Stag Inn attack facts for kids

The Stag Inn attack was a violent shooting that happened on July 30, 1976. A group linked to the IRA carried out the attack. They used the name Republican Action Force for it. Four Protestant civilians were killed in the attack. The victims were between 48 and 70 years old. Several other people were also hurt. This attack was part of a series of violent events in Northern Ireland. Different armed groups were involved in these back-and-forth attacks.

Why the Attack Happened

Since February 1975, the IRA had agreed to a ceasefire with the British government. But some Loyalist groups in Northern Ireland were worried. They feared the British government might make a deal with the IRA. This deal, they thought, could force Northern Ireland to join the Republic of Ireland.

Because of these worries, Loyalist armed groups started many attacks. They hoped these attacks would make the IRA fight back. This would then end the ceasefire and stop talks between the IRA and the British government.

Groups and Their Actions

Loyalist groups like the Ulster Volunteer Force and Ulster Defence Association used different names for their attacks. Some of these names were Protestant Action Force and Ulster Freedom Fighters. Most of these attacks happened in Belfast. Another area with many attacks was known as the "murder triangle." This was in parts of counties Armagh and Tyrone.

For example, in April 1975, the Protestant Action Force bombed a pub. Two Catholic civilians were killed. Later that day, Irish Republican groups attacked the Mountainview Tavern. Four Protestant civilians and a UDA member died.

The Republican Action Force also claimed responsibility for attacks. One of their first was the Tullyvallen massacre. Five Protestant civilians were killed there. All the victims were members of the Orange Order. This is a Protestant group that many Irish Catholics in Northern Ireland saw as divisive.

Another group, the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), also carried out attacks. On New Year's Eve 1975, they bombed a pub. Three Protestant civilians were killed and 30 were injured. The INLA used the name "People's Republican Army" for this attack.

The most deadly attack by the Republican Action Force was the Kingsmill massacre in January 1976. In this event, armed members stopped a minibus. They shot 11 Protestant workers. Ten of them died. They let the only Catholic person on the bus go free.

The Stag Inn Attack

The Stag Inn was a hotel and bar owned by Protestants.

The attack happened on Saturday, July 30, 1976, at 8:00 pm. It took place at the Stag Inn. This inn was located near Milltown Road in Belvoir Park Forest, a nicer area in south Belfast.

What Happened

A car with at least three armed men pulled up outside. This car had been stolen earlier that day. One of the gunmen immediately shot the doorman, John McLeave, who was 48 years old. He was standing outside doing security.

Then, two gunmen went inside the Stag Inn bar. They fired many bullets. John Mackey, 50, and James Doherty, 70, were killed right away. Several other people were hit. One of them was Thompson "Robert" McCreight, 60. He died from his injuries a week later, on August 8, 1976. Many others were injured.

The gunmen quickly escaped in the waiting car. The attackers said this shooting was revenge. They claimed it was for a Loyalist attack the day before. On July 29, 1976, Loyalists had killed three Catholic civilians. This happened at The Whitefort Inn pub in Belfast. The Stag Inn attack was the last major attack claimed by the Republican Action Force in 1976.

Earlier on the same day, the Provisional IRA Derry Brigade killed a Protestant soldier. This soldier was from the Ulster Defence Regiment. He died from a bomb at a farm near Moneymore. Less than 24 hours later, another Protestant was killed by Republicans. An IRA sniper shot a Protestant civilian in Lurgan. This meant six Protestants were killed by the IRA or Republican Action Force in 24 hours. At least six others were injured.

After the Attack

The Republican Action Force claimed only two more killings after the Stag Inn shootings. In April 1977, they killed a Protestant civilian in Forkhill. They also killed another Protestant that same month near Shankill Road in Belfast.

Brendan Hughes, a former commander of the IRA's Belfast Brigade, spoke about these attacks. He was in prison at the time. He told a journalist that many in the IRA were unhappy with the sectarian killings. He felt these attacks were not helping their cause. He believed they were actually making things worse.

About a month after the Stag Inn attack, another incident occurred. On August 16, 1976, the UVF and others bombed the Step Inn pub. This was in the village of Keady. Two Catholic women were killed, and 20 others were injured. After this attack, the back-and-forth sectarian violence mostly decreased.

See also

• Store Bar shooting
• Bayardo Bar attack
• Mountainview Tavern attack