Mcguinness death revives memory of barracks atrocity

The death of former IRA leader turned peacemaker Martin Mcguinness has awakened strong feelings “that never diminish” among ex- Royal Marines.

The politician’s death on Monday, aged 66, has forced bereaved families and injured musicians to recall the shocking Deal Bombing atrocity at 8.22am on September 22, 1989, which killed 11 bandsmen.

On Tuesday the national reaction was polarised.

While some feel Mr Mcguinness’s involvement in bringing peace to Ireland in later years wiped the blood from his hands, others, including Deal mayor of the day Marianne Mcnicolas, questioned whether it would ever atone for the horror the IRA inflicted on our nation.

Chairman of The Deal Memorial Bandstand Trust and retired Royal Marines Major John Perkins said: “The IRA bombing of The Staff Band of Royal Marines in Deal in September 1989 was not a spur of the moment act.

“It was planned, using intelligence and surveillance over time, and sanctioned at the highest level of the IRA.

“This cowardly attack, against such a soft target as a music school, left 11 young musicians dead and many more severely injured.

“It also wrecked the lives of families and forever changed the lives of many others who still suffer from their experiences 28 years later.

“No one was ever brought to book for these murders and those who played a part in this atrocity will have to take their guilt to the grave with them. Shame on them.”

Maj Perkins was one of the directors of music at the Deal barracks at the time of the bombing. He knew each of the 11 bandsmen and all of those injured.

In the immediate aftermath he was involved in fundraising for the bereaved families and has since, along with the Deal Memorial Bandstand Trust committee members, secured the funding for the Deal Memorial Bandstand, which with it’s 11 sides, pays tribute to each of the 11 murdered musicians in weekly summer concerts including the spectacular Marines on the Green concert every July.

Former mayor of Deal Marianne Mcnicholas had been entertained with her husband Patrick and other dignitaries at the officer’s mess the night before the terrorist attack.

As soon as she heard of the bombing, she went straight to the barracks to see what she could do to help. Overnight she was thrust into the international spotlight and continued to help families and Marines, many of whom became lifelong friends.

She said: “I feel very sad for the families. I feel bad that it must have been brought back into their thoughts today.

“I do know what the feeling was at the time. It doesn’t diminish.

“The fact that the IRA was always there in the background, I can never forget that Martin Mcguinness was part of the IRA. I do agree he worked for the peace process in the later years, I don’t know that atones for the terrible things that happened.”

Mrs Mcnicholas stayed in touch with those friends she made after the bombing and even for those who have moved away.

“They still speak on the anniversary each year and some come to visit.”

Picture: Basil Kidd Marianne Mcnicholas stands beside Sir Martin Garrod, on the 10th anniversary of the bombing; Margaret Thatcher, accompanied by Commandant General Sir Martin Garrod, who died in 2009, takes in the floral tributes laid at the south barracks gate in 1989 after the bombing at the School of Music

Martin Mcguinness was a commander in the IRA whose terrorists bombed the Royal Marines School of Music Building on September 22, 1989

Marianne Mcnicholas, who was mayor at the time