Miami Showband killings

E18010

The Miami Showband killings were a notorious 1975 sectarian massacre in County Down, Northern Ireland, in which members of a popular showband were ambushed and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries, becoming one of the most infamous atrocities of the Troubles.


Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf event of The Troubles
massacre
terrorist attack
aftermath allegations of collusion between loyalists and security forces
alsoKnownAs Miami Showband massacre
causeOfDeath gunshot wounds
commemoratedBy memorials to the murdered band members
country Northern Ireland
county County Down
date 31 July 1975
disguisedAs British Army checkpoint
hasContext occurred during a period of intense sectarian violence in Northern Ireland
involvedOrganization Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Volunteer Force
involvedWeapon explosives
rifles
submachine guns
jurisdiction United Kingdom
legalOutcome several UVF members convicted of murder
location near Buskhill, County Down
method ambush
shooting
motive loyalist paramilitarism
sectarianism
notableFor being one of the most infamous atrocities of The Troubles
impact on showband culture in Ireland
numberOfDeaths 5
numberOfInjured 2
partOf loyalist campaign during The Troubles
perpetrator Ulster Volunteer Force
surface form: UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade

Ulster Volunteer Force
province Ulster
result increased scrutiny of security force collusion
widespread shock in Ireland and the United Kingdom
subjectOf books on loyalist paramilitaries
documentaries about The Troubles
survivor Des Lee
Stephen Travers
target Catholic members of the Miami Showband
timePeriod The Troubles
usedTactic fake military checkpoint
victim Brian McCoy
Fran O’Toole
Miami Showband
Tony Geraghty
year 1975

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Fran O’Toole causeOfDeath Miami Showband killings
Des Lee notableEvent Miami Showband killings
Miami Showband notableEvent Miami Showband killings
Fran O’Toole significantEvent Miami Showband killings
The Troubles significantEvent Miami Showband killings