Teebane bombing facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Teebane bombing
Part of The Troubles
Location	Teebane Crossroads, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°39′43.2″N 6°57′28.8″W / 54.662000°N 6.958000°W / 54.662000; -6.958000
Date	17 January 1992 17:00 (UTC)
Attack type	Roadside bomb
Deaths	7 civilians 1 Royal Irish Rangers soldier
Non-fatal injuries	4 civilians 2 UDR soldiers
Perpetrator	Provisional IRA

The Teebane bombing happened on January 17, 1992. It took place at a quiet crossroads in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. This area is between the towns of Omagh and Cookstown.

A powerful bomb exploded next to a van carrying 14 construction workers. These workers were coming back from repairing a British Army base in Omagh. Eight people died in the attack, and the others were hurt. Most of those killed were civilians. One soldier was also killed, and two soldiers were injured.

The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) said they were responsible. They claimed the workers were targets because they were helping the "forces of occupation." All the people killed were Protestants. Because of this, some people felt the attack was against their community. A few weeks later, a loyalist group called the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) attacked a betting shop in Belfast. They shot and killed five Catholic people there. This was seen as a revenge attack.

What Led to the Teebane Bombing?

Since 1970, the Provisional IRA had often attacked British Army and police bases. The police force was called the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). In 1985, the IRA started targeting civilians. These were people who provided services to the security forces. This included those who worked to fix and maintain army bases.

One of the first people killed was Seamus McAvoy. He was a Catholic man shot in Dublin for selling buildings to the RUC. In 1990, the IRA used a terrible tactic called "proxy bombs." They tied three men, who worked for the security forces, into cars filled with explosives. These men were forced to drive to army checkpoints. Their families were held at gunpoint. The bombs were then set off from far away. These attacks killed soldiers and one of the drivers.

Between 1985 and 1992, the IRA killed 23 people. These people had been working for or helping the security forces. The IRA also said some of these people had links to loyalist groups.

The Bombing Event

On the evening of January 17, 1992, 14 construction workers finished their day. They were leaving the Lisanelly British Army base in Omagh. They worked for a company called Karl Construction. The workers were traveling in a van towards Cookstown.

Just after 5 PM, the van reached Teebane Crossroads. IRA members set off a bomb hidden by the road. The bomb was very large, weighing about 600 pounds. Some reports say it was even bigger. The explosion was so loud it could be heard ten miles away.

The blast hit one side of the van very hard. It instantly killed the people sitting on that side. The top part of the van was ripped apart. The van kept moving for about 30 yards before stopping. Some of the people who died or were hurt were thrown into a nearby field. The IRA members set off the bomb from about 100 yards away using a wire. Another car behind the van was damaged, but its driver was not seriously hurt.

Seven men died right away in the explosion. They were William Gary Bleeks, Cecil James Caldwell, Robert Dunseath, David Harkness, John Richard McConnell, Nigel McKee, and Robert Irons. The van's driver, Oswald Gilchrist, died in the hospital four days later. Robert Dunseath was a British soldier. Six other workers were badly injured. Two of them were members of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). This was the deadliest event in Northern Ireland since 1988.

The IRA's East Tyrone Brigade quickly said they were responsible. They stated the men were "legitimate targets." They said this because the men were "rebuilding Lisanelly barracks." The IRA also promised to continue attacks on people who helped the security forces.

What Happened After the Bombing?

Both unionist and Irish nationalist leaders spoke out against the attack. They said it was wrong. However, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams called the bombing "a horrific reminder of the failure of British policy in Ireland." He said it showed a need for talks to create real peace. British Prime Minister John Major visited Northern Ireland soon after. He promised to send more troops. He also said the IRA would not change government policy.

Less than three weeks later, a loyalist group called the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) took revenge. On February 5, two masked men entered Sean Graham's betting shop in Belfast. This shop was in an Irish nationalist area and was full of people. The men shot at the customers, killing five Catholic civilians. They then escaped in a car. The UDA said they were responsible, using the name "Ulster Freedom Fighters." They ended their statement with "Remember Teebane."

A cousin of one of the Teebane victims visited the betting shop after the shooting. He said the attack would only help the Provisional IRA get more people to join them.

The Historical Enquiries Team looked into the bombing. They gave their report to the victims' families. They found that the IRA had first planned the attack for the morning of January 17. But because of fog, they waited until the evening. Even though suspects were arrested, no one has been charged or found guilty of the bombing.

A survivor named Bobby O'Neill was badly hurt in the blast. He told the police that he saw a "bearded man" at the scene. This man walked through the wreckage without showing any feelings. He looked at the bodies but did not try to help anyone. O'Neill believed this man was one of the bombers. He later helped the police create a picture of the man.

Karl Construction put up a granite memorial at the site of the attack. A service is held there every year. In 2012, on the 20th anniversary, Democratic Unionist Party politician Trevor Clarke asked for the names of the bombers. His brother-in-law, Nigel McKee, was the youngest person killed. On the 30th anniversary, the victims' families again asked for information to find those responsible.

See also

• Ballygawley bus bombing
• Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (1990-1999)