Shankill Bomb 30th Anniversary: Special plans to mark 30 years since IRA claimed lives of nine people during busy shopping day

A series of special commemoration events are taking place to mark the 30th anniversary of the Shankill Bombing.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
By Philip Bradfield
Published 15th Oct 2023, 17:04 BST

Nine local people were killed and over 50 people were injured when the IRA left a massive bomb in Frizzell's fish shop during a busy shopping day almost 30 years ago.

Two IRA men, Thomas Begley and Sean Kelly, posed as fishmongers and carried the bomb into the shop where shoppers were queuing for food on Saturday 23 October 1993. Thomas Begley died in the blast also.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It is difficult to believe that the 30th anniversary is less than a week away when on that awful day in October 1993, in the blink of an eye nine Innocent people were murdered when IRA terrorists wreaked murder and mayhem on the people of the Shankill by planting a no warning bomb on the counter of Frizzell's Fish Shop," said the Shankill Road families' Support Group in a statement.

The aftermath of the IRA's Shankill Road bomb in 1993, which killed nine local people and one of the bombers.The aftermath of the IRA's Shankill Road bomb in 1993, which killed nine local people and one of the bombers.
The aftermath of the IRA's Shankill Road bomb in 1993, which killed nine local people and one of the bombers.

"A Memorial Service is to be held on 23 October when the lives of those murdered and those injured will be remembered. A new memorial is to be unveiled and details of a new 'Living Memorial' will be confirmed'."

On Saturday 21 October there will be a short parade including local youth football teams which will leave from the Shankill Leisure Centre car park to the site of the bomb at Court Credit Union.

Then on Monday 23 October a special service will take place at West Kirk Presbyterian Church – near the bomb site – which will be addressed in part by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Dr Sam Mawhinney.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A ship's bell will be tolled each minute for nine minutes, each toll representing one of the innocent people who were killed.

A new granite memorial in the shape of a clock face will be unveiled at the bomb site. It includes the names of the nine locals who were killed, with the clock hands fixed at 1.06pm when they died.

A ‘Living Memorial’ a - circle of nine mature trees planted next to West Kirk Church will also be dedicated. Each tree will bear a personal message from the families of the nine victims.