Shankill Bomb 30th anniversary: Man whose 13-year-old sister was killed calls for community to stand together on 'very hard day'

A man whose 13-year-old sister was killed in the Shankill Bomb has asked for his community to stand together with the victims on the 30th anniversary of the terrorist attack.
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By Philip Bradfield
Published 20th Oct 2023, 14:21 BST
Updated 20th Oct 2023, 16:36 BST

Nine locals were killed in the attack as well as one of the IRA bombers, Thomas Begley. More than 50 were injured.

The IRA left the no-warning bomb in Frizzell's fish shop on the Shankill in the middle of a busy Saturday on 23 October 1993. The terror group claimed they were targeting loyalists upstairs - but there was nobody there.

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Those killed were the shop owner John Frizzell, 63; his daughter Sharon McBride, 29; Leanne Murray, 13; Michael Morrison, 27, his partner Evelyn Baird, 27 and their daughter Michelle, aged seven; George Williamson, 63 and his wife Gillian and Wilma McKee, 38.

Leanne Murray, aged 13, died in the IRA's no-warning bomb attack on a fish shop in the Shankill Road on 23 October 1993 which killed nine Shankill residents and one of the bombers. Picture By Arthur Allsion, Pacemaker.Leanne Murray, aged 13, died in the IRA's no-warning bomb attack on a fish shop in the Shankill Road on 23 October 1993 which killed nine Shankill residents and one of the bombers. Picture By Arthur Allsion, Pacemaker.
Leanne Murray, aged 13, died in the IRA's no-warning bomb attack on a fish shop in the Shankill Road on 23 October 1993 which killed nine Shankill residents and one of the bombers. Picture By Arthur Allsion, Pacemaker.

Gary Murray was only 15 when his 13 year-old sister Leanne was killed in the attack.

"I've been in contact with some of the families," he told the News Letter. "It's gonna be a very hard and long day for everyone. I am not looking forward to it."

Leanne had only left her mother Gina's side briefly to go next door to the fish shop for some whelks - her weekly treat.

"Leanne would now have been 42 now," he said.

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Gina and Garry Murray, mother and brother of Leanne Murray, who was killed in the Shankill bomb in 1993. They are pictured here at the fifth annual service of thanksgiving held by Lisnaskea-based Victims Group South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) at Fivemiletown Methodist Church on Sunday 1st October 2017. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker PressGina and Garry Murray, mother and brother of Leanne Murray, who was killed in the Shankill bomb in 1993. They are pictured here at the fifth annual service of thanksgiving held by Lisnaskea-based Victims Group South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) at Fivemiletown Methodist Church on Sunday 1st October 2017. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press
Gina and Garry Murray, mother and brother of Leanne Murray, who was killed in the Shankill bomb in 1993. They are pictured here at the fifth annual service of thanksgiving held by Lisnaskea-based Victims Group South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) at Fivemiletown Methodist Church on Sunday 1st October 2017. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

"I am talking to some of Leanne’s friends regularly. Many of them are married with kids. It makes me wonder - could I have been an uncle and how close would we have been? I think about that every day.

"For this weekend I would just like to call on the wider community to stand together. Because this is not just about the Shankill families, there were many people from outside the Shankill who were injured as well."

A series of commemorative events take place on the Shankill this weekend.

On Saturday 21 October there will be a short community parade from the Shankill Leisure Centre to the bomb site at 1:06pm.

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The emergency services remove a body from the scene of the IRA Shankill Bomb attack on Frizell's Fish shop in 1993. Photo: PacemakerThe emergency services remove a body from the scene of the IRA Shankill Bomb attack on Frizell's Fish shop in 1993. Photo: Pacemaker
The emergency services remove a body from the scene of the IRA Shankill Bomb attack on Frizell's Fish shop in 1993. Photo: Pacemaker

Then on Monday 23 October a special service will take place at West Kirk Presbyterian Church, close to the bomb site.

A memorial granite clock inscribed with the names of the Shankill victims will be unveiled at the bomb site and a ‘Living Memorial’ of nine mature trees next to the church will be dedicated.