In 2004, the
Pat Finucane Centre asked Professor Douglas Cassel (formerly of
Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago) to convene an international inquiry to investigate collusion by members of the British security forces in sectarian killings in Northern Ireland committed during the mid-1970s. The gang's involvement in the killings was to be investigated in particular. The panel interviewed victims and their relatives, as well as four members of the security forces. The four members of the security forces were: RUC SPG officers John Weir and Billy McCaughey;
psychological warfare operative
Colin Wallace and
MI6 operative
Captain Fred Holroyd. They all implicated the Glenanne gang in the attacks. In seven out of eight cases, ballistic tests corroborated Weir's claims linking the killings to weapons carried by the security forces. The interviews revealed many similarities in the way the attacks were carried out, while various documents (including the
Barron Report) established a chain of ballistic history linking weapons and killings to the gang. Justice Barron commented in reference to the gang This joining of RUC and UDR members with members of Loyalist paramilitary organisations is emphasised by the use of the same or connected guns by intermingled groups of these organisations. The Glenanne gang has been linked to the following attacks and/or incidents:
1972 and 1973 • 4 October 1972: killing of Catholic civilian Patrick Connolly. He was killed and his mother and brother were injured when a grenade was thrown through the window of their house in
Portadown, County Armagh. The family were Catholics living in a mixed area of the town. The grenade was of a type manufactured in the United Kingdom "for use by the British Armed Forces". • 28 October 1973: killing of Catholic civilian Francis McCaughey. He was wounded by a booby-trap bomb at a farm in
Carnteel, near Aughnacloy, County Tyrone. He died on 8 November. The "Ulster Freedom Fighters" claimed responsibility but it is believed UVF members were responsible. His brother-in-law, Owen Boyle, was later shot dead by the Glenanne gang. Although Robin Jackson was arrested and Campbell's widow picked him out as the killer at an identity parade, murder charges against him were soon dropped. • 19 February 1974: bomb attack on Traynor's Bar at Aghinlig, between
Blackwatertown and Charlemont, County Armagh. Catholic civilian Patrick Molloy and Protestant civilian John Wylie were killed. Two other civilians were wounded. In 1981 a serving UDR soldier, a former UDR soldier and a former UVF member were convicted of the murders. UDR soldier William Thomas Leonard was convicted for the killings. His membership in the UDR was withheld from the courts by the police. • 17 May 1974:
Dublin and Monaghan bombings, in which 33 civilians were killed (
see below). • 3 September 1974: shooting of T.J. Chambers in
Mountnorris, County Armagh. The 9 mm Luger pistol used in the incident was the same often used in other Glenanne gang attacks. • 20 November 1974: gun attack on Falls Bar at Aughamullen, near
Clonoe, County Tyrone. Catholic civilian Patrick Falls was killed and another wounded. UDR soldier James Somerville was convicted for the attack. • 29 November 1974: attacks in
Newry and
Crossmaglen, County Armagh. A bomb exploded in a hallway of Hughes' Bar in Newry, injuring many people. Catholic civilian John Mallon died of his injuries on 15 December. At the inquest an RUC witness said the pub was used by all sections of the community and had no links with any organisation. Another bomb exploded in the hallway of McArdle's Bar, Crossmaglen, injuring six. Catholic civilian Thomas McNamee died from his injuries almost a year later, on 14 November 1975. According to reliable loyalist sources, UVF members were responsible for both attacks.
1975 • 10 January 1975: killing of IRA volunteer
John Francis Green, who was found shot dead at a farmhouse in Tullynageer near
Castleblayney,
County Monaghan. In his statement, Weir claims that the gunmen were Robin Jackson, Robert McConnell and Harris Boyle. • 10 February 1975: gun attack on Hayden's Bar in Gortavale, near
Rock, County Tyrone. A gunman entered the pub and opened fire indiscriminately on the customers. Catholic civilians Arthur Mulholland and Eugene Doyle were killed while four others were wounded. • 19 February 1975: Civilian Jim Breen shot dead as he answered his front door with his 8-year-old son beside him.
Lurgan, County Armagh. Gunman named as Robin Jackson. The "Protestant Action Force" claimed responsibility. • 3 April 1975: killing of Catholic civilian Martin McVeigh. He was shot dead near his home at Ballyoran Park, off the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, as he cycled home from work. Robin Jackson was later arrested in possession of the murder weapon, but the RUC did not question or charge him with the murder. The "Protestant Action Force" claimed responsibility. • 21 April 1975: killing of Catholic civilians Marion Bowen (who was eight months pregnant) and her brothers, Seamus and Michael McKenna, by a booby-trap bomb left in Bowen's house at Killyliss, near
Granville, County Tyrone. Seamus and Michael were renovating the house, which had been unoccupied for almost a year. The "Protestant Action Force" claimed responsibility. • 27 April 1975: gun attack on a social club in
Bleary, County Down. Gunmen burst into the Catholic-frequented darts club and opened fire indiscriminately. Catholic civilians Joseph Toman, John Feeney and Brendan O'Hara were killed while others were wounded. The "Protestant Action Force" claimed responsibility. They then opened fire, wounding seven people. • 22 August 1975: gun and bomb attack on McGleenan's Bar in the city of
Armagh. A masked gunman burst into the crowded pub and opened fire while another planted a bomb. It exploded as they ran to a getaway car, causing the building to collapse. Catholic civilians John McGleenan, Patrick Hughes and Thomas Morris were killed while many others were injured. According to reliable loyalist sources, UVF members were responsible. • 24 August 1975: killing of Catholic civilians Colm McCartney and Sean Farmer, who were found shot dead at Altnamacken, near
Newtownhamilton, County Armagh. They were driving home from a
Gaelic football match in Dublin when they were apparently stopped at a fake military checkpoint by men wearing British Army uniforms. They were found shot dead a short distance away. The "Protestant Action Force" claimed responsibility. • 1 September 1975: killing of
SDLP member Denis Mullen, who was shot dead by two gunmen who called at the door of his home in
Collegeland, just outside
Charlemont in the north-west of
County Armagh. • 4 September 1975: gun and bomb attack on McCann's Bar in
Ballyhegan, County Armagh. Eleven people were wounded and Catholic civilian Margaret Hale died of her wounds on 22 September. • 23 October 1975: killing of Catholic civilians Peter and Jane McKearney. They were shot dead by gunmen who arrived at the door of their house in Listamlat, near Moy, County Tyrone. The gunmen may have mistaken the couple for the parents of an IRA member with the same surname – Margaret McKearney – but they were not related. Among the first on the scene were neighbours Charles and Teresa Fox, who were both later killed by the UVF in 1992. • 19 December 1975: attacks in
Dundalk and
Silverbridge. At 6:20, a car bomb exploded outside Kay's Tavern in Dundalk, Co Louth on the southern side of the border. Catholic civilians Hugh Watters and Jack Rooney were killed and more than twenty others were injured. Three hours later, gunmen attacked Donnelly's Bar and filling station in Silverbridge, less than ten miles away on the northern side of the border. They fired at people outside the building, then fired on the customers and threw a bomb inside. Two Catholic civilians (Patrick and Michael Donnelly) and an English civilian (Trevor Brecknell, married to a local woman) were killed. The "Red Hand Commando" claimed both attacks and it is believed they were co-ordinated. It is believed the Siverbridge attack was carried out by the Glenanne gang while the Dundalk bombing was carried out by other members of the Mid Ulster UVF, probably with some help from Belfast UVF members.
1976 • 4 January 1976:
Reavey and O'Dowd killings. At about 6pm, gunmen broke into the Reavey family home in Whitecross, County Armagh. They shot brothers John, Brian and Anthony Reavey. John and Brian were killed outright while Anthony died of a brain hemorrhage less than a month later. Twenty minutes after the shooting, gunmen broke into the O'Dowd family home in Ballydougan, about twenty miles away. They shot dead Joseph O'Dowd and his nephews Barry and Declan O'Dowd. All three were members of the SDLP. Barney O'Dowd was wounded by gunfire. RUC officer Billy McConnell admitted taking part in the Reavey killings and accused RUC Reserve officer James Mitchell of being involved too. According to Weir, UDR Corporal Robert McConnell was the lead gunman in the Reavey killings and Robin Jackson was the lead gunman in the O'Dowd killings. The "Protestant Action Force" claimed responsibility for the two co-ordinated attacks. According to Weir, the attack was carried out by RUC officer Laurence McClure and UDR soldier Robert McConnell, using explosives provided by UDR Captain John Irwin and stored beforehand at James Mitchell's farmhouse. A memorial to Patrick Mone is near the site of the bombing in Castleblayney. • 8 March 1976: bomb and gun attack on Tully's Bar in
Belleeks, County Armagh. RUC officer John Weir admitted helping to plan the attack and accused RUC Reserve officer James Mitchell of being the mastermind. • 17 March 1976:
car bomb attack on the Hillcrest Bar in Dungannon on Saint Patrick's Day. Four Catholic civilians – Joseph Kelly, Andrew Small and 13-year-olds Patrick Bernard and James McCaughey – were killed. Twelve others were injured. His status as a member of the security forces was withheld from the courts by the police. RUC officers William McCaughey, Laurence McClure and Ian Mitchell confessed and were convicted for the attack, while RUC officer David Wilson was convicted for withholding knowledge that the attack was to take place. However, only McCaughey served time in prison. According to the book
Lethal Allies, the officers were wearing their police uniforms underneath boiler suits. • 19 April 1977: killing of Catholic civilian William Strathearn, a chemist, who was shot dead at his shop in
Ahoghill, County Antrim. RUC SPG officers John Weir and Billy McCaughey were convicted for the killing. • 18 June 1978: kidnapping of Father Hugh Murphy in Ahoghill. This was in retaliation for the IRA's kidnapping and killing of an RUC officer the day before. Murphy was eventually released unharmed after appeals from a number of Protestant ministers, including
Ian Paisley. Sergeant Gary Armstrong and Constable Billy McCaughey, both of the RUC (along with the latter's father, Alexander McCaughey), were convicted for the kidnapping. • 29 February 1980: killing of Catholic civilian Brendan McLaughlin, who was killed in a drive-by-shooting on Clonard Street, Belfast. He was killed with the same Sterling submachine gun used in the Miami Showband, O'Dowd family and Devlin family killings. Information that loyalist paramilitaries were regularly meeting at the farm appeared on
British Intelligence Corps documents from late 1972. According to submissions received by Mr Justice Barron, the Glenanne farm was used to build and store the bombs that exploded in Dublin and Monaghan. The report states they were placed onto Robin Jackson's poultry lorry, driven across the border to a carpark, then activated by Hanna and transferred to three allocated cars. These cars exploded almost simultaneously in Dublin's city centre at about 5.30pm during evening rush hour, killing 26 civilians. Ninety minutes later a fourth car bomb exploded in
Monaghan, killing another seven civilians. Mitchell and his female housekeeper, Lily Shields both denied knowledge that the farm was used for illicit paramilitary activity. They also denied partaking in any UVF attacks. Weir also stated that on one occasion an RUC constable gave him two weapons to store at the Glenanne farm: He then offered me the two sub-machine guns because he knew about my connection to Loyalist paramilitaries. I accepted them and took them to Mitchell's farmhouse. In his affidavit, Weir recounted when in March 1976 he had gone to the farm where between eight and ten men dressed in
camouflage had been parading in the farmyard. Inside he had discussed with Mitchell and others the details of a planned bombing and shooting attack against a nationalist pub, Tully's in Belleeks. Mitchell had shown him the floor plans of the pub's interior which he had drawn up highlighting the lack of escape routes for the pub's patrons. The plan was temporarily called off when it was discovered that the British Army's
Parachute Regiment was on patrol that evening in the area. Weir returned to Belfast the next day and the attack went ahead that evening, 8 March. There were no casualties, however, as Mitchell's floor plans had been inaccurate and the customers had fled into the pub's living quarters for safety once the shooting had commenced outside; the bomb only caused structural damage to the building. In May 2024 Iain Livingstone, head of
Operation Denton, said that there was no doubt of collusion between the Glenanne gang and British authorities in the
Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
Miami Showband massacre On 31 July 1975, four days after Hanna's shooting and Jackson's assumption of leadership of the Mid-Ulster brigade, the Miami Showband's minibus was flagged-down outside
Newry by armed UVF men wearing British Army uniforms at a bogus military
checkpoint. Two UVF men (Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville) loaded a time delay bomb on the minibus but it exploded prematurely and killed them. The remaining UVF gunmen then opened fire on the bandmembers, killing three (Brian McCoy, Anthony Geraghty and Fran O'Toole) and wounding two (Stephen Travers and Des McAlea). Two of the three men convicted of the killings and sentenced to life imprisonment were serving members of the UDR, while the third was a former member. The
Luger pistol used in the attack was found to have been the same one used to kill
Provisional IRA member John Francis Green in January 1975 and was also used in the O'Dowd killings of January 1976. The 2003 Barron Report suggests that the guns were taken from the stockpile of weapons at the Glenanne farm. The Luger pistol used in the Green, Miami Showband and O'Dowd attacks was later destroyed by the RUC on 28 August 1978. Liaison officer Captain
Robert Nairac has been linked to the Miami Showband killings and the killing of John Francis Green. Miami Showband survivors Stephen Travers and Des McAlea both testified in court that a man with a "crisp, clipped English accent, and wearing a different uniform and beret" had been at the scene of the explosion and subsequent shootings. The Cassel Report concluded that there was "credible evidence that the principal perpetrator [of the Miami Showband attack] was a man who was not prosecuted – alleged RUC Special Branch agent Robin Jackson". Although Jackson had been questioned by the RUC following the Showband attack, he was released without having been charged.
Reavey and O'Dowd killings and the Kingsmill massacre The co-ordinated sectarian shootings of the Reavey and O'Dowd families, allegedly perpetrated by the Glenanne gang and organised by Robin Jackson, was followed the next day by the Kingsmill massacre. On 5 January 1976, gunmen from the
Provisional IRA stopped a minibus carrying eleven Protestant men home from their workplace in Glenanne. The gunmen lined them up alongside it and shot them, killing ten. The "South Armagh Republican Action Force" claimed responsibility, saying that the shooting was retaliation for a string of attacks on Catholic civilians in the area by loyalists, particularly the Reavey and O'Dowd killings. A 2011
Historical Enquiries Team (HET) report however found that Kingsmill had been planned in advance of these killings. In 2001, an unidentified former Glenanne gang member (a former RUC officer sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in the gang's killings) revealed that the gang had planned to kill thirty Catholic schoolchildren as revenge for Kingsmill. It planned to attack St Lawrence O'Toole Primary School in the South Armagh village of
Belleeks. The attack was allegedly called off because the UVF leadership ruled it would be "morally unacceptable" and would lead to a harsh IRA response and likely civil war. ==Convictions==