Bayardo Bar attack commemoration held on 50th anniversary

A commemoration event has taken place in west Belfast to mark the 50th anniversary of the Bayardo Bar attack on the Shankill Road.

On 13 August 1975, five people were killed and more than 60 were injured when the IRA launched a bombing and shooting attack on the bar.

Those killed were William John Gracey, 63, Samuel Gunning, 55, Joanne McDowell, 29, Hugh Alexander Harris, 21, and 17-year-old Linda Boyle, who died a week after the attack from her injuries.

On Wednesday evening, members of the local community gathered to remember them.

A short parade by a flute band which marched from Tennent Street along the Shankill Road preceded a laying of wreaths by victims’ families and members of the Bayardo Somme Association, who organised the event.

The wreaths were laid at the memorial to the Bayardo Bar attack on the corner of Argyle Street.

The events of 50 years ago made the headlines this week as a tribute was paid to one of the men convicted of carrying out the attack, former senior IRA leader Brendan “Bik” McFarlane, at the Féile an Phobail event in Falls Park on Sunday evening.

McFarlane died in February this year. McFarlane and two other IRA members, Peter Hamilton and Seamus Clarke, were sentenced to life imprisonment for carrying out the attack.

John MacVicar is the editor of The Shankill Mirror and was at the commemoration on Wednesday evening.

He said like so many other attacks that have taken place, it leaves an impact on families and the community.

He said seeing “one of the perpetrators of the attack eulogised” at the Féile an Phobail event “doesn’t help”.

“It’s hurtful,” he added.

The family of Linda Boyle have said they were “absolutely disgusted” by the “sick” tribute.

Speaking ahead of the 50th anniversary, the family issued a statement which said: “Wednesday will be a particularly difficult day although there have been few easy days since the Provisional IRA stole away our beautiful Linda and the others that fateful day.”

It went on to say how Linda would now be of retirement age and should be “relaxing and exploring a further chapter of life”.

“Linda’s storybook was ended before she got beyond her first chapter,” it added.

Kenny Donaldson, from the South East Fermanagh Foundation, which supports victims and survivors of terrorism, said for this tribute to come just days before the anniversary of the bombing was “particularly cruel and crass”.

Féile an Phobail have been contacted for a response.