Glenanne barracks bombing
Encyclopedia
The Glenanne barracks bombing was a large truck bomb
attack carried out by the Provisional IRA
against a British Army
(Ulster Defence Regiment
) base at Glenanne, near Mountnorris
, County Armagh
. The bombing took place on 31 May 1991 and left three soldiers killed and 14 people wounded, four of them civilians.
arranged multi-party talks (known as the Brooke/Mayhew talks) on the future of Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin
members were not invited to attend because of their links with the IRA, which prevented them from being recognized as a 'constitutional' party. The talks ended in failure soon after.
Built in 1972, the barracks housed two companies of the 2nd County Armagh
battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment
(UDR). Seen as an outpost
, it sat on the dividing line between a Protestant area and a Catholic
area. Seven UDR soldiers from the base had already been killed during "The Troubles
". It had outlived its operational usefulness and a decision had already been taken to close it down. However, the lack of interest in rebuilding the compound
after the bombing would raise some controversy among unionists
.
beacon, which the IRA employed in order to prevent radio-jamming countermeasures.
The blast left a deep crater and it could be heard over 30 miles away, in Dundalk
. This was the biggest bomb exploded by the IRA until then. Most of the UDR base was destroyed by the blast and the fire that followed. At first, a massive mortar attack was suspected.
Three UDR soldiers – Paul Blakely (30), Robert Crozier (46), Sidney Hamilton (44) – were killed and ten were wounded. Four civilians were also wounded.
The Provisional IRA claimed responsibility two days later.
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,...
attack carried out by the Provisional IRA
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...
against a 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...
(Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
) base at Glenanne, near Mountnorris
Mountnorris
Mountnorris is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies about six miles south of Markethill. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 165 people. It is within the Armagh City and District Council area.- History :...
, 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...
. The bombing took place on 31 May 1991 and left three soldiers killed and 14 people wounded, four of them civilians.
Background
The bombing took place at a time when the Northern Ireland OfficeNorthern 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:...
arranged multi-party talks (known as the Brooke/Mayhew talks) on the future of Northern Ireland. 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...
members were not invited to attend because of their links with the IRA, which prevented them from being recognized as a 'constitutional' party. The talks ended in failure soon after.
Built in 1972, the barracks housed two companies of the 2nd 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...
battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
(UDR). Seen as an outpost
Outpost (military)
An Outpost in military terminology essentially means a detachment of troops stationed at a distance from the main force or formation, usually at a station in a remote or sparsely populated location, positioned to stand guard against unauthorized intrusions and surprise attacks; and the station...
, it sat on the dividing line between a Protestant area and a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
area. Seven UDR soldiers from the base had already been killed 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...
". It had outlived its operational usefulness and a decision had already been taken to close it down. However, the lack of interest in rebuilding the compound
Compound (fortification)
In military science, a compound is a type of fortification made up of walls or fences surrounding several buildings in the center of a large piece of land...
after the bombing would raise some controversy among unionists
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
.
The bombing
At 11:30 PM, a truck loaded with 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) of high explosive was rolled down a hill at the rear of the barracks and crashed through the perimeter fence. The bomb was then triggered either by automatic fire – heard by some witnesses before the main blast – or by a radarRadar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
beacon, which the IRA employed in order to prevent radio-jamming countermeasures.
The blast left a deep crater and it could be heard over 30 miles away, in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
. This was the biggest bomb exploded by the IRA until then. Most of the UDR base was destroyed by the blast and the fire that followed. At first, a massive mortar attack was suspected.
Three UDR soldiers – Paul Blakely (30), Robert Crozier (46), Sidney Hamilton (44) – were killed and ten were wounded. Four civilians were also wounded.
The Provisional IRA claimed responsibility two days later.
Sources
- Geraghty, TonyTony GeraghtyTony Geraghty is a British-Irish writer and journalist. He served in the Parachute Regiment, and was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his work as a military liaison officer with U.S. forces during the Gulf War...
: The Irish War. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000. ISBN 0801864569 - Furniss Potter, John: A Testimony to Courage - The Regimental History of the Ulster Defence Regiment 1969 - 1992. Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2001. ISBN 0850528194