Michael McVerry
Encyclopedia
Michael McVerry was a Provisional Irish Republican Army
volunteer
and Officer Commanding
of the First Battalion of the Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade
. He was killed in Keady
in 1973.
McVerry was born and raised in the townland of Skerriff near Cullyhanna
, County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
. He attended Cullyhanna Primary School and later Bessbrook
Technical College before starting work on building sites throughout Ireland
.
Michael McVerry joined the IRA in August 1971. He was imprisoned in Mountjoy Prison
and later the Curragh
camp, both in the Republic of Ireland
, where he took part in a hunger and thirst strike. On Sunday, 29 October 1972 he and six other comrades (Colm Murphy, James Hazlett, Thomas McGrath, Paddy Carty, James McCabe and Christopher Murphy) audaciously escaped from The Curragh through a tunnel and returned to IRA active service.
He gradually became the most experienced guerrilla fighter in the IRA at that time and a legend among the local republican population in south Armagh
. In 1973 he lost his hand while testing grenades. In August of that year he got married.
On 15 November 1973 he was killed during an attack on the RUC
barracks in Keady
. He was shot by British soldiers after placing a 100lb bomb against the gable wall of the barracks during the IRA attack. The resulting explosion badly damaged the station and surrounding properties, a second device failed to detonate. A gun battle pursed as the IRA unit withdrew after attack between them and members of the RUC and British Army in which a policeman was shot in the shoulder, one member of the IRA was also hit. The IRA unit escaped towards Carnagh Custom Post on the border, where they hi-jacked two cars and set fire to the Custom Post before escaping across the border. McVerry was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Castleblayney
, County Monaghan
, but was found to be dead on arrival from a bullet wound in the stomach.
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...
volunteer
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...
and Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
of the First Battalion of the Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade
Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade
The South Armagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army operated during the Troubles in south County Armagh. It was organised into two battalions, one around Jonesborough and another around Crossmaglen. By the 1990s, the South Armagh Brigade was thought to consist of about 40 members,...
. He was killed in Keady
Keady
Keady is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated south of Armagh city and very close to the border with the Republic of Ireland. The town had a population of 2,960 people in the 2001 Census....
in 1973.
McVerry was born and raised in the townland of Skerriff near Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna
Cullyhanna is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies on the main road between Newtownhamilton and Crossmaglen. It had a population of 306 in the 2001 Census...
, 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...
, 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...
. He attended Cullyhanna Primary School and later Bessbrook
Bessbrook
Bessbrook is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies about three miles northwest of Newry and close to the main Dublin–Belfast road and rail line...
Technical College before starting work on building sites throughout Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Michael McVerry joined the IRA in August 1971. He was imprisoned in Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison
Mountjoy Prison , founded as Mountjoy Gaol, nicknamed The Joy, is a medium security prison located in Phibsboro in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. It has the largest prison population in Ireland.The current prison governor is Mr...
and later the Curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
camp, both in 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,...
, where he took part in a hunger and thirst strike. On Sunday, 29 October 1972 he and six other comrades (Colm Murphy, James Hazlett, Thomas McGrath, Paddy Carty, James McCabe and Christopher Murphy) audaciously escaped from The Curragh through a tunnel and returned to IRA active service.
He gradually became the most experienced guerrilla fighter in the IRA at that time and a legend among the local republican population in south 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 1973 he lost his hand while testing grenades. In August of that year he got married.
On 15 November 1973 he was killed during an attack on the RUC
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...
barracks in Keady
Keady
Keady is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated south of Armagh city and very close to the border with the Republic of Ireland. The town had a population of 2,960 people in the 2001 Census....
. He was shot by British soldiers after placing a 100lb bomb against the gable wall of the barracks during the IRA attack. The resulting explosion badly damaged the station and surrounding properties, a second device failed to detonate. A gun battle pursed as the IRA unit withdrew after attack between them and members of the RUC and British Army in which a policeman was shot in the shoulder, one member of the IRA was also hit. The IRA unit escaped towards Carnagh Custom Post on the border, where they hi-jacked two cars and set fire to the Custom Post before escaping across the border. McVerry was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Castleblayney
Castleblayney
Castleblayney or Castleblaney is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town has a population of about 3,000.Castleblayney lies near the border with County Armagh and is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry...
, County Monaghan
County Monaghan
County Monaghan 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 Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, but was found to be dead on arrival from a bullet wound in the stomach.