Gino Gallagher

In August 1983, Gallagher and Paul "Bonanza" McCann were arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shortly after collecting four sticks of gelignite.

Gallagher was a central figure within the INLA's Belfast Brigade by 1994. On 9 July 1994, Gallagher acted as a scout during the INLA's killing of the UVF's Trevor King.{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Henry |title=INLA: Deadly Divisions |last2=Holland |first2=Jack |publisher=Poolbeg |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84223-438-9 |pages=442-443 |quote=}}

When Hugh Torney was captured in April 1995, he announced a cessation of all armed activity.{{Cite report |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7caf1840f0b65b3de0a869/0431.pdf |title=The Billy Wright Inquiry |last=Lord Maclean |author-link=Sir Lachlan Maclean, 12th Baronet |date=14 September 2010 |publisher=The Stationery Office |page=47 |isbn=9780102969108 |access-date=25 December 2024}} Torney was then ousted from leadership and expelled, with Gallagher succeeding him as chief of staff.{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Henry |title=INLA: Deadly Divisions |last2=Holland |first2=Jack |publisher=Poolbeg |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84223-438-9 |pages=448-449}} Torney was later expelled from the organisation. In June 1995, Gallagher, acting as spokesman for the IRSP, met the Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Michael Ancram which resulted in a controversial handshake in the media.{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Henry |title=INLA: Deadly Divisions |last2=Holland |first2=Jack |publisher=Poolbeg |year=2010 |isbn=9781842234389 |page=450}}{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Colin |last2=McKittrick |first2=David |date=31 January 1996 |title=Hume raises Irish peace hopes |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/hume-raises-irish-peace-hopes-1326623.html |access-date=25 December 2024 |work=The Independent}}

Gallagher became more openly critical of the peace process and its role in the armed struggle,{{Cite news |last=McGahan |first=Claire |title=Terror chief with little faith in the ceasefires |url=https://ginogallagher.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/terror-chief-with-little-faith-in-the-ceasefires-belfast-telegraph-tuesday-january-30-1996.png |work=Belfast Telegraph |publication-date=30 January 1996}} with rumours of the Provisional IRA threatening Gallagher.{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Henry |title=INLA: Deadly Divisions |last2=Holland |first2=Jack |publisher=Poolbeg |page=452 |year=2010 |isbn=9781842234389}}

On the morning of 30 January 1996 Gallagher attended a social security office on the Falls Road where he signed on every two weeks. As he stood at the counter he was shot four times in the back of the head by a gunman and died instantly.{{Cite news |last=Breen |first=Suzanne |author-link=Suzanne Breen |date=3 February 1996 |title=Gallagher murder 'an unbelievably clean killing' |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/gallagher-murder-an-unbelievably-clean-killing-1.27900 |access-date=25 December 2024 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}

Gallagher's killing followed internal disagreements over the future of the republican socialist movement. The opposing "INLA-GHQ" faction, led by Hugh Torney, disbanded on 9 September of the same year following Torney's killing.{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Henry |title=INLA: Deadly Divisions |last2=Holland |first2=Jack |publisher=Poolbeg |page=459 |year=2010 |isbn=9781842234389}}

In March 1996, John Fennell, a founding member of the INLA who had joined the INLA-GHQ faction, was beaten to death and tortured in retaliation at a caravan park in Bundoran, County Donegal.{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Henry |title=INLA: Deadly Divisions |last2=Holland |first2=Jack |publisher=Poolbeg |year=2010 |page=453 |isbn=9781842234389}}{{Cite news |last=Preston |first=Allan |date=3 January 2024 |title=‘Whether or not I condemn him is completely irrelevant’ - Partner and son of murdered INLA man on why they should not be excluded from Troubles payment |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/whether-or-not-i-condemn-him-is-completely-irrelevant-partner-and-son-of-murdered-inla-man-on-why-they-should-not-be-excluded-from-troubles-payment-YDNUL3R2EJALHLD67XJPBIEGYQ/ |access-date=25 December 2024 |work=The Irish News}}{{Cite news |last=Moriarty |first=Gerry |date=11 March 1996 |title=Man faces charges of killing INLA leader |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-faces-charges-of-killing-inla-leader-1.34091 |access-date=25 December 2024 |work=The Irish Times}}

Kevin McAlorum, who was paid to kill Gallagher by Torney's faction, was himself murdered in 2004, although this was not linked to any political dispute.{{cite news |date=4 June 2004 |title=Motive sought for school murder |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3774735.stm |access-date=12 March 2007 |work=BBC News}}{{cite news |author=McKittrick |first=David |author-link=David McKittrick |date=4 June 2004 |title=Republican shot dead in front of pupils |url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/ulster/article41326.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717102541/http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/ulster/article41326.ece |archive-date=17 July 2007 |access-date=12 March 2007 |work=The Independent}}

{{Reflist}}

• McDonald, Henry; Holland, Jack (2010). INLA: Deadly Divisions, Poolbeg. pp.441-455. {{ISBN|9781842234389}}

• [https://ginogallagher.org/ Digital archive for Gino Gallagher]
• [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/hume-raises-irish-peace-hopes-1326623.html Hume raises Irish peace hopes] The Independent, 31 January 1996
• {{cite web|url=http://irsn.weebly.com/remembered-always-with-honour-and-pride-gino-gallagher.html|title=Remembered Always With Honour and Pride: Gino Gallagher|date=30 January 2013|publisher=International Republican Socialist Network|author=Peter Urban}}

{{INLA/IRSP}}

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Category:1963 births

Category:1996 deaths

Category:Deaths by firearm in Northern Ireland

Category:Irish National Liberation Army members

Category:Irish republicans

Category:People killed during The Troubles (Northern Ireland)

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