McGurk's Bar bombing: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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==Background==

{{see|Timeline of the Northern Ireland Troubles and peace process}}

McGurk's (also called the Tramore Bar) was a two-storey [[public house]] on the corner of North Queen Street and Great George's Street, in the [[New Lodge, Belfast|New Lodge]] area to the north of Belfast city centre.<ref>[http://www.policeombudsman.org/Publicationsuploads/McGurk's---Final-Report.pdf ''The bombing of McGurk's Bar, Belfast, on 4 December 1971'']. Report by the [[Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland]]. February 2011.</ref> This was a mainly [[Irish nationalism|Irish nationalist]] and Catholic neighbourhood, and the pub's regular customers were from thatthe community.<ref name="BBCOTD"/> The pub was owned by Patrick and Philomena McGurk, who lived on the upper floor with their four children.<ref>Police Ombudsman's Report, p.2</ref>

The [[Ulster Volunteer Force]] was formed in Belfast in 1966, declaring war on the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and anyone helping it. Until 1971, however, its actions were few and it "scarcely existed in an organisational sense".<ref>Encyclopedia of British and Irish political organizations''. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000. p.259</ref> The [[British Army]] was deployed in Northern Ireland following the [[1969 Northern Ireland riots|August 1969 riots]], which are usually seen as the start of [[the Troubles]]. In December 1969 the IRA split into two factions: the [[Official Irish Republican Army|'Official' IRA]] and [[Provisional IRA]]. Both launched armed campaignsretaliated against the British Army, the [[Royal Ulster Constabulary]] (RUC) and the [[government of Northern Ireland]].

During 1971, the violence gradually worsened. There were daily bombings and shootings by republicans, loyalists and the security forces. During the first two weeks of December, there were about 70 bombings and about 30 people were killed.<ref>Police Ombudsman's Report, p.14</ref> On 2 December, three republican prisoners escaped from [[Crumlin Road (HM Prison)|Crumlin Road prison]], not far from McGurk's. Security was tightened and there was a heavy RUC and British Army presence in the area over the next two days.<ref name="Police Ombudsman's Report, p.9">Police Ombudsman's Report, p.9</ref> Eyewitnesses asserted that the checkpoints around McGurk's were removed just an hour before the attack.<ref>Police Ombudsman's Report, p.16</ref>

==The bombing==