Biddy Mulligan's pub bombing
Part of the Troubles
Biddy Mulligan's pub in 2008, some time after closing down
LocationKilburn, London, England
Date20 December 1975 (UTC)
TargetCatholics/Irish republicans
Attack type
Bomb
Deaths0
Injured5[1]
PerpetratorUlster Defence Association (UDA)

The Biddy Mulligan's pub bombing occurred on the night of Saturday 20 December 1975 with the explosion of a 3 to 5 lb bomb at Biddy Mulligan's, an Irish pub on the corner of Kilburn High Road and Willesden Lane in northwest London.[2] The device, left in a holdall, caused five injuries and damaged the premises.

The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) under the cover name Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) claimed responsibility, saying it was targeted because it was frequented by Irish republican sympathisers, with allegedly funds being raised for the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). The attack ignited fears of a loyalist backlash against IRA attacks within England,[3] and it was the first time the UDA struck outside Ireland.[4] Indeed, a supposed Ulster Young Militants (UYM) caller claimed that they were going to "carry the war against the IRA on the mainland."[5] A year earlier the funeral of Michael Gaughan took place in the area, which has a large Irish community, and likely the catalyst of the bombing.[6]

A man and a woman in London, and four men in Glasgow, were arrested in connection with the attack. Samuel Carson and Alexander Brown of Bangor, County Down, and Noel Moore Boyd of Belfast, were jailed for 15, 14 and 12 years respectively at the Old Bailey in October 1976. Archibald McGregor Brown from Cumbernauld, who provided a safe haven in Scotland, received 10 years.[7][8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hughes, Kieran (30 October 2014). Terror Attack Brighton: Blowing up the Iron Lady. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473842359. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ "London pub bombing · British Universities Film & Video Council". Bufvc.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "Evening Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  4. ↑ "Walk Kilburn to Kilburn Park, London: travelgasm.com". travelgasm.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  5. ↑ vvv1688 (19 April 2018). "When the UFF bombed London | It's still only thursday". Itsstillonlythursday.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "The deaths of Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg - An Phoblacht". www.anphoblacht.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  7. ↑ "100 reasons to protest?". sluggerotoole.com. 31 October 2008. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  8. ↑ "Kilburn and Willesden History". kilburnandwillesdenhistory.blogspot.co.uk. 8 August 2015. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.

51°32′30.65″N 0°11′52.96″W / 51.5418472°N 0.1980444°W / 51.5418472; -0.1980444

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