Republicans to mark major anniversaries of six Derry IRA members killed during the conflict

The first commemoration will take place on Wednesday, December 4, at 7pm at the Republican monument in the Top Of the Hill marking the 40th anniversary of the deaths of William Fleming, Danny Doherty, Kieran Fleming and Antoine Mac Giolla Bhríghde.

On Friday, December 6 at 6pm there will be a commemoration at the Creggan Monument to mark the 40th anniversary of Danny Doherty.

The week of events will conclude on Saturday, December 7 at 1pm at the Republican plot in the City Cemetery to mark the 50th anniversary of Ethel Lynch and John McDaid.

A spokesperson for the Derry Graves Association said “These commemorations are very important indeed .We will be gathering to remember with dignity and pride the memory of these six Volunteers and stand in solidarity with their family and friends.

“It will be a poignant time for many republicans in the city and county as we gather to remember and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of Irish freedom.

“We would encourage everyone to attend as many of these events as possible over the course of the week.”

Ethel Lynch (22), who was from Westway in Creggan, was fatally injured in a premature bomb blast at a house in Crawford Square at approximately 2pm on Monday, December 2, 1974. She died five days later on December 7, 1974.

The British Army claimed Ms. Lynch and other IRA Volunteers had been assembling letter bombs in a top floor flat when the fatal explosion occurred.

That same day 16-year-old John McDaid, from Aberfoyle Crescent, died when a five pound bomb exploded at approximately 8pm in the evening in a derelict house in Bridge Street off Derry city centre.

Several sympathy notices were placed in the ‘Journal’ by various Sinn Féin cumainn as well as Cumann na mBan describing the deceased as Brigade Officer Lieutenant Ethel Lynch and Volunteer John McDaid, both of whom, the notices said, had been ‘killed in action’.

Ms. Lynch was laid to rest following Requiem Mass in St. Mary’s Creggan on Monday, December 9, 1974, after which members of Cumann na mBan marched behind her Tricolour-draped coffin to the City Cemetery.

Mr. McDaid’s funeral took place from St. Patrick’s Pennyburn on the same day.

Five years ago a new Sinn Féin Cumann covering lower Creggan, Marlborough, upper Rosemount, Glenowen, Cashelmore and Grangemore was named in Ms. Lynch’s memory.

December also marks the 40th anniversary of four IRA members – including two cousins, William Fleming and Kieran Fleming, who died in two separate incidents in 1984.

Kieran Fleming (26), from Top of the Hill, and Antoine Mac Giolla Bhríghde (27), from Magherafelt, died on December 2, 1984, following a gun battle between the IRA and the SAS near Kesh in County Fermanagh.

Mr. Mac Giolla Bhríghde was shot dead while Mr. Fleming is believed to have drowned while trying to cross the River Bannagh. The body of the Derryview Terrace man who had been among dozens of republicans to have escaped from the Maze in September 1983 was not recovered until December 21, 1984.

Sergeant Alastair Slater (28), a member of the Parachute Regiment who was serving with the SAS, was also killed during the same gun battle.

Four days after Kieran Fleming drowned his cousin William (19) died alongside Daniel Doherty (23) from Creggan, when both men were shot dead by the SAS in an ambush in the grounds of Gransha Hospital in Derry’s Waterside.

New Ethel Lynch cumann tenth in city for Sinn Féin

A fresh inquest into the killings started last year but has yet to deliver a ruling.

Both men died after entering the grounds of Gransha Hospital on a motorbike which was rammed by SAS soldiers. They were both shot multiple times. It was claimed at the time that the two IRA men has been on their way to ambush an off-duty UDR soldier.

Mr. Fleming was a barman from Top of the Hill. Mr. Doherty, from Rathlin Drive, worked as a joiner at the docks.

Each had joined Fianna Éireann at the age of 14.

In the aftermath of the ambush Bishop Edward Daly asked: "Do members of the army here have the right to use more force than appears to be reasonably necessary when a crime is being committed?”

Following the killings William Fleming's funeral from the Waterside joined up with that of Danny Doherty in the largest in Derry City since the death of INLA hunger-striker Patsy O'Hara.

The coffins were draped with Tricolours and four IRA Volunteers in full uniform fired volleys over the coffins.

Over 3,000 people followed the cortege to Derry City Cemetery.

In his oration, Martin McGuinness said: "We are an occupied country and those brave enough to fight repression deserve nothing but respect and unfailing support from us all. Only the IRA can bring Britain to the negotiating table."

Speaking in the British House of Commons SDLP leader John Hume said: “This raises very fundamental questions as to whether the authorities have abandoned the rule of law and whether we are now in a war situation.”

Despite having predeceased his cousin Kieran Fleming’s body was not recovered until December 21, 1984.

His funeral took place on Christmas Eve of that year.

Remembering tragic Derry Cumann na mBan volunteer Margaret (Maggie) McAnaney