of responsibility. The IRA later claimed that "an internal court of inquiry" had found that its local unit did not carry out the attack.
On 24 August 2010, following an eight year investigation, the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI) published a report into the bombing, which concluded that Father James Chesney, a local Catholic priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
, was the IRA's quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
and Director of Operations in the area and was directly involved in the bombings. The report also stated that his role was covered up by senior police officers, government ministers and the Catholic hierarchy.
Bombing
At about 4am the night before, the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
had begun Operation Motorman
Operation Motorman
Operation Motorman was a large operation carried out by the British Army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The operation took place in the early hours of 31 July 1972 with the aim of retaking the "no-go areas" that had been established in Belfast, Derry and other large towns.-Background:The...
. This was an operation to regain control of the "no-go area
No-go area
A no-go area or no-go zone is a region where the ruling authorities have lost control and are unable to enforce the rule of law.-Rhodesia:The term 'no-go area' has a military origin and was first used in the context of the Bush War in Rhodesia...
s" (areas controlled by Irish republican
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...
paramilitaries
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....
) that had been established in 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...
and Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. The bombing of Claudy may have been made in response to this operation.
Shortly before 10:00 am, three car bombs were placed in the centre of the village, which was busy with shoppers at the time. Initial police investigations found that a car was seen travelling from Claudy at 10:00. It had stopped at the nearby village of Feeny
Feeny
Feeny is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is between Dungiven and Claudy. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 542. Feeny lies just inside the boundary of the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-Features:...
where a passenger tried to use the public telephone box, which was out-of-order. The car then travelled to Dungiven
Dungiven
Dungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...
where it stopped on the Main Street. Two men got out and went into separate shops to use the telephones, which were also out-of-order following a bomb attack at the local telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
. The men then asked the shop assistants to tell the police at Dungiven that there were three bombs in Claudy, but by this time the first bomb had already detonated.
The first bomb, hidden inside a stolen Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
, exploded at 10:15 outside McElhinney’s bar and store on Main Street. Six people were killed by this bomb, including an eight year old girl. A second bomb, hidden inside a stolen Morris Mini Van parked outside the Post Office on Main Street, was spotted by a police officer, who then began directing people away from the area towards Church Street. At 10:30, a bomb hidden inside a stolen Mini Van detonated outside the Beaufort Hotel on Church Street. The bomb outside the Post Office exploded almost simultaneously, killing three people.
Alleged involvement of Fr Chesney
The Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional 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...
(IRA) denied involvement at the time of the attack. However, Derry politician Ivan Cooper
Ivan Cooper
Ivan Averill Cooper is a former politician from Northern Ireland who was a Member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, and founding member of the SDLP...
(of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
) claimed that the IRA and Father James Chesney (a Catholic priest from the nearby parish of Cullion) were involved in the attack. Cooper stated:
Within a couple of days, a man lurked like a scared rabbit outside one of my constituency offices. He told me the IRA was behind the bomb and I had every reason to believe him. He gave no names and I asked no names. That is the way it was then. It was dangerous to know too much. But several months later, I became aware of the identities and I have absolutely no doubt that Father Jim Chesney was involved.
The type and colour of car used by those who gave the bomb warning was rare in Northern Ireland at that time. In the first week of August 1972, the RUC arrested a suspect (called "Man A") who owned a similar car. However, he provided an alibi that he had been at Chesney's home in Bellaghy
Bellaghy
Bellaghy , is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies north west of Lough Neagh and about 5 miles north of Magherafelt. At the centre of the village lies the junction of three main roads leading to Magherafelt, Portglenone and Toome. It had a population of 1,063 people in the...
at the time. Chesney and another corroborated the man's alibi and he was released after being questioned. According to the OPONI report, when Chesney was stopped at a police checkpoint in September 1972, a sniffer dog found traces of explosives in his car. The police officers involved in the original police investigation suspected the following:
- that the alibi had been prepared beforehand
- that "Man A" was an IRA member and had played a key role in the bombing
- that Chesney was the quartermaster and "director of operations" for the South Derry IRA and had also been involved in the bombing
In October 1972, police intelligence alleged that Chesney had formed an "independent group of the IRA".
Some time after the bombing Chesney was questioned by the then Bishop of Derry
Bishop of Derry
The Bishop of Derry is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.-History:...
Neil Farren, and later again by Farren's successor Bishop Edward Daly
Edward Daly (bishop)
Edward Daly , D.D., was the Catholic Lord Bishop of Derry from 1974 to 1993.- Early life & priestly ministry :...
. At both times Chesney denied any involvement. Chesney served in the parish of Cullion from July 1972 until November 1972. He was then hospitalised and spent a period of recovery in County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
. In December 1973 he was transferred to the parish of Convoy in County Donegal. Although he often crossed the border into Northern Ireland, he was never arrested and never faced a police interview.
In 2004 a loyalist mural appeared on a wall on Lower Newtownards Road
A20 road (Northern Ireland)
The A20 is a road in Northern Ireland. It runs from Belfast to Newtownards and on to Portaferry in County Down.Beginning as the Newtownards Road at the junction of Bridge End close to Belfast city centre, the road runs in an easterly direction through east Belfast...
in 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...
showing a priest wearing a balaclava and holding a bomb, alongside the word "Claudy".
PSNI investigation
No person was arrested for the bombings at the time but following calls for a new inquiry, a fresh investigation was started by the Police Service of Northern IrelandPolice 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....
(PSNI) in 2002. As part of the investigation, the police uncovered documents showing that the then Secretary of State
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...
Willie Whitelaw discussed Chesney's involvement with Cardinal William Conway. The actions of two other Catholic priests, Patrick Fell
Patrick Fell
Father Patrick Fell was a Roman Catholic priest who was accused and later convicted in the 1970s of being a commander of an IRA active service unit. Fell never admitted to IRA Membership and pleaded NOT guilty to the charges....
and John Burns, were also examined.
On 30 November 2005, the PSNI detained four people in connection with the bombing. However they were released without charge the next day and deny involvement. Among those arrested was the then 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...
MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)
Member of the Legislative Assembly is a representative elected by the voters to the Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland.- About :...
Francie Brolly, who subsequtnly secured an out-of-court settlement in a legal action against the police.
Police Ombudsman Report
On 24 August 2010, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland published a report into the bombing which concluded that the British GovernmentGovernment of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Government is the central government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers...
and the Catholic Church had conspired to cover-up Chesney's alleged involvement. The report stated:
The arrest of a priest in connection with such an emotive atrocity at a time when sectarian killings in Northern Ireland were out of control and the province stood on the brink of civil war was feared, by senior politicians, as likely to destabilise the security situation even further. A deal was therefore arranged behind closed doors to remove Fr Chesney from the province without provoking sectarian fury.
According to the report by Al Hutchinson
Al Hutchinson
Al Hutchinson is a former RCMP Assistant Commissioner, who served as the Police Oversight Commissioner in Northern Ireland, who in November 2007 became the second Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland....
, the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman,
The RUC's decision to ask the government to resolve the matter with the Church and then accept the outcome, was wrong. The decision failed those who were murdered, injured and bereaved in the bombing. The police officers who were working on the investigation were also undermined. I accept that 1972 was one of the worst years of the Troubles and that the arrest of a priest might well have aggravated the security situation. Equally, I consider that the police failure to investigate someone they suspected of involvement in acts of terrorism could, in itself, have had serious consequences.
The report found the following:
- Detectives believed Father Chesney was the IRA's director of operations in southern County Londonderry and was a prime suspect in the Claudy attack and other paramilitary incidents.
- A detective's request to arrest Chesney was refused by an Assistant Chief ConstableAssistant Chief ConstableAssistant chief constable is the third highest rank in all British territorial police forces , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and...
of RUCRoyal Ulster ConstabularyThe 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...
Special BranchSpecial BranchSpecial Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security in British and Commonwealth police forces, as well as in the Royal Thai Police...
who instead said that "matters are in hand". - The same senior officer wrote to the government about what action could be taken to "render harmless a dangerous priest" and asked if the matter could be raised with the Church's hierarchy.
- In December 1972, Willie Whitelaw met the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal William Conway, to discuss the issue. According to a Northern Ireland OfficeNorthern Ireland OfficeThe Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
official "the Cardinal said he knew the priest was 'a very bad man' and would see what could be done". The church leader mentioned "the possibility of transferring him to Donegal". In response to this memo, RUC Chief Constable Sir Graham Shillington noted: "I would prefer transfer to TipperaryCounty TipperaryCounty Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
." - An entry in Cardinal Conway's diary on 4 December 1972 confirmed that a meeting with Mr Whitelaw had taken place and stated that there had been "a rather disturbing tete-a-tete at the end about C".
- In another diary entry two months later, the Cardinal noted that he had discussed the issue with Father Chesney's superior and that the superior "had given him orders to stay where he was, on sick leave, until further notice".
Mr Whitelaw died in 1999, Cardinal Conway in 1977, Sir Graham in 2001 and Father Chesney (aged 46) in 1980.
Memorial
A memorialMemorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
to those killed and injured by the bombing was erected on Claudy's Main Street in 2000, consisting of a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
figure of a kneeling girl, created by sculptor Elizabeth McLaughlin, mounted on a stone plinth. A number of plaques commemorating the victims are affixed to the wall enclosing the statue. The statue was damaged on 20 October 2006 when vandals knocked it from the plinth.
External links
- Claudy Report Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, 24 August 2010
- Anderson, Bruce "Sometimes justice can best be done by not enforcing the criminal law" The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 23 December 2002 - Claudy in focus after atrocity was forgotten for 25 years Irish News Article on the bombing, 1 December 2005
- A Chronology of the Conflict - 1972 CAIN (Conflict Archive on the INternet) project in context and A Chronology of the Conflict - 1997 1997 CAIN claims