New memorial stone to be unveiled to Gerard Logue in Top of the Hill tonight

The tribute is located close to the spot where Gerard ‘Bogie’ Logue fell, mortally wounded, while on IRA active service on March 22, 1987.

The event is being organised by the Waterside Monument Committee and will take place at 7pm close to the bottom of Tamneymore Park on Strabane Old Road.

Mr. Logue was aged 26 when he died when an assault weapon he was returning to an arms dump accidentally discharged at approximately 9pm on March 22, 1987.

He was found in a laneway off the Strabane Old Road suffering from stomach wounds on Saturday, March 22 and died in Altnagelvin Hospital at 8am on the Sunday morning.

He was mourned by his late wife Eilish and three children.

Mr. Logue’s funeral from his home in Rose Court to St. Columba’s Church, Long Tower, on March 24, 1987, made headlines after the RUC deployed hundreds of officers along the route.

As the ‘Journal’ reported at the time ‘more than 400 RUC personnel were involved in the security operation for the funeral, supervised by Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent David Turkington and other senior officers’ and ‘more than 80 landrovers were on view during the morning.’

According to the paper there was a delay of over two hours in the removal of Mr. Logue’s remains from his home. When the procession arrived at the Long Tower two IRA men fired a volley of shots from handguns in the grounds of the church despite a large security presence, sparking controversy and a prohibition by the then Bishop of Derry, Dr. Edward Daly, on the remains of paramilitaries being allowed into churches.

“After the funeral left Long Tower Church British soldiers were also involved, and two helicopters buzzed noisily over the procession,” the ‘Journal’ related. The Logue family issued a statement after the funeral saying they had not given any assurances to the RUC or the church concerning the procession.

“We would point out that the only conversation that took place between ourselves and the priests of the Long Tower parish concerned the Tricolour being removed from the coffin while inside the chapel. We did accept that condition but stress that no other conditions were laid down. We respect the fact that Gerard was an IRA volunteer and we appreciate the actions of his comrades who honoured his wishes by paying him the final military tribute of a soldier of the Irish Republic.”