1996 Killyhevlin Hotel bombing
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This is a chronology of activities by the Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA), an Irish republican paramilitary group. The group started operations in 1994, after the
Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...
began a ceasefire. Note: All actions listed took place within
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, unless stated otherwise.


1994

*19 December: The CIRA detonated a
semtex Semtex is a general-purpose plastic explosive containing RDX and PETN. It is used in commercial blasting, demolition, and in certain military applications. Semtex was developed and manufactured in Czechoslovakia, originally under the name B 1 ...
bomb in a furniture store in
Enniskillen Enniskillen ( , from ga, Inis Ceithleann , ' Ceithlenn's island') is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the middle of the county, between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,823 a ...
.''Ballymurphy and the Irish War'' by Ciaran de Baroid, p. 353O'Brien, Brendan (1999). ''The Long War: The IRA and Sinn Féin'', Syracuse University Press, p. 337;


1995

*7 February: A small bomb was planted by the CIRA in a large general store in
Newry Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Armagh, Armagh and County Down, Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011. Newry ...
. *16 March: A small bomb was planted by the CIRA in the same Newry shop premises as the February attack. *10 November: Gardaí intercepted of explosives a mile from the County Armagh border they believed were destined for Northern Ireland and arrested two men.Peter Heathwood Collection of Television Programmes: 1995
Conflict Archive on the Internet CAIN (Conflict Archive on the Internet) is a database containing information about Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland from 1968 to the present. The project began in 1996, with the website launching in 1997. The project is based within Ul ...
(CAIN)


1996

*6 January: The Irish Republican Publicity Bureau issued a statement saying "a reborn Irish Republican Army had emerged led by the 'Continuity Army Council'". *13 July: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a car bomb outside Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen,
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 ...
during a Catholic wedding reception. The blast caused serious damage and injured 17 people as they were being evacuated from the hotel. *29 September: The CIRA claimed responsibility for abandoning a car bomb in
Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
. Security forces made the device safe using a controlled explosion. *21 November: The CIRA claimed responsibility for planting a 600 lb bomb in Derry. It failed to explode and was defused by the security forces.


1997

*27 January: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a suspect device found in Abbey Street in Derry. It was neutralised in two controlled explosions by the British Army. *6 July: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a gun and grenade attack on New Barnsley RUC station, west Belfast as part of the widespread violence that followed Secretary of State
Mo Mowlam Dr Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam (18 September 1949 – 19 August 2005) was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mini ...
's decision over the Drumcree parade. See:
1997 nationalist riots in Northern Ireland From 6 to 11 July 1997 there were mass protests, fierce riots and gun battles in Irish nationalist districts of Northern Ireland. Irish nationalists/ republicans, in some cases supported by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), attacked ...
. *6 July: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a gun attack on RUC officers in the Oldpark Road-Cliftonville area of Belfast. *6 July: The CIRA claimed responsibility for shots fired on the Stewartstown Road in the Andersonstwown area of Belfast. *7 July: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a booby-trap bomb targeting British security forces left in Edenderry on the outskirts of Belfast. The RUC reported the device was a hoax. *31 July: The CIRA planted a bomb (estimated at between and ) in the grounds of Carrybridge Hotel near Lisbellaw,
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 ...
. It was defused by the British Army. *9 August: The CIRA planted a hoax van bomb on Craigavon Bridge in Derry, shortly before the start of the
Apprentice Boys The Apprentice Boys of Derry is a Protestant fraternal society with a worldwide membership of over 10,000, founded in 1814 and based in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. There are branches in Ulster and elsewhere in Ireland, Scotland, Engla ...
' parade through the city. Disturbances broke out during the march when loyalist bandsmen broke ranks to attack nationalist residents who were watching the parade. *16 September: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a van bomb outside the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base in
Markethill Markethill () is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is beside Gosford Forest Park. It had a population of 1,647 people in the 2011 Census. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under th Open Governme ...
,
County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of an ...
. The bombing happened a day after
Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur G ...
joined the political negotiations which led to the
Good Friday Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA), or Belfast Agreement ( ga, Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or ; Ulster-Scots: or ), is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April 1998 that ended most of the violence of The Troubles, a political conflict in No ...
. *16 October: the CIRA claimed responsibility for a hoax bomb scare at a public meeting addressed by Unionist politicians Peter Robinson, Robert McCartney, and
Nelson McCausland Nelson McCausland (born 15 August 1951) is a former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician from Northern Ireland, who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for North Belfast from 2003 until he lost his seat in 2017. and ...
. *30 October: The CIRA claimed responsibility for planting a holdall bomb in an office of a government building in Derry. The bag contained a quantity of
Semtex Semtex is a general-purpose plastic explosive containing RDX and PETN. It is used in commercial blasting, demolition, and in certain military applications. Semtex was developed and manufactured in Czechoslovakia, originally under the name B 1 ...
and petrol, but failed to detonate properly. *20 November: The CIRA planted a small bomb behind
Belfast City Hall Belfast City Hall ( ga, Halla na Cathrach Bhéal Feirste; Ulster-Scots: ''Bilfawst Citie Haw'') is the civic building of Belfast City Council located in Donegall Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland. It faces North and effectively divides the comm ...
. The
Progressive Unionist Party The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) is a minor unionist political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979. Linked to the Ulster Volunte ...
claimed the device was aimed at their ground floor office.


1998

''Note: for some of the incidents in 1998, it is unclear whether the Continuity IRA, the
Real IRA The Real Irish Republican Army, or Real IRA (RIRA), is a dissident Irish republican paramilitary group that aims to bring about a United Ireland. It formed in 1997 following a split in the Provisional IRA by dissident members, who rejected the ...
, or both organizations were responsible'': *6 January: A car bomb was defused by the security forces in the centre of
Banbridge Banbridge ( , ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iv ...
, County Down. A telephoned warning had been sent. *24 January: Following a telephoned warning, a car bomb exploded outside the 'River Club' on Factory Road in
Enniskillen Enniskillen ( , from ga, Inis Ceithleann , ' Ceithlenn's island') is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the middle of the county, between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,823 a ...
,
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 ...
. The building was extensively damaged, but there were no injuries. It is believed the CIRA was responsible. *20 February: Following a telephoned warning, a car bomb exploded outside the RUC base in
Moira, County Down Moira () is a village and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is in the northwest of the county, near the borders with counties Antrim and Armagh. The M1 motorway and Belfast–Dublin railway line are nearby. The population was 4, ...
. Seven RUC officers and four civilians were hurt. The blast caused widespread damage. *23 February: Following a telephoned warning, a car bomb exploded near the RUC base on Edward Street in
Portadown Portadown () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about southwest of Belfast. It is in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area and had a population of a ...
,
County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of an ...
. The blast caused widespread damage but no injuries. *20 March: A bomb was left in the Northern Bank on Guildhall Square, Derry, and the area was cleared for four hours while the British Army defused it. The CIRA claimed responsibility and said a Republican had tried to stop the CIRA members from planting the bomb. *4 May: There was an attempted mortar attack on Grosvenor Road RUC base in Belfast. One of the mortars fell short of the target and the other exploded in its launch tube. *9 May: There was a mortar attack on the RUC base in Belleek, County Fermanagh. The mortars fell short of their target and one exploded as the RUC was clearing the area. There were no injuries. *15 May: A car and trailer bomb were abandoned in
Kinawley Kinawley or Kinawly () is a small village, townland (of 187 acres) and civil parish straddling County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland and County Cavan, Republic of Ireland. The village and townland are both in the civil parish of Kinawley (founded b ...
, County Fermanagh. The British Army recovered and made safe two mortars, containing between and of explosives. It is believed the CIRA was responsible.


1999

*14 January: There was a gun attack on Woodbourne RUC base in Belfast. Four men were later arrested. It is believed the CIRA was responsible. *4 February:
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
documentary '' Dispatches'' showed a CIRA propaganda video, which included members armed with a hand-held grenade launcher, an AK-47 assault rifle and a Magnum revolver. *4 May: There was a gun attack on
Lisnaskea Lisnaskea () is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated mainly in the townland of Lisoneill, with some areas in the townland of Castle Balfour Demesne, both in the civil parish of Aghalurcher and the ...
RUC base in County Fermanagh. It is believed the CIRA was responsible. *1 June: A telephone warning using a recognised CIRA codeword claimed a bomb had been left in Russell Street, Armagh. The RUC searched the area disrupting rush hour traffic, but no bomb was found. *27 December: Approximately 20,000 people were evacuated from
Kempton Park Racecourse Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track together with a licensed entertainment and conference venue in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, 16 miles south-west of Charing Cross, London and on a border of Greater London. The site has ...
following a bomb alert. The CIRA was blamed.


2000

*6 February: The CIRA claimed responsibility for detonating a bomb at Mahon's Hotel in
Irvinestown Irvinestown is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. In 2011 it had a population of 2,267 people. The most notable buildings are Necarne Castle, formerly known as Castle Irvine, and Castle Archdale. Irvinestown is situated within Ferman ...
, County Fermanagh. A telephoned warning was sent and the hotel was evacuated beforehand. *25 February: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on Shackleton British Army Barracks in
Ballykelly, County Londonderry Ballykelly () is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies west of Limavady on the main Derry to Limavady A2 road and is east of Derry. It is designated as a Large Village and in 2011 the population of Ballykell ...
, which caused slight damage but no injuries. Three gas cylinders packed with explosives found at the scene failed to detonate. *10 May: The CIRA issued a statement calling on the
Provisional IRA The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, fa ...
to disband and hand its weapons over to those who were "prepared to defend the Republic". *19 May: A series of bomb alerts caused serious disruption in Belfast. Telephoned warnings, allegedly from the CIRA, claimed bombs had been left in several locations including the BBC studios at Broadcasting House. British Army bomb disposal experts carried out several controlled explosions before declaring the area safe. *31 October: The CIRA claimed responsibility for planting a
pipe bomb A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device which uses a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively huge explos ...
outside Castlewellan RUC base in County Down. It was hidden under a traffic cone and badly injured an RUC officer. *17 December: The CIRA was believed to have been responsible for leaving a booby-trap pipe bomb on a mountain road in
Kilcoo, County Down Kilcoo ( – from the legend that Saint Patrick's body stayed there while on its way to Downpatrick to be buried)Placen ...
. A telephoned warning was sent and the bomb was defused by security forces.


2001

*19 July: A bomb was thrown from a car and up to six shots fired during an attack on
Castlewellan RUC base in County Down. The station suffered minor damage but there were no injuries. *2 August: Former
Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ( ga, Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland ...
(SDLP) MLA Eamonn O'Neill's family car was daubed with CIRA slogans in Castlewellan, County Down after O'Neill criticised a CIRA attack on the village's RUC base several weeks previously. *30 October: Two gunmen, claiming to be from the CIRA, hijacked a bus in Belfast and ordered the driver to drive to Woodbourne RUC base. The men fled leaving a holdall estimated to contain 5 kg of explosives. The security forces tried to defuse the bomb but it exploded during the operation. Damage was restricted to the bus and the gates of the base, and there were no injuries. *16 December: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a small bomb outside a Customs and Excise office on the Killyhevlin Industrial Estate in County Fermanagh. A telephoned warning had been sent. The office was unmanned at the time and there were no injuries.


2002

*21 January: The CIRA was linked to a gun attack in a pub in
Ardglass Ardglass () is a coastal fishing village, townland (of 321 acres) and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland, in the historic barony of Lecale Lower. It is still a relatively important fishing harbour. It is situated on the B1 Ardg ...
, County Down. Two masked gunmen entered the pub and fired shots into the ceiling before leaving. It was claimed that they were searching for a leading member of a rival republican group, intent on killing him. *9 April: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a car that was found abandoned by police with maps and empty fertiliser bags.''Irish Independent''. 30 April 2002. *17 April: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a bomb at a police training college in Belfast. The blast damaged gates and fencing. *22 April: police intercepted a van bomb in Belfast they believed was to be used in attack on the headquarters of the
Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule m ...
. The CIRA was blamed. *24 July: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a bomb on the estate of Unionist peer
Alan Brooke Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, (23 July 1883 – 17 June 1963), was a senior officer of the British Army. He was Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), the professional head of the British Army, during the Sec ...
. A small crater was found after a three-day search of the estate at Brookeborough, County Fermanagh. *2 September: The CIRA was blamed for a gun attack on PSNI and British Army personnel in
Downpatrick Downpatrick () is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of Belfast. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Dál Fiatach, the main ruling dynasty of Ulaid. Its cathedral is said to be the b ...
, County Down. Up to five shots were fired as they searched houses in the Model Farm Estate. Nobody was injured. *25 October: The CIRA was blamed for leaving a van bomb near Windsor House in Belfast. A telephone warning was sent. Witnesses reported a muffled explosion came from the van shortly before the arrival of bomb disposal experts, who then carried out a controlled explosion.


2003

*8 January: The CIRA claimed responsibility for planting a large firebomb at a waterworks on Castleblayney Road in
Keady Keady () is a village and civil parish in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is south of Armagh and near the border with the Republic of Ireland. It is situated mainly in the historic barony of Armagh with six townlands in the barony of Tirann ...
, County Armagh. A telephone warning was sent and the bomb was defused by security forces. *13 January: The CIRA claimed responsibility for planting a firebomb outside a supermarket in Dungannon, County Tyrone. It was made safe by security forces. *2 February: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a bomb at the perimeter fence of a Territorial Army base in south Belfast. Another bomb attached to the fence was defused by security forces. *7 February: The CIRA claimed responsibility for leaving a car bomb on Blacks Road, Belfast. The
M1 motorway The M1 motorway connects London to Leeds, where it joins the A1(M) near Aberford, to connect to Newcastle. It was the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the UK; the first motorway in the country was the Preston By-pass, which ...
was closed while security forces made it safe. *10 February: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a small bomb at the back of the town hall in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. A telephone warning was sent. Three PSNI officers were hurt. *18 February: The CIRA claimed responsibility for throwing two nail bombs over the perimeter fence of
Antrim Road The Antrim Road is a major arterial route and area of housing and commerce that runs from inner city north Belfast to Dunadry, passing through Newtownabbey and Templepatrick. It forms part of the A6 road, a traffic route which links Belfast to D ...
PSNI base in north Belfast. One exploded, causing minor damage, and the other was defused. *19 February: A pipe bomb was found on the roof of Woodbourne PSNI base in Belfast. It was unclear when the device was thrown. The CIRA claimed responsibility. *7 May: The CIRA claimed responsibility for throwing a coffee jar bomb at a PSNI patrol car in Armagh. It failed to explode. *14 October: The CIRA claimed responsibility for planting an incendiary car bomb outside the PSNI base on York Road, Belfast. It was made safe by security forces. *24 November: The CIRA claimed responsibility for exploding a bomb outside a British Army base in Dungannon, County Tyrone. A telephone warning was sent. Two PSNI officers were hurt while trying to clear the area.


2004

*14 June: The CIRA was blamed for exploding a bomb at a golf clubhouse in Lurgan, County Armagh. The golf club was closed at the time and the bomb caused minor damage. *15 September: A suspect car was found in
New Lodge, Belfast The New Lodge ( gle, Lóiste Nua) is an urban, working class Catholic community in Belfast, Northern Ireland, immediately to the north of the city centre. The landscape is dominated by several large tower blocks. The area has a number of mural ...
following a telephone warning from the CIRA. The security forces carried out controlled explosions on the car.


2005

*1 January: The CIRA claimed responsibility for an attempted firebomb attack on Grosvenor Road PSNI base in Belfast. Two gunmen forced a taxi driver to drive the bomb to the base. It was made safe by security forces. *20 January: The CIRA was believed to have been responsible for planting a pipe bomb under a van at Belcamp Crescent,
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
. It was made safe by security forces. Two men were arrested nearby. *5 July: A telephone caller, claiming to be from the CIRA, said a bomb had been thrown at a PSNI vehicle the day before in
Keady Keady () is a village and civil parish in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is south of Armagh and near the border with the Republic of Ireland. It is situated mainly in the historic barony of Armagh with six townlands in the barony of Tirann ...
, County Armagh. Security forces examined a suspicious device on Kinelowen Street, but later declared it was an elaborate hoax. *12 July: The CIRA was blamed for attacking PSNI officers with blast bombs during rioting in the
Ardoyne Ardoyne () is a working class and mainly Catholic and Irish republican district in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It gained notoriety due to the large number of incidents during The Troubles. Foundation The village of Ardoyne was founded in ...
area of north Belfast, following an Orange Order parade. Eighty officers were injured, one seriously, and several people were arrested. *6 November: In a telephoned warning, the CIRA claimed responsibility for planting a hoax bomb during the
Down Royal Down Royal Racecourse is a horse racing venue near Lisburn in Northern Ireland. The most valuable race run there is the Ladbrokes Champion Chase, run at the Northern Ireland Festival of racing in November. The most valuable flat race to be run ...
horse racing festival. The festival was abandoned. *8 December: A suspected CIRA member was arrested while driving a bomb through Dublin. Gardaí believe the device was intended for use against drugs gangs in the city. The man, Martin O'Rourke, was subsequently sentenced to seven years imprisonment for possession of an explosive device. *26 December: The CIRA again sent a hoax bomb alert to a horse race at Down Royal. The site was evacuated but nothing was found.


2006

*9 November: The CIRA was believed to be responsible for firing shots at a PSNI base in
Keady Keady () is a village and civil parish in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is south of Armagh and near the border with the Republic of Ireland. It is situated mainly in the historic barony of Armagh with six townlands in the barony of Tirann ...
, County Armagh. *7 December: The CIRA was believed to be responsible for planting a pipe bomb outside a PSNI base in Lurgan, County Armagh. It failed to explode.


2007

*12 March: The CIRA shot dead two of its former members in response to the establishment of a rival group. *11 November: The IMC blamed the CIRA for a coffee jar bomb during a British Army
Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...
service in
Newry Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Armagh, Armagh and County Down, Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011. Newry ...
. The explosives were detonated inside the barrel of a ceremonial cannon during the traditional 11 am silence. No one was injured and Army technical officers who examined the cannon thought it was a jar containing fireworks.


2008

*2 January: A CIRA unit fired a volley of shots over the grave of ex-RSF Patron Dan Keating at Kiltallagh Cemetery on what would have been his 106th birthday. *13 February: The IMC said the CIRA was responsible for orchestrating rioting and public disorder in Newry and Craigavon, during which PSNI officers came under attack from youths armed with bricks, bottles, stones and paintbombs. *14 June: The CIRA claimed responsibility for an attempted a
landmine A land mine is an explosive weapon, explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically d ...
attack on a PSNI patrol-car in
Rosslea Rosslea or Roslea () is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, near the border with County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. It stands on the Finn River and is beset by small natural lakes. Roslea Forest, also known as Sprin ...
, County Fermanagh. The landmine partially exploded as the car passed, injuring two officers. *19 July: The CIRA threatened to shoot civil servants from Northern Ireland's
Driver & Vehicle Agency The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) ( ga, An Ghníomhaireacht Tiománaithe agus Feithiclí) is a government agency of the Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland), Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The agency is respons ...
for co-operating with the PSNI. *16 August: The CIRA claimed responsibility for firing a rocket-propelled grenade at a PSNI patrol in
Lisnaskea Lisnaskea () is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated mainly in the townland of Lisoneill, with some areas in the townland of Castle Balfour Demesne, both in the civil parish of Aghalurcher and the ...
, County Fermanagh. It partially exploded, lightly hurting three officers. Police believed the weapon formerly belonged to the PIRA and that it malfunctioned because it hadn't been stored in good conditions. *25-26 August: The IMC blamed the CIRA for orchestrating civil disturbances, hijackings and rioting in Craigavon, County Armagh. It said that it believed the CIRA tried to lure police officers into positions where they could be attacked. A number of shots were fired during the disturbances. *4 October: The IMC blamed the CIRA for a roadside bomb near
Newtownbutler Newtownbutler or Newtown Butler is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the southeast corner of the county, near Lough Erne, the border with County Monaghan, and the town of Clones. It is surrounded by small lakes and ...
, County Fermanagh. *5 November: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a blast-bomb attack against
Lurgan Lurgan () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, near the southern shore of Lough Neagh. Lurgan is about south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway and the Belfast–Dublin railway line. It had a population ...
PSNI base. There were no injuries. *26 November: The CIRA issued threats against community workers who co-operate with the PSNI in north Belfast.


2009

*14 January: The CIRA claimed responsibility for destroying a JCB digger at Casement Park, Belfast. It was destroyed after the contractor refused to pay protection money to the group. *29 January: The IMC blamed the CIRA for an armed robbery in Dungannon, County Tyrone. *10 February: The CIRA is believed to have been responsible for leaving three pipe bombs on Shiels Street, off the Falls Road in Belfast. They were made safe by the British Army. *10 February: The IMC blamed the CIRA for a hoax bomb alert in Armagh town. *3 March: The CIRA was blamed for the discovery of pipe bombs at a house in the Phibsborough, Dublin. *9 March: The CIRA claimed responsibility for shooting dead a Catholic PSNI (formerly RUC) officer in Craigavon. The officer, Stephen Paul Carroll, was shot by a sniper as he and a colleague investigated a complaint of broken windows in a nearby home. This was the first police fatality in Northern Ireland since 1998. Brendan McConville, a former PIRA volunteer, and John Paul Wootton, a teenager at the time of Carroll's murder, were convicted. McConville received 25 years and Wootton's sentence was initially 14 years (later raised to 18 years). Wootton received a lesser sentence as he was 17 years old at the time of Carroll's murder, and his role was deemed by the judges to have been "peripheral". Wootton's mother and Carroll's widow, on opposite sides, both condemned the sentences, as, respectively, unfairly long, and unduly short. *15 June: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a failed bomb attack against the PSNI base in Armagh town. A bomb was thrown at the base but failed to detonate properly. *13 July: An armed CIRA member appeared at a riot in Armagh town. *21 September: The IMC claimed the CIRA was responsible for the armed robbery of a bank in Belleek, County Donegal. *12 October: The IMC blamed the CIRA for the punishment shooting of a man in his home in Belfast. *20 November: The CIRA claimed responsibility for shooting a man three-times in the leg in a punishment attack in Belfast. *23 December: The IMC blamed the CIRA for the punishment shooting of a man in Belfast. The man had been convicted for a role in the death of a shopkeeper two years earlier.


2010

*7 January: The IMC blamed the CIRA for the punishment shooting of a man in Armagh town. *18 January: The IMC blamed the CIRA for the punishment shooting of a man in
Lurgan Lurgan () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, near the southern shore of Lough Neagh. Lurgan is about south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway and the Belfast–Dublin railway line. It had a population ...
. *4 April: Sixteen CIRA prisoners along with other republican prisoners barricaded themselves in the dining hall of
Maghaberry Prison HMP Maghaberry was built on the site of RAF Maghaberry, a World War II airfield near Lisburn, Northern Ireland, which was used as a flying station by the Royal Air Force and also as a transit airfield for the United States Army Air Forces. At t ...
. The protest was in response to conditions in the prison. The stand-off ended after two days, when prison staff raided the room. *5 April: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a failed car bomb attack on
Crossmaglen Crossmaglen (, ) is a village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,610 in the 2011 Census and is the largest village in South Armagh. The village centre is the site of a large Police Service of Northern Ire ...
PSNI base. A telephoned warning was given and the bomb was made safe by the British Army. *13 April: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a failed car bomb attack on
Newtownhamilton Newtownhamilton is a small town and civil parish in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies predominantly within Tullyvallan townland. The civil parish is within the historic barony of Fews Upper. In the 2011 Census it had 2,836 inhabitants. ...
PSNI base. A telephoned warning was given and the bomb was made safe by the British Army. *4 May: The IMC blamed the CIRA for exploding a pipe bomb outside Lurgan PSNI base. The base was unscathed but a nearby building was damaged. *17 May: The CIRA were blamed for orchestrating rioting in Lurgan. Two blast bombs and several petrol bombs were thrown at PSNI officers. Six officers suffered minor injuries. *31 May: The CIRA were blamed for shooting a man in the leg at Juniper Park, Belfast. *9 June: It was reported that an "unauthorised" meeting was held by disgruntled CIRA members who were allegedly seeking to set up a breakaway paramilitary group and carry out more military action. Some disgruntled members also allegedly tried to seize the offices of Republican Sinn Féin and its newspaper, ''Saoirse''. In a statement, the CIRA leadership said that it expelled or suspended those involved. *16 June: The CIRA claimed responsibility for a bomb that partially exploded outside a house in the
Finglas Finglas (; ) is a northwestern outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It lies close to Junction 5 of the M50 motorway, and the N2 road. Nearby suburbs include Glasnevin and Ballymun; Dublin Airport is to the north. Finglas lies mainly in the posta ...
area of
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
. *18 June: The IMC blamed the CIRA for shooting a man in the chest in west Befast. The man was shot as he tried to run away from three masked men. *11 July: The CIRA was blamed for orchestrating rioting in the Broadway area of Belfast in the run-up to the 12th of July Orange Order marches. A PSNI officer was badly wounded by shotgun fire, which was also blamed on the CIRA. *13 July: The IMC blamed the CIRA for firing shots at PSNI officers during rioting in Belfast. *22 July: The IMC blamed the CIRA for a pipe bomb attack on Woodbourne PSNI base in Belfast. *28 July: The IMC blamed the CIRA for the kidnapping and punishment shooting of a man in Belfast. *28 July: In an interview with the ''Irish Times'', members of a "militant Northern-based faction within the CIRA" claimed to have overthrown the leadership of the organization. They also claimed that an Army Convention representing "95 per cent of volunteers" had unanimously elected a new 12-member Army Executive, which in turn appointed a new seven-member Army Council. The moves came as a result of dissatisfication with the southern-based leadership and the apparent winding-down of military operations. A senior source from Republican Sinn Féin said: "We would see them he purported new leadershipas just another splinter group that has broken away." *2 August: The CIRA was blamed for a blast bomb attack on Craigavon PSNI base. *14 August: The IMC blamed the CIRA for a bomb attack that injured three children in Lurgan. The PSNI received a warning that a bomb had been left in the grounds of Lurgan Model Primary School. This device was found to be a hoax. Shortly after, a bomb exploded inside a bin on North Street, where the PSNI had set up a cordon. Three children (two aged 12 and one aged two), who were walking past at the time, were injured by debris, suffering cuts and shock. *24 August: The IMC blamed the CIRA for an attempted pipe bomb attack on Woodbourne PSNI base in Belfast. The device failed to explode. *11 September: The CIRA claimed responsibility for the punishment shootings of two men in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast. *29 September: A CIRA firing party fired a volley of shots over the grave of veteran republican Paul Stanley in Straffan, County Kildare. *17 November: The CIRA ordered a man to leave the country within a week or face being killed, this came after a CIRA attack on the man in Tallaght, Dublin.


2011

*16 March: The CIRA was blamed for the punishment beating of a heroin dealer in Clondalkin, Dublin. *6 July: The CIRA were blamed for hijacking vehicles and firing shots at a police patrol during disturbances in Craigavon. The trouble started after Republican Sinn Féin president Des Dalton was arrested during a public meeting. *17 September: The CIRA claimed responsibility for firing a rocket-propelled grenade at a PSNI vehicle in Craigavon. The alleged attack happened on Lake Road, between roundabouts one and two of Craigavon, shortly after midnight. There were no reports of any casualties in the alleged attack.


2012

*26 July: The Continuity IRA released a statement claiming that a new leadership (Army Council) had been elected after they had expelled members who were allegedly acting to the detriment of the group. The statement also said anyone acting in a criminal manner using the name of the CIRA would be subject to "military action."


2013

*25 January: The CIRA claimed responsibility for firing shots at the PSNI in the Drumbeg estate in Craigavon. *30 March 2013: A small bomb exploded near PSNI landrovers in the Kilwilkie area of Lurgan. It had been hidden in a bin. The PSNI were monitoring an unnotified march that included masked CIRA members. *6 April: The CIRA claimed responsibility for shooting dead a former member in West Belfast. Kieran McManus was killed by a masked man wielding a shotgun. The CIRA claimed he was killed for "terrorising his community with knives, hatchets and swords". In a telephone statement the Northern command of the CIRA claimed it was prepared to kill former members if they engaged in anti-social behaviour and criminal activity using the Continuity IRA's name.


2014

*14 March: The CIRA claimed responsibility for planting a booby-trap bomb under a PSNI officer's car in Belfast. The bomb was found after it fell off the car on Blacks Road. The CIRA added that it "has had a complete reorganization and is now in a position to sustain and carry out attacks on occupational forces throughout Ireland". *April: The CIRA released a statement threatening Limerick republicans.
It has come to our attention that members of the Alan Ryan gang are now working with a Limerick gang styling itself Continuity IRA, which threatened Dublin criminals. We will be pursuing the extortionists no matter where they try and hide themselves. We want no more excuses — you have five working days to hand the extortionists over to us or face the inevitable consequences. There will be no intimidation by the Limerick gang.
*April: The group is believed to be responsible for the killing of a former member of the organization, Tommy Crossan. Sinn Féin MEP
Martina Anderson Martina Anderson (born 16 April 1962) is an Irish former politician from Northern Ireland who served as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Foyle from 2020 to 2021, and previously from 2007 to 2012. A member of Sinn Féin, she served ...
criticised the killing saying those responsible are "criminals masquerading as republicans"


2015

*18 February: It was announced that MI5 had uncovered a plot to assassinate
Martin McGuinness James Martin Pacelli McGuinness ( ga, Séamus Máirtín Pacelli Mag Aonghusa; 23 May 1950 – 21 March 2017) was an Irish republican politician and statesman from Sinn Féin and a leader within the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during ...
using a rocket. The plot was only considered and not imminent.


2016

*February: Following the killing of criminal David Byrne in the Regency Hotel, Dublin, a group claiming to be the Continuity IRA claimed responsibility for the killing. Later another statement was issued under the name of the Continuity IRA denying involvement, saying the previous statement was an "attempt to tarnish the name of the organisation". *Easter: At Easter the Continuity IRA marched in paramilitary uniforms through north Lurgan, County Armagh, without hindrance from the PSNI who monitored the parade from a police helicopter.


2017

*In June 2017, the Irish newspaper
Limerick Leader The ''Limerick Leader'' is a weekly local newspaper in Limerick, Ireland. It was founded in 1889. The newspaper is headquartered on Glentworth Street in the City. The broadsheet paper currently is distributed in three editions, City, County and ...
reported on a press release by a Limerick-based faction of the Continuity IRA in which it was said that the group would disband. The group claimed that after consulting with its members in the "32 counties", the decision was made to end their "futile war" and to decommission the few weapons and explosives still in their possession over the next few months.


2018

*In January the CIRA claimed it would not commit to a ceasefire, as did the ONH. *18 December: the CIRA was behind an attempted attack on the PSNI in the Dunmurry area of Belfast.


2019

*In April the CIRA fired a volley of shots at an Easter commemoration in
Carrickmore Carrickmore () is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the historic barony of Omagh East, the civil parish of Termonmaguirk and the Roman Catholic Parish of Termonmaguirc between Cookstown, Dungannon and Omagh. ...
County Tyrone. *26 July: The Continuity IRA is said to be responsible for an attempted horizontal mortar attack on the PSNI on the Tullygally road area in Craigavon, the mortar bomb missed its target. *19 August: A bomb attack targeting PSNI officers and army bomb experts in Wattlebridge, County Fermanagh, is understood to have been carried out by the Continuity IRA. Police and army were dealing with a hoax device that was placed on the side of a road when the real device exploded yards away, there were no reports of any injuries. *4 December: The Continuity IRA carried out a grenade attack against the PSNI in West Belfast. In a statement to the Irish News which came with a recognised codeword, the Continuity IRA last night said the attack was carried out by “volunteers of the Irish Republican Army acting under orders of the Continuity Army Council, One of our units in Belfast carried out the attack using a military hand grenade.”


2020

*31 January: The Continuity IRA was responsible for planting a bomb on a lorry in Lurgan due to explode on the day the United Kingdom left the EU. The "Brexit Day bomb plot" was intended to occur on 31 January 2020 coinciding with the
Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC ...
withdrawal. The
Police Service of Northern Ireland The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; ga, Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann; Ulster-Scots: ') is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) after it was reform ...
(PSNI) was given two anonymous tips that a bomb inside a
lorry A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructio ...
would be on a ferry heading from
Belfast Harbour Belfast Harbour is a major maritime hub in Belfast, Northern Ireland, handling 67% of Northern Ireland's seaborne trade and about 25% of the maritime trade of the entire island of Ireland. It is a vital gateway for raw materials, exports and c ...
to Cairnryan,
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
. A search at Belfast Harbour failed to find a device. On 5 February 2020, the bomb was found inside a lorry on the Silverwood Industrial Estate in
Lurgan Lurgan () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, near the southern shore of Lough Neagh. Lurgan is about south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway and the Belfast–Dublin railway line. It had a population ...
,
County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of an ...
,
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, after searching 400 lorries. The device was made safe by a
bomb disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the milita ...
team. As of February 2020, the PSNI were investigating the incident and believed the Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) was responsible for the failed plot. *16–17 May: The Continuity IRA carried out a foot patrol near Wattle Bridge, County Fermanagh, before firing shots in a nearby graveyard. In a statement to the Irish News, the organisation says it has been recruiting and regrouping in the Fermanagh area and a statement with the pictures claimed it shows "the CIRA can operate at any time day or night in south Fermanagh".


2021

*14 January: The CIRA claimed responsibility for an alleged attack on a PSNI helicopter Wattlebridge in south Fermanagh. The PSNI issued a statement saying there was no evidence of an attack on a police aircraft and that the helicopter in question was likely a civilian helicopter. The CIRA statement also said they had been intending to ambush PSNI officers responding to a hoax bomb call in the area.


See also

*
Timeline of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions A timeline is a display of a list of events in chronological order. It is typically a graphic design showing a long bar labelled with dates paralleling it, and usually contemporaneous events. Timelines can use any suitable scale representi ...
*
Timeline of Real Irish Republican Army actions This is a timeline of actions by the Real Irish Republican Army, also called the ''Real IRA'', an Irish republican paramilitary group. The group was formed in late 1997 by members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who disagreed with tha ...
* Timeline of Óglaigh na hÉireann (2006–present) actions *
Timeline of Irish National Liberation Army actions This is a timeline of actions by the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group. Most of these actions took place as part of its 1975–1998 campaign during "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland. The ...
*
Timeline of Ulster Defence Association actions This is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), a loyalist paramilitary group formed in 1971. Most of these actions took place during the conflict known as "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland. The UDA's declared goal was to d ...
*
Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actions This is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group since 1966. It includes actions carried out by the Red Hand Commando (RHC), a group integrated into the UVF shortly after their formation i ...
*
Timeline of the Northern Ireland Troubles and peace process The Troubles were a period of conflict in Northern Ireland involving republican and loyalist paramilitaries, the British security forces, and civil rights groups. They are usually dated from the late 1960s through to the Good Friday Agreem ...


References

{{CIRA/RSF Continuity Irish Republican Army T Terrorist incidents in Europe in the 1990s Terrorist incidents in Europe in the 2000s