Claudy bombing 1972 50 years on: The 9 adults and children who were killed remembered

This Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of one of the worst atrocities during the Troubles when nine people were killed and dozens injured in a series of explosions in the village of Claudy on the outskirts of Derry city.
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The bereaved, the surviving wounded and the wider community will gather at 3pm tomorrow Sunday, July 31 on the anniversary at the memorial in the village to remember all those affected.

The victims were children and adults, Protestant and Catholic, and people across the community will attend the memorial service.

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The nine people who died on that day on July 31, 1972 and in the days that followed as a result of injuries sustained were:

The nine people who were killed in the Claudy bombing on July 31, 1972. Top l-r: Joe Connolly (15), Kathryn Eakin (9) and William Temple (16). Middle l-r: Elizabeth McElhinney (59),: James McClelland (65) and Joe McCloskey (38); Bottom l-r: David Miller (60); Artie Hone (38) and Rose McLaughlin (51).The nine people who were killed in the Claudy bombing on July 31, 1972. Top l-r: Joe Connolly (15), Kathryn Eakin (9) and William Temple (16). Middle l-r: Elizabeth McElhinney (59),: James McClelland (65) and Joe McCloskey (38); Bottom l-r: David Miller (60); Artie Hone (38) and Rose McLaughlin (51).
The nine people who were killed in the Claudy bombing on July 31, 1972. Top l-r: Joe Connolly (15), Kathryn Eakin (9) and William Temple (16). Middle l-r: Elizabeth McElhinney (59),: James McClelland (65) and Joe McCloskey (38); Bottom l-r: David Miller (60); Artie Hone (38) and Rose McLaughlin (51).

PATRICK JOSEPH (JOE) CONNOLLY. Joseph (15) was the youngest of seven from a farming family who lived just outside Claudy. Joseph was at a shop when he was wounded during the first explosion, which detonated outside McElhinney’s Bar, Main Street, Claudy. He was flown to Altnagelvin Hospital but passed away on August. 8.

KATHRYN EAKIN. (9). Kathryn was cleaning windows in the family’s grocery store. She was killed when a car bomb exploded outside McElhinney’s Bar, Main Street, Claudy,

WILLIAM TEMPLE. William (16) from Donemana was on his rounds as a milkman’s helper when he was injured in the first explosion and killed when a the third car bomb exploded outside Beaufort Hotel, Church Street, Claudy,

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ELIZABETH MCELHINNEY. Elizabeth (59) was killed when a car bomb exploded outside McElhinney’s Bar, Main Street, Claudy, County Derry. Elizabeth, the owner of the pub and shop, had been serving a customer at a petrol pump in the vicinity of the premises when she was killed.

The Claudy bombing memorial.The Claudy bombing memorial.
The Claudy bombing memorial.

JAMES MCCLELLAND. James (65), who worked as a street cleaner, was killed when the car bomb exploded outside Beaufort Hotel, Church Street, Claudy. He too had earlier provided assistance to those wounded in the earlier detonation.

JOSEPH (JOE) MCCLOSKEY. Father-of-seven Joseph (38) had gone to the village with his four year old son to buy a newspaper. The factory worker was killed when a car bomb exploded outside McElhinney’s Bar, Main Street, Claudy. His child survived the bombing.

DAVID MILLER. David Miller (60), who worked as a street cleaner, had helped others after the first explosion. He died when the third bomb exploded outside Beaufort Hotel, Church Street, Claudy,

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ARTHUR (ARTIE) HONE. Artie Hone was a 38-year-old musician and father of two, who worked in Derry. He was injured while inside Elizabeth McElhinney’s shop when a car bomb exploded outside McElhinney’s Bar, Main Street, Claudy and died on August 12, 1972.

ROSE MCLAUGHLIN. Mother of eight Rose McLaughlin (51) was fatally injured while in the family’s cafe on Main Street, directly opposite from where the first bomb exploded outside McElhinney’s Bar. She passed away on August 3, 1972.