The victims of the Claudy bombing

  • Published

A report by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman has found that a Catholic priest is suspected to have been involved in an IRA bombing in Claudy, County Londonderry in 1972.

The report published on Tuesday focuses on how Church and State colluded to protect him from investigation.

The bomb killed nine people.

Elizabeth McElhinney

Elizabeth was serving petrol at a pump outside McElhinney's pub on Main Street when the first car bomb exploded nearby.

The 59-year-old nurse was killed instantly.

Joseph McCloskey

Image source, (C) British Broadcasting Corporation

Joseph, 39, was also killed instantly in the first explosion.

A father of seven, he had taken his four-year-old son into the village to buy a newspaper.

His son survived the explosion.

Kathryn Eakin

Image source, (C) British Broadcasting Corporation

Eight-year-old Kathryn was cleaning the windows of her family's shop when the first bomb went off. She died instantly.

Her mother, Merle, saw a bomber leave what would be the second bomb beside their shop, not knowing what horror it would bring to her family.

"When he stepped out of that car, he saw Kathryn standing at that window," she said.

"He should have shouted at her. But he didn't, he just walked away."

Rose McLaughlin

Image source, (C) British Broadcasting Corporation

Rose was injured in the first explosion. The 52-year-old mother of eight died three days later on 3 August.

She owned a shop on Main Street and was hit by shrapnel while talking to a customer.

Patrick Connolly

Fifteen-year-old Patrick, who was in Rose McLaughlin's shop, was injured by flying metal from the first explosion.

He was flown to Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, but died eight days later on 8 August.

Arthur Hone

Image source, (C) British Broadcasting Corporation

Arthur was the final person to die as a result of the first bomb. The 38-year-old father of two died from his injuries on 13 August.

A keen musician who worked in Londonderry, he had stayed at home that day.

He was hit by shrapnel as he stood in Elizabeth McElhinney's shop.

David Miller

Image source, (C) British Broadcasting Corporation

David died when the third bomb outside the Beaufort Hotel exploded. He was 60-years-old.

He had helped the injured after the first explosion, but when the second device was discovered by police he, along with many others, was directed into the path of the third explosion.

James McClelland

Sixty-five-year-old James was also instantly killed as the third bomb exploded. He too had been helping the injured after the first explosion.

William Temple

Image source, (C) British Broadcasting Corporation

William, 16, had travelled to Claudy from Donemana in County Tyrone. He was a milkman's helper and his round included the village.

He had been injured by the first explosion, but was killed instantly in the third.