Larry Marley
Encyclopedia
Laurence "Larry" Marley (c. 1946 – 2 April 1987) was a Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) member from Ardoyne
, North Belfast
. He was one of the masterminds behind the 1983 mass escape
of republican
prisoners from the Maze Prison, where Marley was imprisoned at the time, although he did not participate in the breakout. Marley was described by British journalist Peter Taylor as having been a close friend of Sinn Féin
president Gerry Adams
. Marley was shot dead by an Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) unit two years after his release from the Maze. His shooting was in retaliation for the killing of leading UVF member John Bingham
the previous September by the Ardoyne IRA.
in about 1946 and was raised a Roman Catholic. He grew up in the Ardoyne
area and attended Holy Cross Boy's Primary and St. Gabriel's Secondary schools. He became involved with the IRA in the early stages of The Troubles
, and was a member of an active service unit
(ASU) in the Belfast Brigade until his arrest in late 1972. At the time he was married to Kate and the father of three sons. He was sent to Long Kesh (Maze Prison). In March 1975, he, along with nine other IRA men, escaped from Newry
courthouse, where he was on trial for an attempted escape from Long Kesh. He went on the run but was recaptured in Belfast in 1977. Charged with possession of weapons, Marley was sentenced to another 10 years in Long Kesh.
Together with Brendan McFarlane
and Pat McGeown
, he made an attempt to escape in 1978 dressed as a prison warden, but they were caught before they reached the prison perimeter. That plan having failed to come to fruition, he joined the blanket protest
in the Maze's H-Blocks for four years. In September 1983, he helped Brendan McFarlane, Bobby Storey
and Gerry Kelly
to orchestrate the successful mass escape of 38 republican prisoners from the Maze
. It was the largest prison escape in British penal history. According to a BBC
documentary about the escape, Marley was the mastermind, having come up with the idea with the aim of embarrassing British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
, as the Maze was considered to be one of the world's most secure prisons. Marley, unlike his three co-conspirators, did not take part in the breakout as his own release date was coming up.
Marley was released from prison in November 1985 and returned to his home in Ardoyne, North Belfast. Because of his major role in masterminding the prison escape, Marley became a hate figure for the British security forces in Northern Ireland and the Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC).
. Two gunmen got out of the car; one was armed with a Browning pistol and his companion carried an automatic shotgun. The men knocked at the front door, and just as Marley arrived to open it, they began firing at him through the door. He was mortally wounded and died of his injuries ninety minutes later in hospital. He was 41 years old at the time of his death and had six sons, the youngest aged two weeks. According to journalist Peter Taylor
, he was a close friend of Sinn Féin
president Gerry Adams
, the two men having met in prison. The shooting was in retaliation for the Ardoyne IRA's killing of leading UVF member John Bingham
the previous September.
The UVF released a statement afterwards regarding the shooting:
Marley's funeral was delayed for three days as the RUC refused to allow military displays at the graveside and formed a heavily-armed cordon around his Havana Gardens home. There was intense rioting in north and west Belfast due to the delay. Finally, the police compromised and the funeral took place with thousands of mourners following the cortege, which was preceded by 35 armoured RUC Land Rovers, to the Republican Plot in the Milltown Cemetery
. According to Gerry Adams, Marley's funeral witnessed the largest "display of Republican support since the hunger strikes" in 1981. Marley was described as having been determined, unselfish, possessed of a resourceful intelligence and a readiness to help his friends and fellow volunteers.
in the loyalist
stronghold of the Shankill Road from a passing car as Marchant stood outside the Progressive Unionist Party
(PUP) offices. Marchant, who held the rank of major in the UVF, was implicated in the 1974 Dublin car bombings
.
UVF member Gerry Spence was one of the men later charged with Marley's killing; although when he was brought to trial in April 1988, he was acquitted of Marley's murder.
There is a memorial plaque commemorating Marley in Ardoyne Avenue, close to its junction with Havana Gardens.
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) member from Ardoyne
Ardoyne
Ardoyne is an Irish nationalist, working class and mainly Catholic district in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It gained notoriety due to the large number of incidents during "The Troubles". It is home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
, North 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...
. He was one of the masterminds behind the 1983 mass 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...
of 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...
prisoners from the Maze Prison, where Marley was imprisoned at the time, although he did not participate in the breakout. Marley was described by British journalist Peter Taylor as having been a close friend of 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...
president 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...
. Marley was shot dead by an Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) unit two years after his release from the Maze. His shooting was in retaliation for the killing of leading UVF member John Bingham
John Bingham (loyalist)
John Dowey Bingham was a prominent Northern Irish loyalist who led "D Company" , 1st Battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force . He was shot dead by the Provisional IRA after they had broken into his home...
the previous September by the Ardoyne IRA.
IRA
Marley was born in BelfastBelfast
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...
in about 1946 and was raised a Roman Catholic. He grew up in the Ardoyne
Ardoyne
Ardoyne is an Irish nationalist, working class and mainly Catholic district in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It gained notoriety due to the large number of incidents during "The Troubles". It is home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
area and attended Holy Cross Boy's Primary and St. Gabriel's Secondary schools. He became involved with the IRA in the early stages of 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...
, and was a member of an active service unit
Active Service Unit
An active service unit was a Provisional Irish Republican Army cell of five to eight members, tasked with carrying out armed attacks. In 2002 the IRA had about 1,000 active members of which about 300 were in active service units....
(ASU) in the Belfast Brigade until his arrest in late 1972. At the time he was married to Kate and the father of three sons. He was sent to Long Kesh (Maze Prison). In March 1975, he, along with nine other IRA men, escaped from Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
courthouse, where he was on trial for an attempted escape from Long Kesh. He went on the run but was recaptured in Belfast in 1977. Charged with possession of weapons, Marley was sentenced to another 10 years in Long Kesh.
Together with Brendan McFarlane
Brendan McFarlane
Brendan "Bik" McFarlane is an Irish republican activist. Born into a Roman Catholic family, he was brought up in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast, Northern Ireland. At 16, he left Belfast to train as a priest in a north Wales seminary...
and Pat McGeown
Pat McGeown
Pat "Beag" McGeown was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike.-Background and IRA activity:...
, he made an attempt to escape in 1978 dressed as a prison warden, but they were caught before they reached the prison perimeter. That plan having failed to come to fruition, he joined the blanket protest
Blanket protest
The blanket protest was part of a five year protest during the Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners held in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. The republican prisoners' status as political prisoners, known as Special Category Status, had...
in the Maze's H-Blocks for four years. In September 1983, he helped Brendan McFarlane, Bobby Storey
Bobby Storey
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 prison escape, which was the biggest prison break in British penal history.-Early life:The family was originally...
and Gerry Kelly
Gerry Kelly
Gerard "Gerry" Kelly is an Irish republican politician and former Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer who played a leading role in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998...
to orchestrate the successful mass escape of 38 republican prisoners from the Maze
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...
. It was the largest prison escape in British penal history. According to a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary about the escape, Marley was the mastermind, having come up with the idea with the aim of embarrassing British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, as the Maze was considered to be one of the world's most secure prisons. Marley, unlike his three co-conspirators, did not take part in the breakout as his own release date was coming up.
Marley was released from prison in November 1985 and returned to his home in Ardoyne, North Belfast. Because of his major role in masterminding the prison escape, Marley became a hate figure for the British security forces in Northern Ireland and the 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).
Death
Marley was fatally shot shortly after 9.00 p.m. on 2 April 1987 by a UVF unit that drove up to his Havana Gardens home in a CortinaFord 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...
. Two gunmen got out of the car; one was armed with a Browning pistol and his companion carried an automatic shotgun. The men knocked at the front door, and just as Marley arrived to open it, they began firing at him through the door. He was mortally wounded and died of his injuries ninety minutes later in hospital. He was 41 years old at the time of his death and had six sons, the youngest aged two weeks. According to journalist 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...
, he was a close friend of 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...
president 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...
, the two men having met in prison. The shooting was in retaliation for the Ardoyne IRA's killing of leading UVF member John Bingham
John Bingham (loyalist)
John Dowey Bingham was a prominent Northern Irish loyalist who led "D Company" , 1st Battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force . He was shot dead by the Provisional IRA after they had broken into his home...
the previous September.
The UVF released a statement afterwards regarding the shooting:
"Laurence Marley had served a long prison sentence for IRA activities including blackmail and possession of arms and explosives. Upon his release, he became re-involved with the organisation and this re-involvement cost him his life"
Marley's funeral was delayed for three days as the RUC refused to allow military displays at the graveside and formed a heavily-armed cordon around his Havana Gardens home. There was intense rioting in north and west Belfast due to the delay. Finally, the police compromised and the funeral took place with thousands of mourners following the cortege, which was preceded by 35 armoured RUC Land Rovers, to the Republican Plot in the Milltown Cemetery
Milltown Cemetery
Milltown Cemetery is a large cemetery in west Belfast, Northern Ireland.It lies within the townland of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and the M1 motorway. Milltown Cemetery opened in 1869 and there are now approximately 200,000 of Belfast's citizens buried there. Most of those buried there are...
. According to Gerry Adams, Marley's funeral witnessed the largest "display of Republican support since the hunger strikes" in 1981. Marley was described as having been determined, unselfish, possessed of a resourceful intelligence and a readiness to help his friends and fellow volunteers.
Aftermath
The IRA avenged Marley's death at the end of the month by shooting dead William "Frenchie" MarchantWilliam Marchant (loyalist)
William "Frenchie" Marchant was a Northern Irish loyalist and a middle-ranking volunteer in the Ulster Volunteer Force . He was on a Garda list of suspects in the 1974 Dublin car bombings which left a total of 26 people dead, and close to 300 injured...
in the loyalist
Ulster 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...
stronghold of the Shankill Road from a passing car as Marchant stood outside the Progressive Unionist Party
Progressive Unionist Party
The Progressive Unionist Party is a small unionist political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979...
(PUP) offices. Marchant, who held the rank of major in the UVF, was implicated in the 1974 Dublin car bombings
Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
The Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any single day during the conflict known as The Troubles.A loyalist...
.
UVF member Gerry Spence was one of the men later charged with Marley's killing; although when he was brought to trial in April 1988, he was acquitted of Marley's murder.
There is a memorial plaque commemorating Marley in Ardoyne Avenue, close to its junction with Havana Gardens.