[88], Travers travelled to Belfast in 2006 for a secret meeting with the second-in-command of the UVF's Brigade Staff, in an attempt to come to terms with the killing of his former colleagues and friends. Survivors Stephen Travers and Des McAlea were both present at the unveiling, as was the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, who made a tribute. Jackson was never charged with the Miami atrocity. it is to say the least highly dubious, if not absurd to conclude from such superficial factors that Nairac was present at the Miami murders. crime scene photos 1,913 Vintage Crime Scene Premium High Res Photos Browse 1,913 vintage crime scene stock photos and images available, or search for crime scene photos to find more great stock photos and pictures. He was then machine-gunned 22 times, mostly in the face, as he lay supine on the ground. They sprung terror attacks in south Armagh, south Down, east Tyrone and even as far away as south Derry. Halfway to Newry, their minibus was stopped at what appeared to be a military checkpoint where gunmen in British Army uniforms ordered them to line up by the roadside. "John said the cops told him there was no need for him to go to prison. 8 in the Irish charts. Driven by a personal tragedy, a pianist-turned-lawyer navigates the complex world of divorce fighting for his clients to win by any means necessary. [48] Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville were UDR soldiers as well as holding the rank of major and lieutenant, respectively, in the UVF. [47] The RT programme Today Tonight aired a documentary in 1987 in which it claimed that former UVF associates of Harris Boyle revealed to the programme's researchers that Nairac had deliberately detonated the bomb to eliminate Boyle, with whom he had carried out the Green killing. On April 17, 1975, Somerville and Jackson blew up a Catholic-owned cottage which was being renovated at Killyliss between Dungannon and Ballygawley. I only came into it because of my UDR connection and the fact that I had a uniform. The scene of the Miami Showband massacre Somerville would never. Those responsible for the attack belonged to the Glenanne gang, a secret alliance of loyalist militants, Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) police officers and UDR soldiers. Following the explosion pandemonium broke out among the remaining gunmen; shouting obscenities, they started shooting the dazed band members, who had all been blown down into the field below the level of the road from the force of the blast. They received the blessing of jailed UVF leader Gusty Spence, who was serving life for the Malvern Street murder and shootings in 1966. McCoy's words, therefore, were taken seriously by the other band members, and anything he said was considered to be accurate. Das Getty Images Design ist eine eingetragene Marke von Getty Images. In prison John Somerville lived a reclusive life. Somerville would never have gone to prison if he'd agreed to work for the RUC. [10][11] Hanna was named by former British Intelligence Corps operative Colin Wallace as having organised and led the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings, along with Jackson. He was given a total of four life sentences (three for the murders of the Miami Showband members and one for the Falls murder) on 9 November 1981; he had pleaded not guilty. [30][32], McCoy, son of the Orange Order's Grand Master for County Tyrone,[33] had close relatives in the security forces; his brother-in-law was a former member of the B Specials which had been disbanded in 1970. But our investigations this week revealed that shortly before he died, Jackson sent for self-confessed loyalist gunrunner Willie Frazer, also now deceased. Crozier told police, and later a court, that he had not played a large part in the attack. The three men were sent to serve their sentence in the Maze Prison, on the outskirts of Lisburn. Brian McCoy was the first to die, having been hit in the back and neck by nine rounds from a 9mm Luger pistol in the initial volley of gunfire. Crozier had pleaded not guilty. [36] Dillon opined that another reason the UVF decided to target the Miami Showband was because Irish nationalists held them in high regard; to attack the band was to strike the nationalists indirectly. No one coerced me. "They also hoped he would one day take over the leadership of the organisation in mid-Ulster when Robin 'The Jackal' Jackson either stood down or was executed.". He was released in 1998. [2], The UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade operated mainly around the Portadown and Lurgan areas. By 1975, they had gained a large following, playing to crowds of people in dance halls and ballrooms across the island. [40] Three of the musicians were killed: lead singer Fran O'Toole, trumpeter Brian McCoy, and guitarist Tony Geraghty. [72][73] Surviving band members Stephen Travers and Des McAlea told police and later testified in court that a British Army officer with a "crisp, clipped English accent" oversaw the attack, the implication being that this was Nairac. Journalist Emily O'Reilly noted in the Sunday Tribune that none of the three men convicted of the massacre ever implicated Nairac in the attack or accused him of causing Boyle's death. The mother of the late singer-rapper Aaron Carter released photos of the scene of his death Wednesday, calling for a "real . Miami showband massacre Stock Photos and Images (9) See miami showband massacre stock video clips RF TTNAG4 - A plaque in Parnell Square, Dublin, Ireland to those who died in what became known as the Miami Showband Massacre in 1975 at Buskhill, Newry. She furthermore opined that Jackson was the man Travers saw kicking McCoy's body to make sure he was dead. [35] Regarding the soldier with the English accent, Dillon wrote:[75]. Pat Finucane Centre. And nearer home, they carried out five operations in one day in the Moy and Stewartstown. Former serving Secret Intelligence Service agent Captain Fred Holroyd, and others, suggested that Nairac had organised the attack in co-operation with Robin Jackson and the Mid-Ulster UVF. The Historical Enquiries Team investigated the killings and released their report to the victims' families in December 2011. They asked him if he recognised it or could he identify it. In 2005, Somerville attended a ceremony in Portadown honouring his dead brother Wesley. It also devastated the burgeoning live music scene in Northern Ireland.. But as the death toll mounted, so did Somerville's drinking. Weir's affidavit implicating Robin Jackson in a number of attacks including the 1974 Dublin bombings was published in the 2003 Barron Report; the findings of an official investigation into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings commissioned by Irish Supreme Court Judge Henry Barron. Three band members were taken from their tour bus and shot . "Special Branch Agent colluded in Miami killings". [86] Weir alleged the bomb used in the Miami Showband attack came from Mitchell's farm. Two of the gunmen, both soldiers, died when a time bomb they were hiding on the minibus exploded prematurely. Optimieren Sie Ihren Workflow mit unserem erstklassigen Digitalen Asset Management System. It was . Asked whether he had anything valuable inside the case, Travers replied no. The two men were found shot dead nearby. His leadership was endorsed by the UVF's leader Gusty Spence. Laat uw merk op authentieke wijze groeien door uw merkcontent te delen met de makers van het internet. Notorious loyalist serial killer Robin Jackson. Findings in a report carried out by the PSNI's Historic Enquiries Team into the Miami atrocity stated that there was fingerprint evidence linking Robin Jackson to the attack. 14 December 2011. The Miami Showband (1962-1996 and 2008-present) Photo Gallery - Band Lineups - Discography - Audio samples - Where Are They Now? The scene of the Miami Showband killings in County Down, Northern Ireland, on 31 July 1975. 3/2/2023 1:00 AM PT. He subsequently stated they refused to accept his description of the different-coloured beret worn by the soldier with the English accent. Stroomlijn uw workflow met ons toonaangevende beheersysteem voor digitale bestanden. Its basic repertoire included cover versions of pop songs that were currently in the charts, and standard dance numbers. Originally called the Downbeats Quartet, the Miami Showband was reformed in 1962 by rock promoter Tom Doherty, who gave them their new name. It was a forgiveness that few of the relatives of his victims were willing to give. It took place on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland. [65] Earlier that night, three RUC officers in an unmarked car had been stopped at a checkpoint but allowed through. Aged 70, he died of cancer of the kidney. Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention, Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actions, "Sunningdale pushed hardliners into fatal outrages in 1974", "Events: Dublin and Monaghan Bombs Chronology of Events", "Collusion in the South Armagh / Mid Ulster Area in the mid-1970s", "All About the Miami Showband (19611996)", "The Miami Band Lined Up Against the Van. [22] He presently resides near Craigavon. The Mid-Ulster Battalion has been assisting the South Down-South Armagh units since the IRA Forkhill boobytrap which killed four British soldiers. [31] Travers described McCoy as a "sophisticated, father-type figure. Somerville said: "I'm not going to make excuses for my past. [41] Fran O'Toole attempted to run away, but was quickly chased down by the gunmen who had immediately jumped down into the field in pursuit. It was released under the heading Ulster Central Intelligence Agency Miami Showband Incident Report:[20][48][42]. The Miami Showband was a popular Dublin-based Irish showband, enjoying fame and, according to journalist Peter Taylor, "Beatle-like devotion" from fans on both sides of the Irish border. The patrol sergeant immediately ordered the patrol to shoot back. The gunman turned him round, punched him hard in the back and pushed him on the shoulder back into the line-up. A report by the police's Historical Enquiries Team (HET) also suggests this. As a teenager with strongly held anti-Catholic views, Somerville joined the B Specials, but he later went to sea as a member of the Merchant Navy. Near the anniversary of the killings, a temporary plaque is placed at the location of the killings. [35], On 22 January 1976, a second UDR soldier, Sergeant James Roderick Shane McDowell (aged 29, an optical worker, also from Lurgan) was arrested and charged with the Miami killings. Two days before, Jackson and Somerville had carried out a bomb and gun attack at McGleenan's pub in Armagh, killing its owner Jack McGleenan and customers Patrick Hughes and Thomas Morris. [7] At the time of the attack the Mid-Ulster Brigade was commanded by Robin Jackson, also known as "The Jackal". 5 languages The Miami Showband killings (also called the Miami Showband massacre) [1] was an attack on 31 July 1975 by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a loyalist paramilitary group. Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville were given UVF paramilitary funerals conducted by Free Presbyterian minister William McCrea, a Democratic Unionist Party politician. Miami Showband massacre survivors and relatives to get 1.5m in damages 'I wake up to these murders every day of my life,' band member Des McAlea tells court Expand The Miami Showband (from. Lightly built and standing less than 5ft 7in, he wasn't a stereotypical loyalist killer. The scene of the Miami Showband Killings on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland, 31st July 1975. . Three photos, which have been cropped slightly and published below, show the extent of the injuries to Rainey's chest, back, arms and legs. In January 2015, he was found dead in his Shankill Road flat. At about 2:30am, when the band was seven miles (11km) north of Newry on the main A1 road, their Volkswagen minibus (driven by trumpeter Brian McCoy with bassist Stephen Travers in the front seat beside him) reached the townland of Buskhill. According to Martin Dillon, the order to shoot was given by the patrol's apparent leader, James McDowell,[36] to eliminate witnesses to the bogus checkpoint and subsequent bombing. [100] According to the report, Jackson had claimed during police interrogations that after the shootings, a senior RUC officer had advised him to "lie low". The plaque describes them as having been "killed in action". It allows for commemoration and leaving of flowers at the location itself. Died from several gunshot wounds. Jackson was convinced Hanna was a Special Branch informer and he feared he may spill details of the imminent Miami attack to his RUC handler. [19] In 1978, he became a born-again Christian. The attack was carried out by loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and took place while the group, a popular cabaret band, were travelling home to Dublin after a performance. In his flat - which few people visited - Somerville kept a large photograph of Robin Jackson on the wall of his living room. In a police statement made following his arrest for possession of the silencer and Luger on 31 May 1976, Jackson maintained that a week before he was taken into custody, two RUC officers had tipped him off about the discovery of his fingerprints on the silencer; he also claimed they had forewarned him: "I should clear as there was a wee job up the country that I would be done for and there was no way out of it for me". This meant that both it and the UDA were legal organisations. The Miami Showband reformed in 2008, with Stephen Travers, Des McAlea, and Ray Millar, plus new members. He served in C Company, 11th Battalion UDR. [55] Although ballistic testing had linked the Luger (for which the silencer had been specifically made) to the Miami Showband attack, Jackson was never questioned about the killings after his fingerprints had been discovered on the silencer, and the Miami inquiry team were never informed about these developments. They were: lead vocalist and keyboard player Fran O'Toole, 28, Catholic; guitarist Anthony (Tony) Geraghty, 24, Catholic, from Dublin; trumpeter Brian McCoy, 32, Protestant, from Caledon, County Tyrone; saxophonist Des McAlea (a.k.a. According to former Intelligence Corps agent Captain Fred Holroyd, the killings were organised by British intelligence officer Robert Nairac, together with the UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade and its commander Robin "the Jackal" Jackson. [70] Crozier, McDowell, and Somerville were released after 1998 under the terms of the Belfast Agreement. [17] Five Catholic civilians were shot; passenger Joseph Toland was killed outright and driver James Marks died of his wounds in January 1976. Ashford had been asked to leave the band in 1973, for complaining that performing in Northern Ireland put their lives at risk. They also discovered a stolen white Ford Escort registration number 4933 LZ,[43] which had been left behind by the gunmen, along with two guns, ammunition, green UDR berets and a pair of glasses later traced to James McDowell, the gunman who had allegedly ordered the shootings. In the ensuing confusion the UVF men opened fire on the band, killing three and wounding two. [18] A typical Irish showband was based on the popular six- or seven-member dance band. I passed out when the explosion happened and that was when I lost the gun, the glasses, and a UDR beret. [99], The findings noted in the report confirmed Mid-Ulster UVF leader Robin Jackson's involvement and identified him as an RUC Special Branch agent. The band was travelling home to Dublin late at night after a performance in Banbridge. And despite being married with a family, he immersed himself in loyalist terrorism. The other gunmen then started shooting the dazed band members, killing three and wounding two. One of the first famous crime scene photos was taken on May 5, 1903, in the home of a Parisian woman named Madame Debeinche who had been murdered. "Des Lee"), 24, Catholic, from Belfast; bassist Stephen Travers, 24, Catholic, from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary; and drummer Ray Millar, Protestant, from Antrim. [6] The existence of these talks led unionists to believe that they were about to be abandoned by the British government and forced into a united Ireland; as a result, the loyalist paramilitary groups reacted with a violence that, combined with the tit-for-tat retaliations from the IRA (despite their ceasefire), made 1975 one of the "bloodiest years of the conflict". [30][39], When the device was tilted on its side,[30] clumsy soldering on the clock used as a timer caused the bomb to explode prematurely, blowing the minibus apart and killing UVF men Harris Boyle (aged 22, a telephone wireman from Portadown) and Wesley Somerville (aged 34, a textile worker from Moygashel) instantly. [96], In a report on Nairac's alleged involvement in the massacre, published in the Sunday Mirror newspaper on 16 May 1999, Colin Wills called the ambush "one of the worst atrocities in the 30-year history of the Troubles". ", And he insisted: "The Lord has forgiven me.". [55] Both the silencer and pistol which was later established to have been the same one used in the Miami Showband killings were found by the security forces at the home of Edward Sinclair. Touts aren't welcome here.". Geraghty was engaged to be married. The Miami Showband Massacre, the latest in Netflix's ReMastered music documentary series, may feature a band unfamiliar to Americans but the horrendous violence on display puts most American true . Three band members were shot dead by loyalist gunmen. It took place on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland. "[54] In May 1976, Robin Jackson's fingerprints were discovered on the metal barrel of a home-made silencer constructed for a Luger. [53] The three convicted UVF men, although admitting to having been at the scene, denied having shot anyone. The murder of singer Fran O'Toole . The monument, entitled Let's Dance is made of limestone, bronze and granite, by County Donegal sculptor Redmond Herrity, and is at the site of the old National Ballroom, where the band often played. The attack was carried out by loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and took place while the group, a popular cabaret band, were travelling home to Dublin after a performance.
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