Sean Kelly (IRA bomber)
Encyclopedia
Sean Kelly, is a former volunteer
in the Belfast Brigade
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA), who was a member of the active service unit
which carried out the Shankill Road bombing
in 1993.
, Northern Ireland
intending to kill Johnny Adair
and senior members of the Ulster Defence Association
(UDA) exploded prematurely, killing nine Protestant civilians.
An 11-second fuse was meant to detonate the bomb after they had shouted a warning. Thomas Begley
, a fellow volunteer in the Belfast Brigade, was killed in the botched attack, which left Kelly injured; he lost an eye and has limited use of his left arm.
Kelly was arrested after being picked up by rescuers searching for survivors in the wreckage. Kelly, from the republican Ardoyne
area of north Belfast
, was sentenced to nine terms of life imprisonment at his trial in January 1995.
The judge at his trial, Lord Justice McDermott
, said: "This wanton slaughter of so many innocent people must rank as one of the most outrageous atrocities endured by the people of this province in the last quarter of a century."
, Kelly was reported by Lt. Col. Tim Collins to be present during republican violence in the Ardoyne
.
Kelly was returned to prison on 18 June 2005 when his early release was suspended amid allegations that he had been involved in rioting. Sinn Féin claimed he was trying to calm tensions. Peter Hain
, Northern Ireland Secretary, said that he had directed the arrest and return to prison of Sean Kelly on the basis of ‘security information’ available to him. He said he was satisfied that Sean Kelly “had become re-involved in terrorism”. He was re-released on 28 July later the same year. The next day the IRA ordered an end to its armed campaign.
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 Belfast Brigade
Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas, based in the city of Belfast. Founded in 1969, along with the formation of the Provisional IRA, it was historically organised into three battalions; the First Battalion based in the...
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), who was a member of the 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....
which carried out the Shankill Road bombing
Shankill Road bombing
The Shankill Road bombing was carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on 23 October 1993 and is one of the most notorious incidents of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Provisional IRA's intended target was a meeting of loyalist paramilitary leaders, which was to take place above...
in 1993.
Shankill Road bomb
Kelly was convicted for his part in planting a bomb on the Shankill Road, North 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...
, 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...
intending to kill Johnny Adair
Johnny Adair
Jonathan Adair, better known as Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair is the former leader of the "C Company", 2nd Battalion Shankill Road, West Belfast Brigade of the "Ulster Freedom Fighters" . This was a cover name used by the Ulster Defence Association , an Ulster loyalist paramilitary organisation...
and senior members of the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA) exploded prematurely, killing nine Protestant civilians.
An 11-second fuse was meant to detonate the bomb after they had shouted a warning. Thomas Begley
Thomas Begley
Thomas Begley , was a volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army...
, a fellow volunteer in the Belfast Brigade, was killed in the botched attack, which left Kelly injured; he lost an eye and has limited use of his left arm.
Kelly was arrested after being picked up by rescuers searching for survivors in the wreckage. Kelly, from the republican 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 of 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...
, was sentenced to nine terms of life imprisonment at his trial in January 1995.
The judge at his trial, Lord Justice McDermott
John MacDermott, Baron MacDermott
John Clarke MacDermott, Baron MacDermott, MC PC was a Northern Irish politician and lawyer who was Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland from 1951 to 1971....
, said: "This wanton slaughter of so many innocent people must rank as one of the most outrageous atrocities endured by the people of this province in the last quarter of a century."
Release after the Good Friday Agreement
Kelly served seven years of his life sentence and was released in July 2000 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. During the Holy Cross disputeHoly Cross dispute
The Holy Cross dispute occurred in 2001 and 2002 in the Ardoyne area of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and involved an escalating dispute between on the one hand the pupils and parents of Holy Cross R.C. Primary School and on the other the residents of a loyalist area that lay on the route to the front...
, Kelly was reported by Lt. Col. Tim Collins to be present during republican violence 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...
.
Kelly was returned to prison on 18 June 2005 when his early release was suspended amid allegations that he had been involved in rioting. Sinn Féin claimed he was trying to calm tensions. Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
, Northern Ireland Secretary, said that he had directed the arrest and return to prison of Sean Kelly on the basis of ‘security information’ available to him. He said he was satisfied that Sean Kelly “had become re-involved in terrorism”. He was re-released on 28 July later the same year. The next day the IRA ordered an end to its armed campaign.