Dessie Grew
Encyclopedia
Desmond "Dessie" Grew was a volunteer
in the East Tyrone Brigade
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA). Grew was killed by undercover British Army
soldiers in County Armagh
in 1990 along with fellow IRA volunteer, Martin McCaughey
.
School (CBS), where he obtained high grades at both "O" and "A" levels. Grew was deeply interested in Irish culture: he spoke the Irish language
fluently and represented both his schools' Gaelic football
teams.
The Grews lived up in a predominantly loyalist
area and their family home was attacked on a number of occasions. Their family home was burnt down in 1972. The Grew family then moved to the outskirts of Charlemont, County Armagh, a village southeast of Moy
, where again the home was burnt down as a result of bomb attack, in which six of the Grew children were injured.
and the IRA. Grew had served four terms of imprisonment for republican activity at both Portlaoise Prison
and Long Kesh prior to his final release in June 1988. At the time of his death, Grew was wanted for questioning by German authorities who had issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the killing of an RAF corporal and his baby daughter.
Grew was shot dead along with Martin McCaughey
in an operation by undercover British soldiers. The British Army's 14 Intelligence Company
, which was a secret undercover intelligence unit, also known as the DET, were monitoring three AK47s at a farm building in this rural part of County Armagh and were aware that Grew and McCaughey were due to remove the guns.
As the pair approached an agricultural shed which was being used to grow mushrooms and also thought to have been an IRA arms dump, as many as 200 shots are believed to have been fired at them. Autopsy results showed Grew had 48 bullet wounds and McCaughey 12. British Army reports of the shooting stated that the two men left the shed holding two rifles. Republican sources claim the men were unarmed.
Peter Taylor
in his book and documentary, Brits looks into the ambush of Grew and McCaughey. Taylor states, "14 Intelligence Company, the secret army unit known as "the DET", were monitoring three AK47s at a farm building in County Armagh. There was intelligence that two of the IRA's most wanted men, Martin McCaughey and Dessie Grew, were coming to pick them up that night. The SAS were waiting."
His brother Seamus Grew
had also been killed
by an undercover Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC) squad (E4A) on the outskirts of Armagh
in 1982. Grew had stated that weeks before his death that in the event of his death that he wished to be laid beside Seamus. In line with his wishes Grew was buried at Armagh City cemetery in October 1990. Gerry Adams
gave the oration at his funeral, calling him "a freedom fighter, a patriot and a decent upstanding Irish citizen".
. In January 2002, Justice Weatherup, a Northern Ireland High Court Judge ordered that official military document relating to the shooting should be disclosed. However, PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde
had the ruling overturned on appeal in January 2005.
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
in the 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"...
of 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). Grew was killed by undercover 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 in County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
in 1990 along with fellow IRA volunteer, Martin McCaughey
Martin McCaughey
Gerard Patrick Martin McCaughey was a volunteer in the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army from Aughnagar, Galbally, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. McCaughey was killed by undercover British Army soldiers in County Armagh on October 1990 along with fellow IRA volunteer,...
.
Background
Grew was the second eldest in a family of seven girls and four boys born to Kathleen and Patrick Grew. He was educated at primary level at Knocknaconey Primary School and at secondary level at his local Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
School (CBS), where he obtained high grades at both "O" and "A" levels. Grew was deeply interested in Irish culture: he spoke the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
fluently and represented both his schools' Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
teams.
The Grews lived up in a predominantly loyalist
Loyalist
In general, a loyalist is someone who maintains loyalty to an established government, political party, or sovereign, especially during war or revolutionary change. In modern English usage, the most common application is to loyalty to the British Crown....
area and their family home was attacked on a number of occasions. Their family home was burnt down in 1972. The Grew family then moved to the outskirts of Charlemont, County Armagh, a village southeast of Moy
Moy, County Tyrone
Moy or The Moy is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 1,218.It is about southeast of Dungannon and is beside the smaller village of Charlemont. Charlemont is on the east bank of the River Blackwater and Moy on the west; the two are...
, where again the home was burnt down as a result of bomb attack, in which six of the Grew children were injured.
Paramilitary career
During his adult life Dessie Grew was a highly active member of the Irish National Liberation ArmyIrish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
and the IRA. Grew had served four terms of imprisonment for republican activity at both Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison is the Republic of Ireland's only high security prison. It is located in Portlaoise, County Laois. It should not be confused with the Midlands Prison, which is a newer, medium security prison situated directly beside it....
and Long Kesh prior to his final release in June 1988. At the time of his death, Grew was wanted for questioning by German authorities who had issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the killing of an RAF corporal and his baby daughter.
Grew was shot dead along with Martin McCaughey
Martin McCaughey
Gerard Patrick Martin McCaughey was a volunteer in the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army from Aughnagar, Galbally, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. McCaughey was killed by undercover British Army soldiers in County Armagh on October 1990 along with fellow IRA volunteer,...
in an operation by undercover British soldiers. The British Army's 14 Intelligence Company
14 Intelligence Company
14 Field Security and Intelligence Company is alleged to have been an element of the British Army Intelligence Corps which operated in Northern Ireland from the 1970s onwards. The unit conducted undercover surveillance operations against suspected members of Irish republican and loyalist...
, which was a secret undercover intelligence unit, also known as the DET, were monitoring three AK47s at a farm building in this rural part of County Armagh and were aware that Grew and McCaughey were due to remove the guns.
As the pair approached an agricultural shed which was being used to grow mushrooms and also thought to have been an IRA arms dump, as many as 200 shots are believed to have been fired at them. Autopsy results showed Grew had 48 bullet wounds and McCaughey 12. British Army reports of the shooting stated that the two men left the shed holding two rifles. Republican sources claim the men were unarmed.
Peter Taylor
Peter Taylor (Journalist)
Peter Taylor born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire is a British journalist and documentary-maker who had covered for many years the political and armed conflict in Northern Ireland, widely known as the Troubles...
in his book and documentary, Brits looks into the ambush of Grew and McCaughey. Taylor states, "14 Intelligence Company, the secret army unit known as "the DET", were monitoring three AK47s at a farm building in County Armagh. There was intelligence that two of the IRA's most wanted men, Martin McCaughey and Dessie Grew, were coming to pick them up that night. The SAS were waiting."
His brother Seamus Grew
Seamus Grew
Seamus Grew was a volunteer in the Irish National Liberation Army who was killed in controversial circumstances by 14 Intelligence Company soldiers. It is alleged that this was part of an attempt to kill the INLA Chief of Staff Dominic McGlinchey. Roddy Carroll also died in the incident...
had also been killed
Shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland
During the period known as "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland, the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary were accused of operating a shoot-to-kill policy, under which suspects were alleged to have been deliberately killed without any attempt to arrest them...
by an undercover 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...
(RUC) squad (E4A) on the outskirts of Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
in 1982. Grew had stated that weeks before his death that in the event of his death that he wished to be laid beside Seamus. In line with his wishes Grew was buried at Armagh City cemetery in October 1990. Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
gave the oration at his funeral, calling him "a freedom fighter, a patriot and a decent upstanding Irish citizen".
Aftermath
The family of McCaughey claimed that Grew and McCaughey were ambushed after a stake out by the SASSpecial Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
. In January 2002, Justice Weatherup, a Northern Ireland High Court Judge ordered that official military document relating to the shooting should be disclosed. However, PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde
Hugh Orde
Sir Hugh Stephen Roden Orde, OBE, QPM is the current President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, representing the 44 police forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Between 2002-2009 he was the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland .Sir Hugh joined London's...
had the ruling overturned on appeal in January 2005.