Patrick Joseph Kelly

Infobox Military Person
name= Patrick Kelly
lived= 19 March 1957 - 8 May 1987
placeofbirth= Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
placeofdeath= Loughgall, County Armagh Northern Ireland


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= Provisional Irish Republican Army
serviceyears= c. 1974 - 1987
rank= Officer Commanding
commands=
unit=East Tyrone Brigade
battles= The Troubles
awards=
laterwork=:"For other people named Patrick Kelly, see Patrick Kelly."Patrick Joseph Kelly ( _ga. Pádraic Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh; [http://www.hoganstand.com/general/identity/names.htm] 19 March 1957 – 8 May 1987) born Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, was the head of the Tyrone Brigade and the Commander of the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army during the mid 1980s until his death in a Special Air Service ambush at Loughgall, County Armagh in May 1987.cite book | last = | first = | authorlink = | title = Tírghrá | publisher = National Commemoration Centre | year = 2002 | pages = p. 290 | doi = | isbn = 0-9542946-0-2] [ [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/chron/1987.html CAIN Web Service] ]

Background

The oldest child in a family of five, Kelly was born in the largely Protestant town of Carrickfergus, however he was raised and lived in Dungannon, a rural market town in County Tyrone, in a family with a long tradition of Irish republicanism.

Paramilitary activities

Kelly became a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army at the beginning of the 1970s and gradually became one of the most experienced volunteers in Tyrone.

McGurk supergrass trial

He was arrested in February 1982 on the word of a supergrass called Patrick McGurk but was released in October 1983 due to lack of evidence after a trial that lasted fifteen minutes. [ [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0354/D.0354.198412040123.html Dáil Éireann Parliamentary Debates - Volume 354 - 04 December, 1984, Private Members' Business. - Northern Ireland Supergrass Trials] ]

Brigade commader

In 1985, Kelly was appointed brigade commander in East Tyrone and began developing tactics for attacking secluded Royal Ulster Constabulary bases in his area. Under his leadership the East Tyrone Brigade became the most active IRA unit in Northern Ireland.cite book | last = Coogan | first = Tim | authorlink = Tim Pat Coogan | title = The I.R.A. | publisher = Harper Collins | year = 2000 | pages = p. 575 | doi = | isbn = 0-00-653155-5 ] cite book | last = Moloney | first = Ed | authorlink = Ed Moloney | title = A Secret History of the IRA | publisher = Penguin Books | year = 2002 | pages = p. 307 | doi = | isbn = 0-141-01041-X] [Henry McDonald. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,2763,801151,00.html " True tale of IRA 'martyrs' revealed"] , "The Guardian", 2002-09-29. Retrieved on 2007-02-08]

IRA Army Convention

In 1986, Kelly attended the IRA Army Convention. At the convention the main topic of discussion was the principle of abstentionism. Gerry Adams and others argued the abstentionist rule should be dropped and the Provisional movement should become involved in constitutional politics. Kelly voted against dropping the rule and a rift with the majority of the IRA Army Council ensued.

Loughall

Patrick Kelly was killed in an ambush by the SAS on 8 May 1987 during an attack on Loughgall RUC barracks which also claimed the lives of seven of his comrades: Pádraig McKearney, Declan Arthurs, Seamus Donnelly, Tony Gormley, Eugene Kelly, Jim Lynagh, and Gerard O'Callaghan. Kelly's funeral in Dungannon was one of the largest in Tyrone during The Troubles. [cite web | title = IRA deaths: The four shootings | author = Paul Gallagher | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1312421.stm | publisher = BBC | date = 4 May 2001 | accessdate = 2007-05-30] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1312378.stm IRA deaths: Full judgement] ] [ [http://www.echr.coe.int/Eng/Press/2001/May/N%20Ireland%20cases.htm Judgments in the cases of Hugh Jordan, McKerr, Kelly and Others] ]

Burial

Kelly was buried in Edendork cemetery, two miles from his home in Dungannon.

ee also

*The Troubles in Loughgall

References