Óglach Teddy O'Neill by Eimhear Ní Ghlacáin
Twenty-three-year-old Teddy O'Neill was on active service on Tuesday 1 July 1980. A statement issued by the IRA's Belfast Brigade after O'Neill's murder read: ``The events leading up to his death are as follows. For some months gangs of organised criminal elements have been terrorising the working people of Belfast. After many appeals from local people to us, we decided to punish a key figure within this group''.
O'Neill was one of two Volunteers who carried out the punishment shooting at around 9pm near the Ballymurphy Tenants Association on the Whiterock Road. As the Volunteers made their getaway they ran from behind a building towards the Whiterock Road. Both men were hooded and had one pistol between them, which was concealed. As they ran towards the road they ran into an RUC patrol which was waiting on the road with guns aimed. The RUC opened fire without warning. The two Volunteers attempted to escape.
One eye-witness, Danny McCormick, said: ``I saw several RUC men firing from behind a Land Rover in the direction of the two men who were running away from them. One of the men fell wounded, although he was still alive. I saw him moving.
Twenty-three-year-old Teddy O'Neill was on active service on Tuesday 1 July 1980. A statement issued by the IRA's Belfast Brigade after O'Neill's murder read: ``The events leading up to his death are as follows. For some months gangs of organised criminal elements have been terrorising the working people of Belfast. After many appeals from local people to us, we decided to punish a key figure within this group''.
O'Neill was one of two Volunteers who carried out the punishment shooting at around 9pm near the Ballymurphy Tenants Association on the Whiterock Road. As the Volunteers made their getaway they ran from behind a building towards the Whiterock Road. Both men were hooded and had one pistol between them, which was concealed. As they ran towards the road they ran into an RUC patrol which was waiting on the road with guns aimed. The RUC opened fire without warning. The two Volunteers attempted to escape.
One eye-witness, Danny McCormick, said: ``I saw several RUC men firing from behind a Land Rover in the direction of the two men who were running away from them. One of the men fell wounded, although he was still alive. I saw him moving.
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