40th anniversary of Derry IRA man 'executed' in 'shoot to kill' incident

A commemoration will take place today to mark the death of a Derry IRA man on the 40th anniversary of his killing by a British soldier in a 'shoot-to-kill' incident.

Eamonn 'Bronco' Bradley was walking home when he was shot dead by a member of British Army’s Royal Anglican Regiment.

Accompanied by a friend, the 23-year-old had been playing pool in the Shantallow House on Racecourse Road when he was gunned at the rear of the pub as he made his way to his home in Carnhill on the afternoon of August 25, 1982.

The killing was one of a number in the city attributed to the British Army’s shoot-to-kill policy of deliberate assassination of prominent republicans during the 'Troubles.'

Eye-witnesses at the time said he had been killed 'execution-style,' describing how he was shot in the back of the head as he lay bleeding from another wound.

His friend, who had been with him when the shooting occurred, described the actions of the Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers that day as 'cold blooded murder.

He told how the pair had just left the pub to go home for their 'tea' when a soldier grabbed him and told him to stay where he was while another soldier immediately fired a shot, hitting Bronco.

He said he was pushed over a car bonnet before hearing a further two shots in space of between five and ten seconds.

Speaking previously, Bronco's sister Catherine said: “We knew at the time that it was shoot to kill, it was obvious.

The commemoration markng the 40th anniversary of the killling will take place at the Shantallow republican monument on Racecourse Road.

“At the time, Raymond Gilmour was working as an informer and a lot of things were going on. A lot of people in the area were being lifted before my brother was shot dead. People later believed that Raymond Gilmour had something to do with it.”

Gilmour, a so-called ‘supergrass’ was pulled out of Derry by his RUC Special Branch handlers that month fearing the IRA were about to catch him out.

Two weeks before the shooting, two friends of ‘Bronco’ had been detained at Castlereagh holding centre for six days.

At the time of the shooting they claimed that their police interrogators had shown a particular interest in him.

It is understooned the men were told that the authorities 'were no longer interested in 'Bronco' and that he was to be shot.'

The killing drew widespread condemnation from the nationalist community with the then Mayor of Derry, SDLP Councillor William O’Connell, describing it as “cold blooded and brutal”.

“No matter what Mr Bradley’s political affiliations were, his death was nothing less than first degree murder and I expect the soldier involved to be so charged.”

No soldier has ever been brought to book for the killing.

'Bronco' became involved in republicanism at a young age and at 16 he was officer commanding (OC) of Na Fianna Éireann (IRA youth wing) in the Shantallow area and soon became the second-in-command.

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At 17, he moved from the Fianna to the IRA and was known as a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer.

His activities soon brought him to the attention of the security forces and on April 1, 1976 he was detained and was eventually sent to Long Kesh.

A memorial plaque on the gable wall of a house in Carnhill close to where 'Bronco' Bradley was shot.

He spent five years in the H-Blocks, four of them on the blanket protest. He was released in 1981 and immediately reported back to active service with the IRA.

Tonight's commemoration will take place at the Shantallow republican monument on Racecourse Road following a minute's silemce at 6.45pm next to a memorial plaque on a Carnhill house gable wall close to where the fatal incident took place (rear ofRacecouse Road shops).