PRC-UTE
16th October 2006, 06:49
Fallen Comrades of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement
*******
Ronnie Bunting
Ard-Chomhairle Member - Irish Republican Socialist Party
Staff Officer - Irish National Liberation Army
Assassinated on 15 October 1980
Ronnie Bunting was a staff officer in the INLA and the commander
of its Belfast Brigade, as well as a member of the IRSP's
Ard-Chomhairle (national executive) and a member of the National
H-Block/Armagh Committee, formed to support the struggle of prisoners
of war within British prisons in the North of Ireland.
He grew up in a middle class Protestant family, the son of Major
Ronald Bunting, a retired British Army officer who was an aide to Ian
Paisley. Because of this background, pro-British loyalists considered
him to be a "renegade Protestant."
He began his political activism in the early 1970s while an arts
student at Belfast's Queens University. He was briefly a member of
People's Democracy before joining Official Sinn Fein and the Official
Irish Republican Army.
He was interned without trial in the British government's Long Kesh
prison camp during 1972. He was expelled from OSF and the OIRA
because of his support for Seamus Costello, who was fighting against
reformist tendencies within the Officials. When Costello formed the
IRSP and the INLA in December 1974, Bunting was there with him.
At the age of 32, he was assassinated in his home in the Turf Lodge
area of West Belfast. Although loyalists would later take credit, a
unit of the British Army's Special Air Service was suspected of
carrying out the assassination. Noel Little, a member of the IRSP and
the INLA, was also killed in the attack. Ronnie's wife, Suzanne,
survived being shot in the head. Three previous attempts on Bunting's
life took place between 1975 and 1978.
A memorial to Bunting and Little was unveiled in the Gransha/Turf
Lodge area of West Belfast on 13 October 2002.
*******
Noel Little
Press Relations Officer - Irish Republican Socialist Party
Volunteer - Irish National Liberation Army
Assassinated on 15 October 1980
Noel Little began his political activism in the 1960s as a member of
the Northern Ireland Labour Party, before becoming involved in the
North's civil rights movement and helping to found People's Democracy.
PD's opposition to the armed struggle eventually led Little to leave
and join the Red Republican Party. After discussions with members of
the IRSP in Belfast, he joined the IRSP and the INLA in 1980. He was
also a member of the National H-Block/Armagh Committee.
At the age of 44, he was assassinated along with Ronnie Bunting by
what was suspected to be a unit of the British Army's Special Air
Service, although loyalists would later take credit.
A memorial to Bunting and Little was unveiled in the Gransha/Turf
Lodge area of West Belfast on 13 October 2002.
*******
Tony McClelland
Volunteer - Irish National Liberation Army
Killed in Action on 16 October 1979
Tony McClelland, age 25, was a volunteer in the INLA's Armagh Brigade
when he was killed on active duty when the car he was riding in was
involved in an accident in County Monaghan during a police chase.
*******
They died as they lived: as Republican Socialists. Remember them with
honour and pride.
*******
Ronnie Bunting
Ard-Chomhairle Member - Irish Republican Socialist Party
Staff Officer - Irish National Liberation Army
Assassinated on 15 October 1980
Ronnie Bunting was a staff officer in the INLA and the commander
of its Belfast Brigade, as well as a member of the IRSP's
Ard-Chomhairle (national executive) and a member of the National
H-Block/Armagh Committee, formed to support the struggle of prisoners
of war within British prisons in the North of Ireland.
He grew up in a middle class Protestant family, the son of Major
Ronald Bunting, a retired British Army officer who was an aide to Ian
Paisley. Because of this background, pro-British loyalists considered
him to be a "renegade Protestant."
He began his political activism in the early 1970s while an arts
student at Belfast's Queens University. He was briefly a member of
People's Democracy before joining Official Sinn Fein and the Official
Irish Republican Army.
He was interned without trial in the British government's Long Kesh
prison camp during 1972. He was expelled from OSF and the OIRA
because of his support for Seamus Costello, who was fighting against
reformist tendencies within the Officials. When Costello formed the
IRSP and the INLA in December 1974, Bunting was there with him.
At the age of 32, he was assassinated in his home in the Turf Lodge
area of West Belfast. Although loyalists would later take credit, a
unit of the British Army's Special Air Service was suspected of
carrying out the assassination. Noel Little, a member of the IRSP and
the INLA, was also killed in the attack. Ronnie's wife, Suzanne,
survived being shot in the head. Three previous attempts on Bunting's
life took place between 1975 and 1978.
A memorial to Bunting and Little was unveiled in the Gransha/Turf
Lodge area of West Belfast on 13 October 2002.
*******
Noel Little
Press Relations Officer - Irish Republican Socialist Party
Volunteer - Irish National Liberation Army
Assassinated on 15 October 1980
Noel Little began his political activism in the 1960s as a member of
the Northern Ireland Labour Party, before becoming involved in the
North's civil rights movement and helping to found People's Democracy.
PD's opposition to the armed struggle eventually led Little to leave
and join the Red Republican Party. After discussions with members of
the IRSP in Belfast, he joined the IRSP and the INLA in 1980. He was
also a member of the National H-Block/Armagh Committee.
At the age of 44, he was assassinated along with Ronnie Bunting by
what was suspected to be a unit of the British Army's Special Air
Service, although loyalists would later take credit.
A memorial to Bunting and Little was unveiled in the Gransha/Turf
Lodge area of West Belfast on 13 October 2002.
*******
Tony McClelland
Volunteer - Irish National Liberation Army
Killed in Action on 16 October 1979
Tony McClelland, age 25, was a volunteer in the INLA's Armagh Brigade
when he was killed on active duty when the car he was riding in was
involved in an accident in County Monaghan during a police chase.
*******
They died as they lived: as Republican Socialists. Remember them with
honour and pride.