Coalisland riots (1992)
Encyclopedia
The 1992 Coalisland riots were a series of clashes on 12 and 17 May 1992 between local nationalist
civilians and British Army
soldiers (of the Third Battalion of the Parachute Regiment
and the King's Own Scottish Borderers
) in the town of Coalisland
, County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
. The Third Battalion 1992 tour's codename was "Operation Gypsy".
(IRA) East Tyrone Brigade
launched a bomb attack on a British Army patrol near the republican stronghold of Cappagh
, County Tyrone. One soldier of the Parachute Regiment lost both legs as a result. The landmine was described in an IRA statement as an "anti-personnel device". This incident triggered a rampage by members of the Parachute Regiment in the nearby, predominantly nationalist town of Coalisland. The deployment of the paratroopers, which began in April had already been criticized by republican activist Bernadette Devlin McAliskey
, who denounced the rising number of beatings, shootings and damages to property carried out by these troops. Ken Maginnis
, then-MP
for the area, called for the withdrawal of the regiment, after receiving a large number of complaints about their behaviour.
politician, the soldiers fabricated a bogus bomb warning, while the RUC claimed that the operation began when a joint patrol was stoned by the crowd. Two pubs were ransacked by the troops and a number of civilian cars were damaged. Several people were allegedly hit with sticks. Following this, a lieutenant was suspended from duty and the regiment was removed from patrol duties in Coalisland.
with gunshot wounds, while the soldiers returned to their barracks. Another four civilians suffered minor injuries.
in Dublin. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ireland
, David Andrews, asked the British Government to withdraw the regiment. As a result, the paratroopers were redeployed outside the urban areas. The RUC claimed that the stolen machine gun was found 11 days later at Cappagh, along with another light machine gun and an AK-47
rifle. Republicans questioned the stealing of the weapon, suggesting this was merely an excuse for the Army rampage at Coalisland. Unionist officials accused Sinn Féin
of being the instigators of the riots, while Michael Mates
, then Minister of State
at the Northern Ireland Office
, stated that the incidents were due to "a gang of thugs motivated by the IRA". Eventually the battalion's 1992 tour in Northern Ireland was scaled down, with the patrols suspended before the official end of the deployment. The Third Brigade's commander, Brigadier Tom Longland was dismissed. Near the end of the tour, the soldiers were involved in the beating of two men in Cappagh and Dungannon, according to a republican source. The last patrol took place on 27 June, when two paratroopers drowned while crossing a river. The same day, there were further clashes with local residents, this time in Cookstown
. Six soldiers faced criminal charges for the May riots, but were acquitted one year later. Five of them were bound over
. The incident stirred memories of the regiment's actions on Bloody Sunday
, whose 20th anniversary was marked in 1992.
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
civilians and British Army
British 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...
soldiers (of the Third Battalion of the Parachute Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16 Air Assault Brigade....
and the King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
) in the town of Coalisland
Coalisland
Coalisland is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a population of 4,917 people . As its name suggests, it was formerly a centre for coal mining.-History:...
, 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...
. The Third Battalion 1992 tour's codename was "Operation Gypsy".
Provisional IRA attack
On 12 May 1992, a unit 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) East Tyrone Brigade
Provisional IRA East Tyrone Brigade
The East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army , also known as the Tyrone/Monaghan Brigade was one of the most active republican paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland during "the Troubles"...
launched a bomb attack on a British Army patrol near the republican stronghold of Cappagh
Cappagh
Cappagh is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is between Pomeroy, Ballygawley, Galbally and Carrickmore, with the hamlet of Galbally about one mile to the east...
, County Tyrone. One soldier of the Parachute Regiment lost both legs as a result. The landmine was described in an IRA statement as an "anti-personnel device". This incident triggered a rampage by members of the Parachute Regiment in the nearby, predominantly nationalist town of Coalisland. The deployment of the paratroopers, which began in April had already been criticized by republican activist Bernadette Devlin McAliskey
Bernadette Devlin McAliskey
Josephine Bernadette Devlin McAliskey , also known as Bernadette Devlin and Bernadette McAliskey, is a socialist republican political activist...
, who denounced the rising number of beatings, shootings and damages to property carried out by these troops. Ken Maginnis
Ken Maginnis, Baron Maginnis of Drumglass
Kenneth Wiggins Maginnis, Lord Maginnis of Drumglass is a Northern Irish Ulster Unionist politician who sits in the House of Lords...
, then-MP
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 the area, called for the withdrawal of the regiment, after receiving a large number of complaints about their behaviour.
12 May
Two hours after the IRA attack, members of the regiment sealed off the town of Coalisland, ten miles east of Cappagh. According to a Social Democratic and Labour PartySocial 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...
politician, the soldiers fabricated a bogus bomb warning, while the RUC claimed that the operation began when a joint patrol was stoned by the crowd. Two pubs were ransacked by the troops and a number of civilian cars were damaged. Several people were allegedly hit with sticks. Following this, a lieutenant was suspended from duty and the regiment was removed from patrol duties in Coalisland.
17 May
On the evening of 17 May, a fist-fight began at Lineside Road, where a group of young men were having a drink. A passing four-man patrol of the King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) regiment was defied to a 'boxing match' by the residents; apparently a common practice according to Bernadette McAliskey. The soldiers set aside their weapons and engaged the youths who, after a brief clash, forced the soldiers to take shelter at the local Army/RUC base. The official claim was that the patrol was attacked by a mob. In the melée, a rifle and a light machine gun were stolen. The rifle was later recovered nearby. Two KOSB soldiers had to be hospitalized. The Parachute Regiment was called to the scene again, and at 8:30 PM, a major riot started outside Rossmore pub. The soldiers claimed that one of their colleagues was isolated and dragged by the crowd. Some witnesses claimed the paratroopers were in a frenzy, showing their guns and inviting the civilians to take them. Suddenly, shots were fired by the troops —first into the air and then towards the people outside the pub. Three civilians were rushed to hospital in DungannonDungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
with gunshot wounds, while the soldiers returned to their barracks. Another four civilians suffered minor injuries.
Aftermath
About 500 people attended a protest rally in Coalisland some days later, and the wisdom of deploying the troops to patrol the town was questioned by members of the DáilDáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
in Dublin. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, David Andrews, asked the British Government to withdraw the regiment. As a result, the paratroopers were redeployed outside the urban areas. The RUC claimed that the stolen machine gun was found 11 days later at Cappagh, along with another light machine gun and an AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
rifle. Republicans questioned the stealing of the weapon, suggesting this was merely an excuse for the Army rampage at Coalisland. Unionist officials accused 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...
of being the instigators of the riots, while Michael Mates
Michael Mates
Michael John Mates is a Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of East Hampshire from 1974 to 2010.He has been a member of the Privy Council since February 2004.-Education:...
, then Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
at the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The 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:...
, stated that the incidents were due to "a gang of thugs motivated by the IRA". Eventually the battalion's 1992 tour in Northern Ireland was scaled down, with the patrols suspended before the official end of the deployment. The Third Brigade's commander, Brigadier Tom Longland was dismissed. Near the end of the tour, the soldiers were involved in the beating of two men in Cappagh and Dungannon, according to a republican source. The last patrol took place on 27 June, when two paratroopers drowned while crossing a river. The same day, there were further clashes with local residents, this time in Cookstown
Cookstown
Cookstown may refer to either of the following:*Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland*Cookstown, Ontario, Canada*Cookstown, New Jersey, United States...
. Six soldiers faced criminal charges for the May riots, but were acquitted one year later. Five of them were bound over
Bind over
Bind over, binding over order or bind over for sentence is a legal term relating to a power exercised by magistrates in England and Wales and in other common law jurisdictions such as Hong Kong....
. The incident stirred memories of the regiment's actions on Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1972)
Bloody Sunday —sometimes called the Bogside Massacre—was an incident on 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, in which twenty-six unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders were shot by soldiers of the British Army...
, whose 20th anniversary was marked in 1992.