Thomas Begley

Thomas Begley
Born	10 November 1970 Ardoyne, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died	23 October 1993 (aged 22) Shankill Road, Belfast
Cause of death	Bomb explosion
Nationality	Irish
Known for	Provisional Irish Republican Army member

Thomas Begley (10 November 1970 – 23 October 1993), was a member of the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). Begley was killed when a bomb he was planting on the Shankill Road, West Belfast, Northern Ireland exploded prematurely, killing him, a UDA member and eight Ulster Protestant civilians.

Begley was born in the Irish nationalist Ardoyne area of north Belfast; in January 1993 he joined the Provisional IRA.

Begley was linked to the killing of Royal Irish Regiment soldier Stephen Waller on 30 December 1992, at Waller's home in Belfast. He was identified by Waller's wife.

Begley and two other IRA volunteers from the Ardoyne area hijacked a blue Ford Escort and drove it to the fish shop. When they arrived, Begley and Sean Kelly, wearing the white coats and caps of delivery men, entered the shop carrying the bomb. Begley was killed when the bomb exploded prematurely, also killing an off-duty UDA member, Michael Morrison, and eight civilians, including two children. Forensic evidence pointed to Begley holding the five pound bomb, which had an 11-second fuse, above the refrigerated serving counter at the fish shop when it exploded. Kelly was convicted of murder for his part in the Shankill Road bombing.

IRA member Eddie Copeland was shot and injured when a British Army soldier fired 20 live rounds in a crowd of mourners who were attending Begley's wake in north Belfast. Private Andrew Clarke, 27 from Merseyside, who fired the shots, was later jailed for ten years for attempted murder. At Begley's funeral, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams carried Begley's coffin, which caused angry backlash from some quarters, including the victims' families.

...
Wikipedia