Robert Nairac GC
Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 12:29 am
Captain Robert Nairac disappeared on this day in 1977. His role in intelligence operations during a particularly dark period of 'The Troubles" is still widely debated and highly controversial. A Grenadier Guardsman, Nairac was attached to a covert unit of wedge heads known as 4 Field Survey Troop (aka 14 Intelligence company). Its was tasked with surveillance duties, and intelligence gathering in Northern Ireland. Nairac's duties included military liaison (MILO).
On the night of the 14th of May 1977, Nairac went to The Three Steps pub in "Bandit country", South Armagh. According to eye witnesses he told regulars that he was a "stickie" (a member of the Official IRA), and after enjoying a few drinks he got up and sang a Republican folk song, The Broad Black Brimmer. At around 11.45pm, he left the pub, and was immediately set upon by a number of men. He was bundled into a car and driven across the border, where he was beaten and interrogated. He managed to escape, but his abductors caught him. After another beating, he was executed. He never revealed his true identity.
Captain Nairac is one of "The disappeared". His remains have never been recovered.
It has been alleged that Nairac colluded with Loyalist paramilitaries. Allegations include involvement in (1) the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974, (2) The Miami Show Band massacre in 1975, (3) The Kings Mill Massacre in 1976, and (4) the death of John Francis Green:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_an ... n_bombings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsmill_massacre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Showband_killings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Francis_Green
Aside from a number of unsubstantiated claims, there has never been any hard evidence that Nairac played a role in any of these atrocities. Yet there still persists a belief that he played an instrumental role in planning and executing them. Indeed, the surviving members of the MSB have claimed that an officer with a clipped English accent was present when they were stopped by a UVF unit (dressed in DP British fatigues). Former Intelligence operative Fred Holroyd claimed that Nairac boasted about killing JF Green, even showing him a polaroid of Green's corpse.
How much of Nairac's role in the Dirty War is myth? How much is fact?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Nairac
Despite the controversy surrounding him, we hope that his family will be allowed to give him a Christian burial.
On the night of the 14th of May 1977, Nairac went to The Three Steps pub in "Bandit country", South Armagh. According to eye witnesses he told regulars that he was a "stickie" (a member of the Official IRA), and after enjoying a few drinks he got up and sang a Republican folk song, The Broad Black Brimmer. At around 11.45pm, he left the pub, and was immediately set upon by a number of men. He was bundled into a car and driven across the border, where he was beaten and interrogated. He managed to escape, but his abductors caught him. After another beating, he was executed. He never revealed his true identity.
Captain Nairac is one of "The disappeared". His remains have never been recovered.
It has been alleged that Nairac colluded with Loyalist paramilitaries. Allegations include involvement in (1) the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974, (2) The Miami Show Band massacre in 1975, (3) The Kings Mill Massacre in 1976, and (4) the death of John Francis Green:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_an ... n_bombings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsmill_massacre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Showband_killings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Francis_Green
Aside from a number of unsubstantiated claims, there has never been any hard evidence that Nairac played a role in any of these atrocities. Yet there still persists a belief that he played an instrumental role in planning and executing them. Indeed, the surviving members of the MSB have claimed that an officer with a clipped English accent was present when they were stopped by a UVF unit (dressed in DP British fatigues). Former Intelligence operative Fred Holroyd claimed that Nairac boasted about killing JF Green, even showing him a polaroid of Green's corpse.
How much of Nairac's role in the Dirty War is myth? How much is fact?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Nairac
Despite the controversy surrounding him, we hope that his family will be allowed to give him a Christian burial.
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