Gino Gallagher

Gino Gallagher (c. 1963 – 30 January 1996) was an Irish republican who was Chief of Staff of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).

INLA

In August 1983, Gallagher and Paul "Bonanza" McCann were arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shortly after collecting four sticks of gelignite.<ref name=":0" />

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

When Hugh Torney was captured in April 1995, he announced a cessation of all armed activity.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> Torney was then ousted from leadership and expelled, with Gallagher succeeding him as chief of staff.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":2" /> 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.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>

Gallagher became more openly critical of the peace process and its role in the armed struggle,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":3" /> with rumours of the Provisional IRA threatening Gallagher.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref>

Murder

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":1" />

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Further reading

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

External links

• Digital archive for Gino Gallagher
• Hume raises Irish peace hopes The Independent, 31 January 1996
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