Ambush at Drumnakilly

Drumnakilly ambush
Part of the Troubles and Operation Banner

Drumnakilly, close to where the ambush occurred
Date30 August 1988
LocationDrumnakilly, County Tyrone
Northern Ireland
54°36′14″N 7°10′08″W / 54.60389°N 7.16889°W / 54.60389; -7.16889Coordinates: 54°36′14″N 7°10′08″W / 54.60389°N 7.16889°W / 54.60389; -7.16889
Result Successful SAS Ambush
Belligerents
Provisional IRA

 United Kingdom

Commanders and leaders
Gerard Harte unknown
Strength
3 Volunteers 12 soldiers
Casualties and losses
3 killed none
Location of the ambush


Ambush at Drumnakilly is an Irish rebel song about an event in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland which occurred on August 30, 1988: three volunteers of the Provisional IRA (IRA), brothers Martin (21) and Gerard Harte (29) along with Brian Mullin (26) (Bard), were ambushed and killed by the Special Air Service (SAS).[1]

The IRA members were attempting to kill a previously identified off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment who seemed to be fixing a tyre on a coal lorry. The IRA unit drove up, armed with two AK-47 rifles and a revolver, and were ambushed as they approached by a dozen undercover soldiers, with others manning a heavy machine gun in a nearby derelict building.[2] The ambush happened ten days after the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade carried out the bombing of a bus full of British soldiers at Ballygawley in Tyrone in which 8 soldiers were killed and 28 injured.[3]

In total 236 shots were fired during the ambush; an inquest held failed to determine who had opened fire first in the ambush.[2]

This was the worst loss of life the Provisional IRA suffered in Northern Ireland since the Loughgall Ambush a year earlier, in May 1987 when eight IRA members were killed.[4]

The song was written by Gerry O'Glachin and recorded by The Irish Brigade.

There is also another song that was written and performed by Gerry Cunningham to commemorate the deaths of these three Provisional Irish Republican Army members. This version of the song has been adopted by Ógra Shinn Féin at their annual commemoration.


References

  1. ↑ Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1988". cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  2. 1 2 Lost Lives, 2007 Edition, ISBN 978-1-84018-504-1
  3. ↑ Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1988". cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  4. ↑ Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1987". cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
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