Sean Kelly (Irish republican)

Sean Kelly, (born c. 1972) is a former Irish volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), who was a member of the active service unit which carried out the Shankill Road bombing in 1993. Kelly was convicted of nine counts of murder, but was released in 2000 as part of the Good Friday Agreement.^[1]

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Shankill Road bomb

Kelly was convicted for his part in planting a bomb on the Shankill Road, West Belfast, Northern Ireland, intending to kill Johnny Adair and senior members of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). The bomb exploded prematurely, killing eight Protestant civilians and a member of the UDA.^[2] An 11-second fuse was meant to detonate the bomb after they had shouted a warning. Thomas Begley, a fellow volunteer in the Belfast Brigade, was killed in the botched attack, which left Kelly injured; he lost an eye and has limited use of his left arm.^[3]

Kelly was arrested after being picked up by rescuers searching for survivors in the wreckage. Kelly was sentenced to nine terms of life imprisonment at his trial in January 1995.^[4]

The judge at his trial, Lord Justice McDermott, described the bombing as "wanton slaughter" and "one of the worst outrages to beset this province in 25 years of violence".^[1]

Release after the Good Friday Agreement

Kelly was released in July 2000 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.^[1] During the Holy Cross dispute, Kelly was reported by Lt. Col. Tim Collins to be present during republican violence in Ardoyne.^[5]

Kelly was returned to prison on 18 June 2005 when his early release was suspended amid allegations that he had been involved in rioting. Sinn Féin stated he was trying to calm tensions. Peter Hain, Northern Ireland Secretary, said that he had directed the arrest and return to prison of Kelly on the basis of "security information" available to him. He said he was "satisfied" that Kelly had become re-involved in terrorism.^[6] Kelly was re-released on 28 July the same year. The next day the IRA ordered an end to its armed campaign.^[7]

Arrest after shooting incident

In February 2013, Kelly was arrested in connection with a shooting incident which resulted in an 18-year-old male requiring emergency hospital treatment, after being shot in both legs, in what was described as a paramilitary-style attack. The PSNI later said that following inquiries, it was no longer being treated as such, but rather as a shooting. First minister Peter Robinson said the arrest could have "grave consequences" for the political process and called for a meeting with PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott, to find out how police are able to say that the shooting is not linked to paramilitaries and also to establish the background of the case.^[8]

Work with Sinn Féin

Kelly canvassed for Sinn Féin's John Finucane in the 2017 and 2019 Westminster elections. This was criticised by the families of some of the victims of the Shankill Road bombing. John O'Dowd of Sinn Féin defended the party's decision to use Kelly as a canvasser, saying, "Sean Kelly is out canvassing to promote politics and the peace process".^[9]^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Connolly, Maeve (21 October 2003). "Remembering a black week in our history". The Irish News. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
^ O'Leary, Brendan (2019). A Treatise on Northern Ireland, Volume I: Colonialism. Oxford University Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-0199243341.
^ Mullin, John (5 August 2000). "Freed Shankill bomber regrets 'accident'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 February 2007.
^ McKittrick, David (28 January 1995). "IRA bomber jailed for shop atrocity". The Independent. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
^ Collins, Tim (2006). Rules of Engagement. London: Review. pp. 67–73. ISBN 978-0-7553-1375-4. OCLC 62796448.
^ McDonald, Henry (19 June 2005). "Shankill bomber back in prison". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 February 2007.
^ Frankel, Glenn (29 July 2005). "IRA Says It Will Abandon Violence". The Washington Post. p. A1. Retrieved 27 February 2007.
^ "Sean Kelly released unconditionally". BBC News. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
^ "Victims' anger as Sinn Fein defend using Shankill bomber Kelly as canvasser". Belfast Telegraph. 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
^ "Shankill bomber Sean Kelly on campaign trail for Sinn Fein". Belfast Telegraph. 4 November 2019. Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2022.

Provisional Irish Republican Army

General

Organisation

Actions

1970–1979	Battle of St Matthew's Falls Curfew 1970 Crossmaglen bombing Scottish soldiers' killings Red Lion bombing Balmoral showroom bombing Abercorn bombing Donegall Street bombing Battle at Springmartin Battle of Lenadoon Bloody Friday Claudy bombing Newry customs bombing Old Bailey bombing Honey Trap killings King's Cross & Euston bombings Coleraine bombings 1973 Westminster bombing M62 bombing Clogher attack Houses of Parliament bombing Tower of London bombing Guildford pub bombings Harrow School bombing Brooks's Club bombing Woolwich pub bombing British Airways bombing attempt Birmingham pub bombings London pillar box bombings Talbot Arms bombing Bristol bombing Telephone exchange bombings 1974 Oxford Street bombing Carlton Tower & Portman Hotel shootings Mountainview attack Bayardo Bar attack Forkhill attack Caterham Arms bombing Tullyvallen massacre London Hilton bombing Piccadilly bombing Trattoria Fiore bombing Scott's Oyster Bar bombing Walton's Restaurant bombing Drummuckavall ambush Balcombe Street siege Kingsmill massacre West Ham station attack Olympia bombing Store bar shooting Stag Inn attack Garryhinch ambush Jonesborough Gazelle downing La Mon restaurant bombing Crossmaglen ambush Warrenpoint ambush Brussels bombing Dungannon attack
1980–1989	Dunmurry train bombing Lough Foyle attacks Glasdrumman ambush 1981 Bessbrook attack Chelsea Barracks bombing Hyde Park & Regent's Park bombings Harrods bombing Royal Artillery Barracks bombing Brighton hotel bombing Ballygawley land mine attack Newry mortar attack Ballygawley attack Enniskillen mortar attack RUC Birches barracks attack Rheindahlen bombing Loughgall ambush Operation Flavius Corporals killings Lisburn bombing Aughanduff Lynx shootdown 1988 Netherlands attacks Glamorgan barracks bombing Inglis Barracks bombing Ballygawley bus bombing Jonesborough ambush Clive Barracks bombing Deal barracks bombing Mayobridge attack Derryard attack
1990–1991	Derrygorry Gazelle downing South Armagh sniper Downpatrick roadside bomb Operation Conservation 1990 Wembley bombing Carlton Club bombing London Stock Exchange bombing Honourable Artillery Company bombing Lichfield gun attack RFA Fort Victoria bombing Proxy bombings Downing Street mortar attack Paddington & Victoria station bombings Mullacreevie ambush Glenanne barracks bombing Coagh ambush Musgrave Park Hospital bombing Crumlin Road Prison bombing
1992–1997	Teebane bombing Clonoe ambush London Bridge bombing Staples Cnr bombing Baltic Exchange bombing Sussex Arms bombing Cloghoge attack Coalisland riots Forensic Science Laboratory bombing Stoke Newington Road bomb 1992 Manchester bombing Night of the Long Knives 1993 Harrods bombing Warrington bombings Cullaville occupation Camden bombing Bishopsgate bombing Finchley Road bombings Battle of Newry Road Shankill Road bombing 1993 Fivemiletown ambush Heathrow attacks Crossmaglen Lynx downing Drumcree conflict Docklands bombing Aldwych bus bombing 1996 Manchester bombing Hammersmith Bridge bombing Osnabrück mortar attack Thiepval barracks bombing Coalisland attack 1997 Northern Ireland riots