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Shots fired from assault rifle at veteran republican's funeral

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  • 19-04-2012 12:38pm
    #1
    Dubhlinner
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭


    img332.jpg

    Whatever your thoughts on the man I am surprised this has not made mainstream headlines. It is claimed "the IRA" provided the firing party but doesn't say which IRA. Had it been the inla there would have been big issues because they are supposed to have decommissioned.

    What really strikes me is the weapon used. Looks like an Armalite. To the best of my knowledge this has not been used by post good friday agreement militants. The weapons used at the Massarene shootings were AKMs. I think the one used in the Stephen Carrol murder was an AK47

    I really don't think Armalites have been used since the GFA and would probably be better calibre than the two mentioned above. So is there any possibility this is a provo weapon that should have been destroyed in 2005 or is this weapon in the hands of modern militant republicans and just hasn't been used?

    When a republican prisoner died a while back there was a firing party with handguns and it was all over BBC. Something a bit odd here


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    #2
    Sunnyisland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,562 ✭✭✭✭Sunnyisland


    As it seems he was first connected to the Official republican movement,Maybe the armalite came from them as I am not sure if they decommissioned all the armaments, Maybe the current leaders of the labour party would know :pac:;)


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    #3
    Hannibal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭Hannibal


    Dubhlinner wrote: »
    Whatever your thoughts on the man I am surprised this has not made mainstream headlines. It is claimed "the IRA" provided the firing party but doesn't say which IRA. Had it been the inla there would have been big issues because they are supposed to have decommissioned.

    What really strikes me is the weapon used. Looks like an Armalite. To the best of my knowledge this has not been used by post good friday agreement militants. The weapons used at the Massarene shootings were AKMs. I think the one used in the Stephen Carrol murder was an AK47

    I really don't think Armalites have been used since the GFA and would probably be better calibre than the two mentioned above. So is there any possibility this is a provo weapon that should have been destroyed in 2005 or is this weapon in the hands of modern militant republicans and just hasn't been used?

    When a republican prisoner died a while back there was a firing party with handguns and it was all over BBC. Something a bit odd here
    There is only one IRA and they decommissioned in 2005.

    There is a possibility it could be an Armalite formerly belonging to the IRA because when the 1997 split occured and the Real IRA was formed, Michael McKevitt was then the Quartermaster of the IRA and he had already taken weaponry from IRA arms dumps to have available for the Real IRA. So in the period he had available to take IRA weapons who knows what he could have taken


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    #4
    Dubhlinner
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭Dubhlinner


    Dotsey wrote: »
    There is only one IRA and they decommissioned in 2005.

    hehe delete that before my thread goes off on a massive tangent
    There is a possibility it could be an Armalite formerly belonging to the IRA because when the 1997 split occured and the Real IRA was formed, Michael McKevitt was then the Quartermaster of the IRA and he had already taken weaponry from IRA arms dumps to have available for the Real IRA. So in the period he had available to take IRA weapons who knows what he could have taken

    I guess this is probably the most likely explanation. Just seems odd they never used it before. Would have seemed a more suitable weapon at Massareene. Though could be plenty other reasons for using the weapon that they did.

    Other thing is this is bound to have a big police response even if its not reported. Would the reals want to draw attention to themselves like that?

    What I was sort of thinking was perhaps this is an ex provo deciding this republican deserves a proper send off and decided to bring the big stuff out of the attic. Likely provisionals didn't decommission everything in 2005

    Also trying to find out if they were ever used by the stickies realies, though they also decommissioned


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    #5
    MaxSteele
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭MaxSteele


    Seems he was quite a prominent member of the hardline republican movement. Nothing really surprising, regarding that kind of send off, there have been a number of these send offs even since the GFA from what I've read in the papers.


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    #6
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    Dubhlinner wrote: »

    ..........

    It is claimed "the IRA" provided the firing party but doesn't say which IRA.

    It was supposed to be, by implication, an "official"/sticky.


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    #7
    Dubhlinner
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭Dubhlinner


    Nodin wrote: »
    It was supposed to be, by implication, an "official"/sticky.

    have you got the right quote there, your post isn't making sense to me


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    #8
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    Dubhlinner wrote: »
    have you got the right quote there, your post isn't making sense to me

    Tis fixed now.


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    #9
    KeithAFC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,239 ✭✭✭✭KeithAFC


    Dubhlinner wrote: »
    img332.jpg

    Whatever your thoughts on the man I am surprised this has not made mainstream headlines. It is claimed "the IRA" provided the firing party but doesn't say which IRA. Had it been the inla there would have been big issues because they are supposed to have decommissioned.

    What really strikes me is the weapon used. Looks like an Armalite. To the best of my knowledge this has not been used by post good friday agreement militants. The weapons used at the Massarene shootings were AKMs. I think the one used in the Stephen Carrol murder was an AK47

    I really don't think Armalites have been used since the GFA and would probably be better calibre than the two mentioned above. So is there any possibility this is a provo weapon that should have been destroyed in 2005 or is this weapon in the hands of modern militant republicans and just hasn't been used?

    When a republican prisoner died a while back there was a firing party with handguns and it was all over BBC. Something a bit odd here
    It isn't all over the news because no one cares about the INLA or the IRA now. They are old news now.


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    #10
    bwatson
    Registered Users Posts: 630 ✭✭✭bwatson


    Dubhlinner wrote: »

    When a republican prisoner died a while back there was a firing party with handguns and it was all over BBC. Something a bit odd here

    Nothing odd or underhand about it - people simply are no longer interested in the actions of paramilitaries/criminals etc. The people of the UK no longer see them as significant and that is probably what unsettles them the most!

    If we want to look at people firing blindly into the air we all go to al jazeera and the Arab revolutions.


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    #11
    blahfckingblah
    Registered Users Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭blahfckingblah


    Its fairly common at republican funerals, especially in the north. As was said before a large amount of weaponry was taken from PIRA arms dumps prior to decommissioning by those who went on to form the RIRA and i suppose we have no way of knowing what weapons until they are used or found


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    #12
    laoch na mona
    Registered Users Posts: 2,965 ✭✭✭laoch na mona


    its only fair to assume the RIRA and the CIRA would have a few armalites they took when they split


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    #13
    Dubhlinner
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭Dubhlinner


    laoch na mona wrote: »
    its only fair to assume the RIRA and the CIRA would have a few armalites they took when they split

    CIRA I doubt it very much. Their existence basically kept a secret until the PIRA called a ceasefire out fear of attacks.

    RIRA yeah more plausible but I'd wonder why they haven't used them before.

    I'd be more inclined to think this was OIRA or PIRA


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    #14
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    It's not going to be PIRA, for a variety of reasons.


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    #15
    Sunnyisland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,562 ✭✭✭✭Sunnyisland


    Update, It seems it was the RIRA.

    FOYLE SDLP MLA, Colum Eastwood has been criticised for his attendance at a funeral at which a masked gunman unleased a volley of shots.


    Police in Londonderry have confirmed they are investigating an incident involving three masked men in the city on Tuesday morning (April 17).

    The gunmen were initially believed to be members of the INLA, but it later emerged that members of the ‘Real IRA’ were responsible for the incident in which up to a dozen shots were fired over the coffin of former INLA and Official IRA member, Seamus Coyle.

    The masked men appeared in the Rosemount Gardens area before his burial at the City Cemetery.

    A statement from the PSNI said: “Police have received reports of shots being fired in the Rosemount area and are investigating.”

    The INLA announced they had decommissioned their weapons arsenal in February, 2010 and IRSP leader, Willie Gallagher said INLA members were not involved in the firing of the shots.

    Mr Gallagher, who attended the funeral, said the firing party came from “the IRA”, and it is understood they were members of the ‘Real IRA’.

    TUV leader, Jim Allister said he was ‘astounded’ by Mr Eastwood’s participation at the funeral, at which the coffin was also flanked by an IRSP colour party.

    In response, Mr Eastwood said that, while he and Mr Coyle disagreed on many issues, he was nevertheless a friend and he attended the funeral to pay his respects in that capacity.

    Foyle SDLP MP, Mark Durkan today (Friday) told BBC Radio Foyle that Mr Eastwood was not present when the shots were fired.

    http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/local/mla-criticised-for-attending-paramilitary-style-funeral-1-3758126&ct=ga&cad=CAEQAhgAIAAoATAAOABA9P7F_ARIAVAAWABiBWVuLUlF&cd=Jtj7hjNKkkk&usg=AFQjCNEJ1qi2YELT5-r1jB14eauwLdkRXA


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    #16
    SeanW
    Registered Users Posts: 8,776 ✭✭✭SeanW


    Dubhlinner wrote: »
    CIRA I doubt it very much. Their existence basically kept a secret until the PIRA called a ceasefire out fear of attacks.

    RIRA yeah more plausible but I'd wonder why they haven't used them before.

    I'd be more inclined to think this was OIRA or PIRA
    Does the Official IRA even exist anymore?


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    #17
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,282 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Armalite AR-18 is a fussier weapon than the AKM. When you have a limited skill set, one is likely to normally use a simpler weapon. Ammunition supplies may also be limited.
    Dotsey wrote: »
    There is only one IRA and they decommissioned in 2005.
    They mostly decommissioned.


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    #18
    Border-Rat
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 921 ✭✭✭Border-Rat


    SeanW wrote: »
    Does the Official IRA even exist anymore?

    Yes. Its probably the most well-armed too, behind the PIRA.


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    #19
    Duiske
    Registered Users Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭Duiske


    Victor wrote: »


    They mostly decommissioned.

    The Independent Monitoring Commission are of the view that the IRA decommissioned all weapons that were "under its control". Unless you know otherwise ?


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    #20
    southsiderosie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,565 ✭✭✭southsiderosie


    getzls wrote: »
    Might have been better firing into the coffin than over it, just to make sure.:cool:
    realies wrote: »
    Your not very good at this trolling are you ? or is there some kind of opinion you would like to share regarding Friends/comrades honoring a veteran republican :confused:
    getzls wrote: »
    Oh no, i'm not trolling. He obviously was still as i would call a player up to the end. Don't go all misty eyed over him. Or maybe you want his likes to return?

    MOD NOTE:

    This is exactly the kind of nonsense that we don't want to see in this forum. If you think someone is trolling, report it, rather than engaging on thread.

    getzls, please familiarize yourself with the charter before posting in Politics again.

    Flamebait and off-topic nonsense deleted.


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    #21
    Cork boy 55
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,324 ✭✭✭Cork boy 55


    Border-Rat wrote: »
    Yes. Its probably the most well-armed too, behind the PIRA.

    OIRA decommissioned in 2010.

    From link:
    UTV wrote: »
    In a statement, the group said:
    "We have emphasised our commitment to removing any doubts that may exist that there are any Official IRA weapons in circulation.
    "To this end an extensive nationwide inventory has been completed to confirm and verify that all such equipment has been located, identified and transferred to the decommissioning body. Any other such equipment, which has not been submitted to the decommissioning process, has no association with the Official IRA."


    Are you aware of OIRA Stockpiles and units still in existence?

    ....

    I wonder just how many weapons on both sides
    are hidden away in deep storage.
    I would imagine that PIRA and the UDA have such "doomsday" stockpiles.


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    #22
    Sunnyisland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,562 ✭✭✭✭Sunnyisland


    Cork boy 55 wrote: »
    I wonder just how many weapons on both sides
    are hidden away in deep storage.
    I would imagine that PIRA and the UDA have such "doomsday" stockpiles.[/QUOTE]



    Me to.


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    #23
    Hannibal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭Hannibal


    Victor wrote: »
    Armalite AR-18 is a fussier weapon than the AKM. When you have a limited skill set, one is likely to normally use a simpler weapon. Ammunition supplies may also be limited.


    They mostly decommissioned.
    Prove it.

    Hear say and rumour doesn't constitute proof. The IMC are of the belief that the IRA have fully complied with them.
    Cork boy 55 wrote: »

    I wonder just how many weapons on both sides are hidden away in deep storage.
    I would imagine that IRA and the UDA have such "doomsday" stockpiles.
    all estimates that both governments and the IMC had of IRA weaponary tallied correctly with what the IRA showed them during the process and with what was decommissioned.
    Again this is rumour and hear say.


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    #24
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,282 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Dotsey wrote: »
    Prove it.
    Aside from the weapons pilfered from a location withheld from the IMC by dissidents, isn't there at least one character (reputed to be a senior IRA member) in front of the courts for possessing illegally held shotguns?


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    #25
    Hannibal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭Hannibal


    Victor wrote: »
    Aside from the weapons pilfered from a location withheld from the IMC by dissidents, isn't there at least one character (reputed to be a senior IRA member) in front of the courts for possessing illegally held shotguns?
    Them locations wouldn't have been revealed to the IMC at that stage when they were pilfered by McKevitt and his likes. This was around the time of the second ceasefire when McKevitt etc split to form the RIRA.

    What the papers and call a "senior IRA member" is different to whether they are senior IRA members. The courts cannot differenciate between groups hence why the charge is "groups styling itself IRA".

    Anybody can have illegally held firearms anyway, there's thousands of these up and down the country. I would be more worried about the drug gangs being armed to the teeth and having instant access to arsenals of weapons than a few republicans. These drug gangs are a bigger threat to the state and peoples lives than the IRA ever have been.


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    #26
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,282 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Dotsey wrote: »
    What the papers and call a "senior IRA member" is different to whether they are senior IRA members. The courts cannot differenciate between groups hence why the charge is "groups styling itself IRA".
    I have not heard of this individual being associated with any dissident group. Quite the opposite in fact.


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    #27
    blahfckingblah
    Registered Users Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭blahfckingblah


    Victor wrote: »
    I have not heard of this individual being associated with any dissident group. Quite the opposite in fact.
    was it a large number of arms? because a gun is illegally held if you dont renew your gun licence every year, for which you need to contact the gardai who then need to process the licence which, in many cases takes a long long time. so what im trying to say is its very easy to have an illegal shotgun or rifle and very common in rural ireland.


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    #28
    Lonesome Boatman
    Registered Users Posts: 439 ✭✭Lonesome Boatman


    Dubhlinner wrote: »
    img332.jpg

    Whatever your thoughts on the man I am surprised this has not made mainstream headlines. It is claimed "the IRA" provided the firing party but doesn't say which IRA. Had it been the inla there would have been big issues because they are supposed to have decommissioned.

    What really strikes me is the weapon used. Looks like an Armalite. To the best of my knowledge this has not been used by post good friday agreement militants. The weapons used at the Massarene shootings were AKMs. I think the one used in the Stephen Carrol murder was an AK47

    I really don't think Armalites have been used since the GFA and would probably be better calibre than the two mentioned above. So is there any possibility this is a provo weapon that should have been destroyed in 2005 or is this weapon in the hands of modern militant republicans and just hasn't been used?

    When a republican prisoner died a while back there was a firing party with handguns and it was all over BBC. Something a bit odd here

    looks like a rusty old OIRA gun to me

    as far as i know they never decomissioned


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    #29
    HOS 1997
    Registered Users Posts: 234 ✭✭HOS 1997


    With it being Derry it seems probable that it was the Real IRA.

    The Officials fought a bloody feud with the INLA in the 70's, even killing their leader Seamus Costello, so I can't imagine anyone associated with that group would ever be allowed to give a armed salute at a member's funeral.


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    #30
    Fenian Army
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭Fenian Army


    We haven't seen an armalite in a long time.

    Don't see anything wrong with giving someone a proper send off - other things that may be done with the gun are another matter entirely.


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    #31
    fasttalkerchat
    Registered Users Posts: 5,652 ✭✭✭fasttalkerchat


    HOS 1997 wrote: »
    With it being Derry it seems probable that it was the Real IRA.

    The Officials fought a bloody feud with the INLA in the 70's, even killing their leader Seamus Costello, so I can't imagine anyone associated with that group would ever be allowed to give a armed salute at a member's funeral.

    You're probably right there. They used a republican-socialist flag and shots were fired over the coffin as a mark of respect from republicans in general. Exactly who fired the shots doesn't really matter.
    When someone like Ruairí Ó Brádaigh dies there will be people from every group at the funeral.


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