Fighting For The Cause

Daniel Bradley reflects on the British Army killing of two Derry IRA volunteers during the 1981 hunger strikes, one of whom he knew quite well. Daniel Bradley is a Derry justice campaigner.

Charles Maguire and George McBrearty.
Charles Maguire (21) and George McBrearty (24), both members of the IRA, were shot dead as they approached a car on the Lone Moor Road in Derry.
The car contained undercover members of the British Army

A young man who believed in the cause and paid the ultimate price, I knew George McBrearty very well. His dedication to the cause from a very young age was very sincere, not so with his commanding officer Martin McGuinness.

As his anniversary has just passed it is right and fitting that he gets honoured for his bravery. At the young age of 24 his life was taken. I believe the reason for that was that he was a soldier that would have gone against the false process which was controlled by the British government and still is.

I didn't really know Charles Maguire but again he had the same belief and courage as George. On the day that they were killed, both men knew that their lives were in danger, but because of their beliefs they went forward with their actions.

I would like to share this story. George McBrearty never had any fear of the British troops.

George McBrearty

The picture above shows him on the morning of Operation Motorman as a young man of 16 who would have been known by British intelligence. On that morning, 31st July, he defied them and walked straight past them cool and calm. So at this time I would like to thank George's mother and his brother Danny for taking time out and bringing an invitation to his anniversary commemoration to my home address. It was an honour to attend.