Daniel McCann
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Daniel "Danny" McCann (Irish Dónall Mac Cana) (born 30 November 1957–6 March 1988) was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who was killed by British Army Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers in Operation Flavius.
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[edit] Background
McCann was born into a Republican family from the Clonard area of West Belfast. He was educated at primary level at St. Gall's Primary School, Belfast and at secondary level at St. Mary's Grammar School on Belfast's Glen Road. McCann did not finish his education as he was arrested after becoming involved in rioting and was charged and convicted of "riotous behaviour" and sentenced to six months in prison. Later that year McCann joined the IRA.[1] He also convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for the possession of explosives[2]
[edit] Gibraltar
[edit] Active service
In 1987 Sean Savage and Daniel McCann assassinated two Special Branch officers in Belfast docks. [3] In 1988 along with Mairead Farrell they were sent to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar to plant a bomb in the town area targeting the British military band which paraded weekly in connection with the changing of the guard in front of the Governors residence (see Operation Flavius).
McCann was shot dead, along with Savage and Farrell, by the SAS whilst walking unarmed towards the frontier with Spain, at the Winston Churchill Avenue Shell filling station. Several witnesses to the shooting allege that Farrell and McCann were shot both while attempting to surrender and while lying wounded on the ground.[4]
No radio or other detonating device were found on the bodies, nor was there any bomb in the car in Gibraltar which had been identified as belonging to the bombing team.[5] A car used by the bombers was found two days after the killings containing 140 lb (64 kg) of Semtex with a device timed to go off during the changing of the guard.[6]
A controversial British television documentary, Death on the Rock, was produced about the events surrounding McCann's death.[7]
[edit] Funeral
At the funeral of the 'Gibraltar Three', three mourners (including one IRA member) were killed in a gun and grenade attack by loyalist Michael Stone in what became known as the "Milltown Massacre".
[edit] See also
- Mairéad Farrell
- Sean Savage
- Death on the Rock - documentary about the shootings.
[edit] References
- ^ Tírghrá, National Commemoration Centre, 2002. PB) ISBN 0-9542946-0-2 p.301
- ^ Section 23b of the ECHR judgement
- ^ Blood & Rage - A Cultural History of Terrorism, Michael Burleigh, 2008, P332, ISBN 978-0-00-724127-9
- ^ ECHR Ruling on the killings
- ^ Para 93 and 96 of the ECHR Ruling
- ^ 1988: IRA gang shot dead in Gibraltar BBC website
- ^ [1]).
[edit] References
- Gerry Adams, Hope and History: Making Peace in Ireland, Brandon Books, 2003. ISBN 0863223303
