Cullyhanna Shooting: Death of Fergal Caraher
Confidential note from the Northern Ireland Office, Security Policy and Operations Division 1, 4 November 1993. Signed Simon Rogers. File reference PRONI CENT/1/22/11A.
The note summarises the trial of Acting Corporal Elkington and Marine Callaghan of 45 Commando Royal Marines, charged following the death of Fergal Caraher on 30 December 1990, and sets out the Government’s line to take while the trial is ongoing.
The four page images of the original document appear below. Each opens full-size in a new tab. A cleaned summary of the recoverable text follows.
Cleaned summary
From Simon Rogers, Security Policy and Operations Division 1, 4 November 1993. Marked Confidential. Copied to the Private Secretaries of the Secretary of State and the Permanent Under-Secretary, and to a list of officials including Mr Fell, Mr Thomas, Mr Bell, Mr Steels, Mr Watkins, Mr Williams, Mr Maccabe, Mr Leach, Mr Cooke, Mr Marsh, Mr Maitland, Mr McCaffrey and Mr Kyle.
The trial of Acting Corporal Elkington and Marine Callaghan of 45 Commando Royal Marines, who were charged following the death of Fergal Caraher on 30 December 1990, is under way. The Marines claimed that they moved forward from a second checkpoint to investigate the vehicle, when the car set off at speed, striking one Marine a glancing blow and forcing a second Marine onto the bonnet, where he was carried along for about ten metres. As the car continued to drive on, two members of the patrol opened fire. They fired about twenty shots, one of which killed Fergal Caraher, while Michael Caraher was seriously injured.
The other version of events, put forward by Michael Caraher and the unofficial “public inquiry” into the incident, is that Fergal Caraher was parked in the Lite’n’Easy pub car park. His brother Michael went to join Fergal Caraher who was speaking to…
The note records that there will inevitably be significant media and public interest in this case. The line is that the trial is ongoing and that the matter is sub judice; the Government is therefore unable to comment. The Government and HQNI will, however, be expected to comment once a verdict is reached, and lines to take for use then will be circulated shortly.
The note also refers to the Glen Road “joyriders” and notes that evidence was given on behalf of James Smyth in extradition proceedings in San Francisco.
Signed Simon Rogers, SHA Ext 27032. File reference LMcI//SPOBGEN1/2407. Source: PRONI CENT/1/22/11A, hosted at CAIN. The page images above are the archival record; the summary is a cleaned reading of the recoverable text.