N. IRELAND: CAR BOMB EXPLODES IN PROTESTANT TOWN OF BANBRIDGE

(1 Aug 1998) English/Nat
A car bomb exploded in a predominantly Protestant town in Northern Ireland on Saturday.
The blast injured six people and damaged shops in central Banbridge, 22 miles (35 kilometres) southwest of Belfast.
A warning was issued but although police frantically tried to complete evacuations, the central street was still full of people when the bomb exploded and panic ensued.
No one has yet claimed responsbility for the attack.
Shop windows shattered as a car bomb exploded in this mostly Protestant town of Banbridge in Northern Ireland.
Six people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, but amazingly, no one was seriously injured or killed.
Buildings in the street that had been bustling with shoppers not long before the blast suffered extensive damage.
No one has yet claimed responsibility, but police said there had been a warning and the area was being cleared when the device exploded outside a shoe store.
The blast damaged shops up and down Newry Street, and a number of
people were treated for shock.
Irish Republican Army dissidents opposed to the group's ceasefire, operating as the "Continuity I-R-A" or "real I-R-A," have carried out several bombings in recent months.
Saturday's bombing was a stark reminder of the political violence that the historic Good Friday peace agreement reached in April sought to quell in the British province.
The bombing also came the same day that the Irish government released six I-R-A prisoners from a top security prison under provisions in the peace agreement.
Mervyn Carrick, a loyalist politician and member of the new Northern Ireland assembly, suspects it was the work of Republican sympathisers who oppose the peace deal.
He said if his suspicions prove true, it would be irrelevant which faction the bombers belong to since all that mattered was their intent to maim or kill.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well, I'm absolutely disgusted that on a very pleasant Saturday afternoon, at the height of the shopping season and the shopping day, at half past four, that those who placed this bomb should come in with reckless abandonment and had absolutely no thought for the safety of the shopping public in Banbridge. It's by the grace of God that there have been no fatalities and I understand those who have been injured are just minor injuries, but at this early stage, I am not sure. (Q. Who do you think is responsible?) This has got all the hallmarks of an Irish Republican bomb. And I know great play will be made of whether it is a fringe group or a splinter group. That matters not to the people of Banbridge. It is an Irish Republican bomb. They are all of the one family and it ill behooves Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein I-R-A to disassociate themselves from it. No doubt they'll refuse to condemn it but there will be a play on words. But this doesn't fool the people of Banbridge this evening. The Irish Republicans have come in and have decided to try and blow the heart out of the commercial life of Banbridge."
SUPER CAPTION: Mervyn Carrick, Democratic Ulster Party assembly man
A visibly shaken police chief told reporters he thought Banbridge was extremely lucky not to have suffered any serious casualties or fatalities.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The people who carried out this only were following one agenda - death and destruction. And I would take this opportunity to praise the security forces - for if it hadn't been for their outstanding action, I have little doubt that would have had death here today. They were still clearing the scene in actual fact when the bomb went off."
SOUNDBITE: (English)
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[@jamiegibson7319]

i was two mile out the road at home when it went off , it sounded like thunder and thats no joke.

[@theearthandeverythinginit5582]

Was there that day in David Rogers when we were told to get out. Drove half a mile down the road, stepped out of the car, and the bomb went off. Bastards.

[@urma7713]

IRA, 2nd form, my god them terrorist bastards.

[@sterlingfontaine8977]

Big deal? The gallant Ulstermen didn't hurt anyone. They could have bombed that Nazi shithole to smithereens.

[@stolencupid]

Up da Ra🇮🇪

[@urma7713]

It was the IRA,

[@bobbills2953]

**protestant side Or town centre

[@peterfitzgerald7734]

Because us Irish used violence to get land, I will stand with the Prods in the North in the event of war, a traitor......................and proud

[@ruairijoseph]

Peter Fitzgerald good man Peter I’m sure the Prods will be delighted to have brains like yours on their side.... you’ll fit right in!

[@urma7713]

@@ruairijoseph Yup, fucking sped.

[@urma7713]

Wow, you’ll fit in just right! The Ira second form did it! Wow, you’re soo smart!!

[@conorfields506]

@@ruairijoseph haha indeed

[@sidi45]

1 August 1998

[@pauldunneska]

StillLife and to think of the stupid attack that happened on the 15th of August 1998 in Omagh that ended the bombing campaign.

[@01HILARYKEEGAN]

Paul Dunne Hey Paul, what's the craic in Dub? Hope you get a trip to Derry - nicest city in Ireland!! The new Free Derry Museum has just opened in Glenfada Park - you have to go buddy amazing artefacts from Bloody Sunday! Peace out my republican friend even though I vote SDLP 😉

[@emmettbyrne5161]

I was there that day, I was like 5 at the time so I don't remember much....

[@GodOfVictory501]

My grandfather was born in Banbridge but when he was a small boy his family were burned out of their house in an anti-Catholic pogrom and forced to leave town. I have no sympathy for Loyalists/Unionists. They reaped what they sowed.

[@spareemail8711]

The IRA killed more civilians than any Loyalist groupings or army combined, the Republican leadership ought to be tried at the Hague international court, the 1998 agreement was just appeasement not real justice.

[@GodOfVictory501]

@@spareemail8711 Maybe if Unionists/Loyalists had been a bit kinder to the Catholic minority from the 1920's onwards then republican extremists wouldn't feel the need to fight back, would they?

[@gibby8540]

@@spareemail8711 ira killed 1700 in 40 years, Cromwells army killed 3552 in 8 years during the invasion of drogheda stfu plz

[@urma7713]

I want to add here, there are 2 iras, civil war and terrorist. The civil war one ended after Ireland became a free state, which is all they wanted, but second form wanted more, so they bombed places like my home town of banbridge.

[@neil4817]

@@GodOfVictory501 Are you saying that every single unionist is a bigot?

[@presbyteriangirl9739]

So sad. I'm a Protestant from New York City and I'm on your side all the way.

[@adamperry835]

Who's side?

[@presbyteriangirl9739]

@@adamperry835 the loyalist Protestant side

[@WRGOP]

lj p loyal to yourself, while the others around you suffer

[@1Hannigan1]

Your on New York but you love loyalist because you are a protestant. F@@# off!!!

[@presbyteriangirl9739]

@@1Hannigan1 why don't you shut up.

[@lixianclips]

God damn IRA.

[@the-watch-man]

Was there when it went off

[@chrisrogers8111]

ira Scumbags Miles Away so Called army A Evil +sick Twisted fuck can Plant A Bombs

[@theearthandeverythinginit5582]

The Watch Man me too. In Davey Rogers and got out a few min before the blast. Where were u?

[@the-watch-man]

@@theearthandeverythinginit5582 little down from shepherd's bar

[@kevinmackay1013]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪 ALWAYS TOGETHER 🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@sterlingfontaine8977]

I'm here in Tel Aviv and I've always had a strong interest in Irelands long conflict with England. I am aware of the bigotry the unionist community has towards their innocent and defenseless Catholic neighbors. I have to ask, considering such hostility are you really surprised that the IRA should reap such a vengeance? In fact I'm surprised these Provo people didn't do it more often.

[@neil4817]

Complete bullshit.

[@ecpowers542]

i hope u realize the irish struggle is the same as the palestinian struggle

[@sterlingfontaine8977]

@@ecpowers542 Ha! Nonsense boy. The Irish struggle is honorable and just. The Palestinians are like loyalists in Ireland , so blinded by bigotry and hatred that they don't even know who they are.

[@sterlingfontaine8977]

@@neil4817 Why? This Irish town has a long history of bigotry and intolerance. Shalom!

[@neil4817]

@@sterlingfontaine8977 Because, unless I'm misunderstanding you, you're making a lot of sweeping generalisations, you're saying that every single person in that town is a bigot, you're also saying that every single person in the unionist community is a bigot, both of which are nonsense. Also you're very naive about how many in the nationalist community view Israel and Israelis (ie with contempt). The nationalists in Northern Ireland (including many friends of mine) generally hate your country and are at the forefront of boycotting it. I've seen you post on other pages, were other people said the same thing to you as me. You seem like an idiot.

[@ayylmaotv]

lol

[@hoopenhanger]

I've never met a unionist who wasn't 'outraged' about something! lol!

[@clairehillis2490]

hoopenhanger well if a place where you lived was bombed would you not be

[@lr1002]

hoopenhanger hmmm some blew up the place you live in... why would you be mad?

[@1Hannigan1]

Hope hanger. That’s because their children. They play dress up and March through Catholic areas just to start shit with their neighbors. That’s very childish. So they’re outrage is just like when your kid was was 2 and would cry when they didn’t get what they want, until their attention is focused somewhere else .

[@SuperDistinction]

murdering innocent women and children with car bombs on the streets of northern Ireland is pretty outrageous. I don't think I have to be a unionist to come to that conclusion. take off that tricolor blindfold that you have on you, just take a minute and research neutrally. I believe you will see these men as neither terrorists or freedom fighters. Simply murdering cowards. the only thing they changed in this country was the number of people who died. they inflicted a misery longer lasting than any British presence in Ireland. They are the true enemies of Ireland.

[@SuperDistinction]

@@1Hannigan1 no Sean whats outrageous is you thugs glorify the despicable barbarism your terrorist murder squads inflicted on the people of Northern Ireland. we weren't so childish in Gibraltar were we? What was the score in that football match? 3-0 to the SAS?

[@mridiotbox7313]

OH MY GOD!! I hope ISIS were not responsible for this?!

[@HJDore]

Mr Idiotbox I’m sorry but are you stupid, Ireland, Protestant town, car, bomb it all screams IRA.

[@naisiunnaheireann1752]

@@HJDore no its the fucking uvf basterds

[@highvalueproductions7655]

Fuck the pope and the ira Micheal stone the legend

[@presbyteriangirl9739]

@@highvalueproductions7655 I agree. I hate the IRA. I'm a Protestant from New York City and I'm on your side all the way

[@tycosyco]

Joseph Stalin never knew joseph Stalin was a loyalist ahahaha

[@zeke2095]

Haha, that's what happens when you rebel against the word of the lord

[@rambo2751]

Box a fireworks fs