In the 1980s, the IRA in East Tyrone and other areas close to the border, such as South Armagh, were following a military theory devised for Ireland byJim Lynagh,the leader of the IRA in east TyronThe theory involved creating "zones of liberation" that the security forces of Northern Ireland did not control and gradually expanding them to make the country ungovernable. Lynagh's strategy was to start off with one area which the British military did not control, preferably a republican stronghold such as east Tyrone. The South Armagh area was considered to be a liberated zone already, since British troops and the RUC could not use the roads there for fear of bombs and snipers. Thus it was from there that the IRA East Tyrone Brigade attacks were launched, with most of them occurring in east Tyrone in areas close to south Armagh, which offered good escape routes. The first phase of Lynagh's plan to drive out the British security forces from east Tyrone involved destroying isolated rural police stations and then intimidating or killing any building contractors who were employed to rebuild them.
The East Tyrone Brigade had previously carried out two attacks on RUC bases in east Tyrone, described by author Mark Urban as "spectaculars".On these two occasions the stations were destroyed, and most or all of the occupants killed. It was therefore with some confidence that the IRA tried the same tactics on the unmanned Loughall RUC station on 8 May 1987.
The SAS, however, had set a trap to destroy the unit. They had placed an SAS soldier inside the station, and deployed a squad of 24 soldiers split into six groups around the station building.Just after 7:00 p.m. on 8 May 1987, Declan Arthurs drove the JCB carrying the bomb through the perimeter fence of the RUC station. The van carrying the rest of the IRA unit pulled up and they jumped out and opened fire on the station. The IRA just managed to detonate its 200 lb (90 kg) bomb, heavily damaging the police station, before the SAS opened fire.
The SAS riddled the JCB and the van with bullets. In addition, the car of passer-by Anthony Hughes was fired on by the SAS. Hughes, 36, was killed and his brother badly wounded.
All eight IRA members were killed, all from head wounds.The soldiers fired more than 600 rounds; the IRA men fired 70 rounds but did not hit any of the soldiers.The civilian, Anthony Hughes, who was shot dead by the SAS, had been traveling in a car with his brother, Oliver, unaware of the ambush. Both were wearing blue overalls similar to those sometimes worn by IRA members while engaged in paramilitary activity and so were mistaken for IRA men engaged in the attack.As they attempted to reverse out of the gunfire, SAS troopers positioned nearby mistook them as part of the IRA unit and opened fire. Forty shots were aimed at the car, killing Anthony and wounding his brother.
Eight volunteers of the East Tyrone Brigade were killed at Loughgall in 1987. These were:
The East Tyrone Brigade had previously carried out two attacks on RUC bases in east Tyrone, described by author Mark Urban as "spectaculars".On these two occasions the stations were destroyed, and most or all of the occupants killed. It was therefore with some confidence that the IRA tried the same tactics on the unmanned Loughall RUC station on 8 May 1987.
The SAS, however, had set a trap to destroy the unit. They had placed an SAS soldier inside the station, and deployed a squad of 24 soldiers split into six groups around the station building.Just after 7:00 p.m. on 8 May 1987, Declan Arthurs drove the JCB carrying the bomb through the perimeter fence of the RUC station. The van carrying the rest of the IRA unit pulled up and they jumped out and opened fire on the station. The IRA just managed to detonate its 200 lb (90 kg) bomb, heavily damaging the police station, before the SAS opened fire.
The SAS riddled the JCB and the van with bullets. In addition, the car of passer-by Anthony Hughes was fired on by the SAS. Hughes, 36, was killed and his brother badly wounded.
All eight IRA members were killed, all from head wounds.The soldiers fired more than 600 rounds; the IRA men fired 70 rounds but did not hit any of the soldiers.The civilian, Anthony Hughes, who was shot dead by the SAS, had been traveling in a car with his brother, Oliver, unaware of the ambush. Both were wearing blue overalls similar to those sometimes worn by IRA members while engaged in paramilitary activity and so were mistaken for IRA men engaged in the attack.As they attempted to reverse out of the gunfire, SAS troopers positioned nearby mistook them as part of the IRA unit and opened fire. Forty shots were aimed at the car, killing Anthony and wounding his brother.
Eight volunteers of the East Tyrone Brigade were killed at Loughgall in 1987. These were:
- Patrick Kelly,aged 30, was the commander of the brigade from Carrickfergus
- Jim Lynagh,aged 31,from Monaghan Town
- Padraig McKearney,aged 32,from Moy
- Declan Arthurs, a 21 year old from the townland of Galbally in Tyrone, who became involved in the republican movement after attending the funeral of hunger striker Martin Hurson.
- Seamus Donnelly, aged 19, was the youngest to die in the ambush. Donnelly was also from Galbally.
- Eugene Kelly, a 25 year old who was utilised for his detailed geographical knowledge of rural areas of County Tyrone and Armagh
- Gerry O'Callaghan, aged 29, had previously been arrested alongside McKearney in 1980.
- Tony Gormley, aged 25, was also from Galbally where he operated an engineering sub contracting company.