20th Anniversary of Drumnakilly Murders to be commemorated.

The 20th anniversary of the deaths of Óglaigh na hÉireann volunteers, Brian Mullin, Gerard and Martin Harte are set to be commemorated over the last weekend in August in County Tyrone.

The three volunteers were killed in a hail of SAS bullets on the 30th August 1988. The three men had been killed in a carefully laid ambush on the main Omagh to Carrickmore road. The killings were a part of the Shoot to kill policy employed by Thatcher and the British government of the day.

The Mid Ulster Brigade of the IRA released a statement the following day. It said,

“Brian Mullin, Gerard Harte and Martin Harte were IRA Volunteers. They were killed on active service. We salute their courage and extend deepest condolences to their families.”

At the funerals of the three volunteers in Loughmacrory and Brian Mullin in Foremass, Sixmilecross the RUC and British army effectively sealed off both areas. Hundreds of RUC and British army personal saturated the local areas, despite the traditional IRA final salute being given the previous night in the Loughmacrory area.

Twenty years on from those events a commemoration committee has been formed and have released a clár of events which spans the last weekend in August to pay tribute to the three volunteers. Included on the clár, amongst other things is a Drumnakilly Martyrs memorial lecture, Gaelic football tournament, exhibition and various talks.

Also set to be unveiled over the weekend is a monument to the three volunteers which will be situated in Loughmacrory village. In addition to the numerous events taking place there is also Gaelic football shirts on sale commemorating the 20th anniversary.



Speaking ahead of the memorial weekend West Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin Chairperson Barry McNally said

“News of the shooting at Drumnakilly spread like a shockwave around the closely-knit rural community of Mid Tyrone. Many people to this day can remember where they were and what they were doing when the tragic news came through. People also remember the disgraceful scenes of RUC and British Army saturation and intimidation of mourners attending the wakes and funerals."

"They remember the Chinooks landing during the funeral proceedings to ferry away the unwanted foreign gunmen and their RUC sidekicks. They also remember the resilience of the community in standing by the Harte and Mullin families, as demonstrated by the thousands of people from all over the country who turned out for the funerals and wakes."

“Gerard, Martin and Brian were popular figures in the Mid-Tyrone area and Irish Republicans throughout Ireland hold in high esteem the three Volunteers killed at Drumnakilly and their families.

“Throughout the weekend of events local people will remember and celebrate the lives of Brian Mullin and Gerard and Martin Harte. Their pursuit for Irish freedom remains an inspiration to the republican youth of today. I would urge young republicans to come along and remember with pride the three volunteers who were killed in pursuit of Irish republican ideals."