miami showband crime scene photos

They were: lead vocalist and keyboard player Fran O'Toole, 28, Catholic; guitarist Anthony (Tony) Geraghty, 24, Catholic, from Dublin; trumpeter Brian McCoy, 32, Protestant, from Caledon, County Tyrone; saxophonist Des McAlea (a.k.a. Please check your inbox to verify your details, Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. The attack was carried out by loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and took place while the group, a popular cabaret band, were travelling home to Dublin after a performance. In this adult animated comedy, Elvis trades his jumpsuit for a jetpack when he joins a secret spy program to stop villains from destroying the world. He lay hidden in thick undergrowth, face down, undetected by the gunmen. ", And he insisted: "The Lord has forgiven me.". Three UVF members are being treated for gunshot wounds after last night but not in hospital. In January 2015, he was found dead in his Shankill Road flat. Ashford had been asked to leave the band in 1973, for complaining that performing in Northern Ireland put their lives at risk. He was one of the men taken in by the RUC in August 1975 and questioned as a suspect in the killings, but was released without charge. Some wounds are a deep red, with blood vessels clearly visible; others expose underlying tissue. The 55-cent stamp, designed with a 1967 publicity photograph of the band, included two of the slain members, Fran O'Toole and Brian McCoy, as part of the line-up when Dickie Rock was the frontman. That same year, keyboardist Francis (Fran) O'Toole (from Bray, County Wicklow) had won the Gold Star Award on RT's Reach For the Stars television programme. The fledgling loyalist terror group didn't operate in established command areas and Somerville and Jackson were able to kill at will over a wide geographical area. [4], A continued allegation in the case has been the presence of Captain Robert Nairac at the scene. From left: Steve Travers, Tony Geraghty, Ray Millar, Brian McCoy, Fran O'Toole, Des Lee. The scene of the Miami Showband killings in County Down, Northern Ireland, on 31 July 1975. It took place on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland. They sprung terror attacks in south Armagh, south Down, east Tyrone and even as far away as south Derry. Hurled in opposite directions, they were both decapitated and their bodies dismembered. This is one of the last photographs taken of the band before the massacre on 31st July 1975. Crozier had pleaded not guilty. Others had already been convicted for the Miami attack and they wanted John to stay in the UVF, but to work for them," said a former loyalist prisoner who served time in prison with Somerville. He was also one of the prime suspects in the sectarian killing of Dorothy Traynor on 1 April 1975 in Portadown. Sometimes the showbands played traditional Irish music at their performances. He refused to name his accomplices, as he felt that to do so would put the lives of his family in danger. The band's road manager, Brian Maguire, had already gone ahead a few minutes earlier in the equipment van. In late 1974, the Miami Showband's song "Clap Your Hands and Stomp Your Feet" (featuring O'Toole on lead vocals) reached no. Miljoenen beelden, videos en muzikale opties van hoge kwaliteit wachten op u. Maak gebruik van de wereldwijde schaalgrootte, data-gedreven inzichten en het netwerk van meer dan 340.000 makers van Getty Images om voor uw merk exclusieve content te creren. John Somerville was born in 1940 into a respectable small farming family from outside Moygashel, Co Tyrone. Despite his conversion to Christianity, Somerville remained virulently anti-Catholic and he strongly opposed the Good Friday Agreement. Boards zijn de beste plekken om beelden en videoclips op te slaan. As they began to enter the vehicle, a bomb was detonated and both men were killed outright. crime scene photos 1,913 Vintage Crime Scene Premium High Res Photos Browse 1,913 vintage crime scene stock photos and images available, or search for crime scene photos to find more great stock photos and pictures. This had meant the possible withdrawal of British troops from Northern Ireland. McCoy's words, therefore, were taken seriously by the other band members, and anything he said was considered to be accurate. Her brothers Seamus and Michael also died in the attack, which was later claimed by the Protestant Action Force, a cover name for the Mid-Ulster UVF. The massacre dealt a blow to Northern Ireland's live music scene, which had brought young Catholics and Protestants together. And two years later when he was scooped in an RUC raid in Dungannon on September 26, 1980, he made a detailed confession outlining his involvement in numerous UVF murders. [22][44], One of the first RUC men who arrived at Buskhill in the wake of the killings was scenes of crime officer James O'Neill. It was one of a series of four stamps issued by An Post, celebrating the "golden age of the Irish showband era from the 1950s to the 1970s".[24]. [22][91] It was revealed in Peter Taylor's book Loyalists that "the Craftsman" had been instrumental in bringing about the 1994 Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC) ceasefire. The incident had an adverse effect on the Irish showband scene, with many of the bands afraid to play in Northern Ireland. [76] Retired diplomat Alistair Kerr wrote a biography of Nairac entitled "Betrayal: the Murder of Robert Nairac" published in 2015, which offers documentary evidence that clears Nairac of having been at Buskhill overseeing the attack. It took place on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland. 50 True-Crime Documentaries on Netflix | 2023 . [5] At Christmas 1974 the IRA declared a ceasefire, which theoretically lasted throughout most of 1975. Three band members were taken from their tour bus and shot . [4] The band had no overt interest in politics nor in the religious beliefs of the people who made up their audience. However, the flames from the burning hedge (which had been set on fire by the explosion) soon came dangerously close to where he lay; he was forced to leave his hiding spot. Then They Were Coldly Murdered", "An Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland: 1975", "Sub-Committee on the Barron Report 26September 2006 Public Hearings on the Barron Report". Days before the Miami attack, Robin Jackson murdered William Hanna, the UVF commander in mid-Ulster. [19] [89] Hudson, a Unitarian minister, had been a close friend of Fran O'Toole. His cell was kept immaculately clean and visitors were required to remove their shoes before entering. [44] The independent panel of inquiry commissioned by the Pat Finucane Centre concluded that there was "credible evidence that the principal perpetrator [of the Miami Showband attack] was a man who was not prosecuted alleged RUC Special Branch agent Robin Jackson". It was my own personal feelings and convictions at the time these things happened. The Miami Showband's surviving members Des Lee, Ray Miller and Stephen Travers Credit . About 10 gunmen were at the checkpoint, according to author and journalist Martin Dillon. The attack was carried out by. The HET said the killings raised "disturbing questions about collusive and corrupt behaviour". The Story With thanks to Jimmy Harte, Anto Long and Caroline Allen Dickie's Miami (1962-1972) Few bands in Ireland have had as prolific, and tragic, a history as the Miami. The dead bombers were named by the UVF, in a statement issued within 12 hours of the attack. Griffin suggests that McCoy, who originally came from Caledon, County Tyrone, and had strong UDR and Orange Order family connections, was possibly approached at some stage by Jackson with a view of securing his help in carrying out UVF attacks in the Irish Republic. [63] The IRA has denied responsibility. Before adjourning the Alex Murdaugh case today, Judge Clifford Newman warned against sharing graphic autopsy photos of Maggie and Paul's bodies that were accidentally shown during the trial.. Following the explosion pandemonium broke out among the remaining gunmen; shouting obscenities, they started shooting the dazed band members, who had all been blown down into the field below the level of the road from the force of the blast. Two of the gunmen, both soldiers, died when a time bomb they were hiding on the minibus exploded prematurely. Das Getty Images Design ist eine eingetragene Marke von Getty Images. I did what I did. On July 30, 1972, the final details. Five people were killed, including three members of The Miami Showband, who were one of Ireland's most popular cabaret bands. Aaron Carter's mom releases shocking pictures of his 'death scene' bathroom in desperate bid to get cops to probe his death as a crime despite coroner saying it was an accidental drugs overdose [44] None of the men ever named their accomplices, and the other UVF gunmen were never caught. But as the death toll mounted, so did Somerville's drinking. Can you step out of the van for a few minutes and we'll just do a check". Two serving UDR soldiers and one former UDR soldier were found guilty of the murders and received life sentences; they were released in 1998. [99], The findings noted in the report confirmed Mid-Ulster UVF leader Robin Jackson's involvement and identified him as an RUC Special Branch agent. Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville were given UVF paramilitary funerals conducted by Free Presbyterian minister William McCrea, a Democratic Unionist Party politician. The monument, entitled Let's Dance is made of limestone, bronze and granite, by County Donegal sculptor Redmond Herrity, and is at the site of the old National Ballroom, where the band often played. How are things? Jackson was charged with possession of the silencer but not convicted, the trial judge having reportedly said: "At the end of the day I find that the accused somehow touched the silencer, but the Crown evidence has left me completely in the dark as to whether he did that wittingly or unwittingly, willingly or unwillingly". As Maguire continued ahead, up the by-pass toward Newry, he noticed a blue Triumph 2000 pulling-out from where it had been parked in a lay-by. RM G4PYFC - Miami Showband massacre RM EC8F8C - London, UK. Browse 25,406 crime scene photos stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. It had been travelling from Banbridge to Bleary with nine people on board; all were Catholics and most had been returning from a regular bingo session. Chris Hudson, a former intermediary between the government of Ireland and the UVF, whose role was crucial to the Northern Ireland peace process. Despite severe burns sustained in the Miami attack, a month later Jackson was soon back on a murder mission with his trusted fellow killer John Somerville. Agent Elvis. [34] Afterward, as Travers recovered in hospital, the other survivor Des McAlea gave the police a description of McDowell as the gunman with a moustache and wearing dark glasses who appeared to have been the leader of the patrol. Somerville would never have gone to prison if he'd agreed to work for the RUC. [18][27] The unsuspecting band members got out and were politely told to line up facing the ditch at the rear of the minibus with their hands on their heads. [56], Within 12 hours of the attack, the UVF's Brigade Staff (Belfast leadership based on the Shankill Road) issued a statement. The government held the view that the British Government had not done enough to stop sectarian assassinations in Northern Ireland. [58], Following the post-mortems, funerals were held for the three slain musicians; they received televised news coverage by RT, Ireland's public service broadcaster. The scene of the Miami Showband Killings on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland, 31st July 1975. Somerville said: "I'm not going to make excuses for my past. The Miami Showband killings (also called the Miami Showband Massacre) was an attack by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a loyalist paramilitary group, on 31 July 1975. Although this information was passed on to RUC headquarters, nothing was done about it. [47] The RT programme Today Tonight aired a documentary in 1987 in which it claimed that former UVF associates of Harris Boyle revealed to the programme's researchers that Nairac had deliberately detonated the bomb to eliminate Boyle, with whom he had carried out the Green killing. Assuming it was a legitimate checkpoint, McCoy informed the others inside the minibus of a military checkpoint up ahead and pulled in at the lay-by as directed by the armed men. In prison John Somerville lived a reclusive life. The scene of the Miami Showband Killings on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland, 31st July 1975. The RUC suggested the IRA had meant to attack a police minibus in revenge for the Miami killings, but had mistakenly attacked a civilian minibus instead. It was found 100 yards (91m) from the site with a "UVF Portadown" tattoo on it. A child of Northern Ireland's Troubles recalls that fateful night when The Miami Showband was ambushed by the Ulster Volunteer Force on this day in 1975. [34], Thomas Crozier recounted that on the night of the killings, he had driven to the grounds of a school in Lurgan where he had picked up two men. The Miami Showband were an Irish showband in the 1960s and 1970s led firstly in 1962 by singer Jimmy Harte, followed by Dickie Rock and later by Fran O'Toole. After meeting a new woman, Somerville settled on the Shankill and for a while he worked in the Harland and Wolff shipyard. [18] A typical Irish showband was based on the popular six- or seven-member dance band. It allows for commemoration and leaving of flowers at the location itself. The band was . Multiple jurors also cried, covered their mouths and turned away as the graphic. The scene of the Miami Showband killings in County Down, Northern Ireland, on 31 July 1975. O'Toole and McCoy were both married; each had two children. "Kevin Myers: The Miami Showband massacre was one of the most depraved massacres of the Troubles". It took place on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland. View On One Page Photo 22 of 51 ADVERTISEMENT () Start Slideshow . She also thinks that had everything gone to plan once the bomb was planted in the van McCoy would have been instructed to drive through Newry where the bomb would have gone off and the UVF could then afterwards portray the Miami Showband as IRA members on a mission to blow up the local RUC barracks. They Cloned Tyrone. According to Martin Dillon, the order to shoot was given by the patrol's apparent leader, James McDowell,[36] to eliminate witnesses to the bogus checkpoint and subsequent bombing. After receiving radio confirmation that there were no authorised checkpoints in the area that night, they reported the incident and requested help from the British Army to investigate it, but no action was taken. Among the large crowd he spotted Billy McCaughey, a former police sergeant and convicted killer who had named his UVF accomplices to investigating detectives. He was unimpressed by the UVF men he met in the loyalist stronghold. He . The year 1975 was marked by an escalation in sectarian attacks and a vicious feud between the two main loyalist paramilitary groups, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). Weir's affidavit implicating Robin Jackson in a number of attacks including the 1974 Dublin bombings was published in the 2003 Barron Report; the findings of an official investigation into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings commissioned by Irish Supreme Court Judge Henry Barron. Free shipping for many products! The Glenanne gang was a loose alliance of loyalist extremists allegedly operating under the command of British Military Intelligence and/or RUC Special Branch. He then drove to a lay-by on the Newry-Banbridge dual carriageway and met up with another five men, who were all wearing British Army uniforms. The music ranged from rock and country and western to Dixieland jazz. The Miami Showband toured throughout 1970s Ireland before the attack The musicians were ordered to line up at the roadside outside Newry while the gang loaded a bomb on to their bus. According to Kerr, on 31 July 1975 at 4 am Nairac had started out on a road journey from London to Scotland for a fishing holiday. At the precise moment of the explosion, the patrol came under intense automatic fire from the occupants of the other vehicle. [83] Journalists Kevin Dowling and Liam Collins in the Irish Independent however, suggested in their respective articles that Jackson had been the leader of the unit. [20], Bassist Stephen Travers was seriously wounded by a dum-dum bullet which had struck him when the gunmen had first begun shooting. Aged 70, he died of cancer of the kidney. [3] The UVF would be once more banned by the British government on 3 October 1975. The Officers and Agents of the Ulster Central Intelligence Agency commend the UVF on their actions and tender their deepest sympathy to the relatives of the two Officers who died while attempting to remove the bomb from the minibus. And nearer home, they carried out five operations in one day in the Moy and Stewartstown. [58] He was later shot dead in Portadown on 25 January 1976, allegedly by Jackson for having informed the RUC about Thomas Crozier's participation in the attack. The scene of the Miami Showband Killings on the A1 road at Buskhill in County Down, Northern Ireland, 31st July 1975. [47][71] In his first parliamentary speech on 7 July 1987, Ken Livingstone MP told the House of Commons, "it was likely" that Nairac had organised the attack. They also discovered a stolen white Ford Escort registration number 4933 LZ,[43] which had been left behind by the gunmen, along with two guns, ammunition, green UDR berets and a pair of glasses later traced to James McDowell, the gunman who had allegedly ordered the shootings. [84], The families held a press conference in Dublin after the report was released. Originally called the Downbeats Quartet, the Miami Showband was reformed in 1962 by rock promoter Tom Doherty, who gave them their new name. [72][73] Surviving band members Stephen Travers and Des McAlea told police and later testified in court that a British Army officer with a "crisp, clipped English accent" oversaw the attack, the implication being that this was Nairac. Using a similar terror technique, they set up another fake checkpoint at Cornalaght, Newtownhamilton. The scene of The Miami Showband Massacre Travers had described the English-accented man as having been of normal height and thought he had fair hair, but was not certain. [clarification needed] James McDowell lives in Lurgan, and John James Somerville became an evangelical minister in Belfast. Three band members were shot dead by loyalist gunmen. The ruthless UVF killer fell into a deep depression fuelled by alcohol. I was told by a source close to "Mr. A" and another loyalist hitman that Nairac was not present at either murder [Miami Showband and John Francis Green]. Robin Jackson died of cancer in May 1998 aged 49. Director Stuart Sender Writers Jeff Zimbalist Michael Zimbalist Stars Stephen Travers Bertie Ahern In a police statement made following his arrest for possession of the silencer and Luger on 31 May 1976, Jackson maintained that a week before he was taken into custody, two RUC officers had tipped him off about the discovery of his fingerprints on the silencer; he also claimed they had forewarned him: "I should clear as there was a wee job up the country that I would be done for and there was no way out of it for me". It had been set up in Lurgan in 1972 by part-time Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) sergeant and permanent staff instructor Billy Hanna, who made himself commander of the brigade. The only identifiable body part from the bombers to survive the blast (which had been heard up to 4 miles (6.4km) away) was a severed arm belonging to Wesley Somerville. [62][64], On 24 August 1975, Catholic civilians Colm McCartney and Sean Farmer were stopped in their car at what is believed to have been another fake checkpoint at Altnamackin (near Newtownhamilton). [21][22][31] Travers thought that McCoy, a Protestant from Northern Ireland, was familiar with security checkpoints and had reckoned the regular British Army would be more efficient than the Ulster Defense Regiment (UDR), who had a reputation for unprofessional and unpredictable behaviour, especially toward people from the Republic. But he quit when the Troubles erupted on the streets of Belfast and Derry in the autumn of 1969. Unlike Jackson, Somerville was arrested in the wake of the Miami atrocity, but he refused to make a statement and was released without charge. . [20] He survived by pretending he was dead, as he lay beside the body of McCoy. A UVF patrol led by Major Boyle was suspicious of two vehicles, a minibus and a car parked near the border. More than 100 killings have been attributed to him by the Pat Finucane Centre, the Derry-based civil rights group.[15][17]. He also added that "that bomb was definitely placed there with a view to killing all in that band".[22]. In a rare interview with the BBC Spotlight programme before his death of kidney cancer in 2015, Somerville spoke only once and very briefly about the Miami Showband Massacre. Irish Times diarist Frank McNally summed up the massacre as "an incident that encapsulated all the madness of the time". The UVF man, who identified himself only as "the Craftsman", apologised to Travers for the attack, and explained that the UVF gunmen shot the band because they "had panicked" that night. "The arm belonged to John's brother Wesley, who was killed in the Miami explosion.

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