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Ardoyne commemora Thomas Begley

Memorial held for Shankill bomber

Targa per Thomas Begley

A ceremony commemorating an IRA man who planted the Shankill bomb 20 years ago, killing nine people and himself, has been held in north Belfast.

Thomas Begley died on 23 October 1993, when the device he carried into a fish shop exploded prematurely.

The Saturday afternoon blast caused devastation in the area.

Among those killed in the attack were two children aged seven and 13.

On Sunday, Thomas Begley’s father unveiled a plaque during a ceremony in Flax Street, Ardoyne.

The crowd was also addressed by the man who accompanied Thomas Begley to the shop, Sean Kelly.

Kelly survived the bomb and was pulled from the rubble of the collapsed building.

He told those assembled for the commemoration he was “truly sorry for loss of life and injuries caused” in the bomb attack.

The event, which was organised ahead of the 20th anniversary of the bombing, has been criticised by the family members of those who died and victims’ campaigners.

Gina Murray, whose daughter Leanne was killed in Shankill bombing, told UTV the plaque commemoration for Thomas Begley was “wrong”.

And a loyalist protest was held on the Crumlin Road during the ceremony.

The Shankill bombing was one of the most notorious atrocities of the Troubles.

The IRA claimed the target was a UDA meeting which was supposed to be held above the shop.

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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