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Gino Gallagher

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Gino Gallagher
Bornc. 1963
Ireland
Died30 January 1996 (aged 32–33)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
NationalityIrish
Known forChief of Staff of the Irish National Liberation Army
Political partyIrish Republican Socialist Party
Military career
ParamilitaryIrish National Liberation Army
RankChief of Staff
UnitBelfast Brigade
Battles / warsThe Troubles

Gino Gallagher (c. 1963 – 30 January 1996) was an Irish republican who was Chief of Staff of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).

INLA

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In August 1983, Gallagher and Paul "Bonanza" McCann were arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shortly after collecting four sticks of gelignite.[1]

Gallagher was a central figure within the INLA's Belfast Brigade by 1994. On 9 July 1994, Gallagher acted as a scout during the INLA's killing of the UVF's Trevor King.[2]

When Hugh Torney was captured in April 1995, he announced a cessation of all armed activity.[3] Torney was then ousted from leadership and expelled, with Gallagher succeeding him as chief of staff.[1][4] Torney was later expelled from the organisation. In June 1995, Gallagher, acting as spokesman for the IRSP, met the Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Michael Ancram which resulted in a controversial handshake in the media.[4][5]

Gallagher became more openly critical of the peace process and its role in the armed struggle,[6][7] with rumours of the Provisional IRA threatening Gallagher.[7]

Murder

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On the morning of 30 January 1996 Gallagher attended a social security office on the Falls Road where he signed on every two weeks. As he stood at the counter he was shot four times in the back of the head by a gunman and died instantly.[8][5]

Gallagher's killing followed internal disagreements over the future of the republican socialist movement. The opposing "INLA-GHQ" faction, led by Hugh Torney, disbanded on 9 September of the same year following Torney's killing.[9]

In March 1996, John Fennell, a founding member of the INLA who had joined the INLA-GHQ faction, was beaten to death and tortured in retaliation at a caravan park in Bundoran, County Donegal.[10][11][12]

Kevin McAlorum, who was paid to kill Gallagher by Torney's faction, was himself murdered in 2004, although this was not linked to any political dispute.[13][14]

References

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  1. ^ a b McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions. Poolbeg. pp. 448–449. ISBN 978-1-84223-438-9.
  2. ^ McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions. Poolbeg. pp. 442–443. ISBN 978-1-84223-438-9.
  3. ^ Lord Maclean (14 September 2010). The Billy Wright Inquiry (PDF) (Report). The Stationery Office. p. 47. ISBN 9780102969108. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions. Poolbeg. p. 450. ISBN 9781842234389.
  5. ^ a b Brown, Colin; McKittrick, David (31 January 1996). "Hume raises Irish peace hopes". The Independent. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  6. ^ McGahan, Claire (30 January 1996). "Terror chief with little faith in the ceasefires". Belfast Telegraph.
  7. ^ a b McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions. Poolbeg. p. 452. ISBN 9781842234389.
  8. ^ Breen, Suzanne (3 February 1996). "Gallagher murder 'an unbelievably clean killing'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  9. ^ McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions. Poolbeg. p. 459. ISBN 9781842234389.
  10. ^ McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions. Poolbeg. p. 453. ISBN 9781842234389.
  11. ^ Preston, Allan (3 January 2024). "'Whether or not I condemn him is completely irrelevant' - Partner and son of murdered INLA man on why they should not be excluded from Troubles payment". The Irish News. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  12. ^ Moriarty, Gerry (11 March 1996). "Man faces charges of killing INLA leader". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Motive sought for school murder". BBC News. 4 June 2004. Retrieved 12 March 2007.
  14. ^ McKittrick, David (4 June 2004). "Republican shot dead in front of pupils". The Independent. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2007.

Further reading

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  • McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions, Poolbeg. pp.441-455. ISBN 9781842234389
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