21 years ago today, an IRA bomb in the red car killed 29 people in Northern Ireland. This photograph was taken moments before detonation. The man and child in the picture survived, the photographer did not.
This photo is absolutely heartbreaking and captures everything wrong with the Troubles. 18 Catholics and 11 Protestants were killed. as noted by u/BitterProgress The Real IRA (a PIRA splinter group that opposed the GFA) carried out the attack, however claimed it did not want any civilian casualties and disarmed soon after. I don't think anyone was ever prosecuted for the bombing.
When I lived in Dublin I did a weekend trip up to Northern Ireland, visiting Belfast and Derry. It was so striking to me how much the division feels so present, even all these years later.
A few years before this there was a similar Saturday morning in my hometown 40 miles away - the only difference was the bomb warning was accurate and the police were able to move us all away in time. I was just a kid, doing the normal Saturday visit to the shops with my mum. I still get terrified thinking about it. I remember I was shaking all day afterwards, it was so loud and there was the biggest, blackest smoke cloud I have ever seen.
yama_arashii on August 15th, 2019 at 12:18 UTC »
Wiki Link for anyone wanting extra info
This photo is absolutely heartbreaking and captures everything wrong with the Troubles. 18 Catholics and 11 Protestants were killed. as noted by u/BitterProgress The Real IRA (a PIRA splinter group that opposed the GFA) carried out the attack, however claimed it did not want any civilian casualties and disarmed soon after. I don't think anyone was ever prosecuted for the bombing.
rp_361 on August 15th, 2019 at 14:56 UTC »
When I lived in Dublin I did a weekend trip up to Northern Ireland, visiting Belfast and Derry. It was so striking to me how much the division feels so present, even all these years later.
ohstardustgirl on August 15th, 2019 at 15:35 UTC »
A few years before this there was a similar Saturday morning in my hometown 40 miles away - the only difference was the bomb warning was accurate and the police were able to move us all away in time. I was just a kid, doing the normal Saturday visit to the shops with my mum. I still get terrified thinking about it. I remember I was shaking all day afterwards, it was so loud and there was the biggest, blackest smoke cloud I have ever seen.