George Harrison (Irish republican)

Irish-American gun runner (1915–2004)

George Harrison

Born| (1915-05-02)2 May 1915

Shammer, Kilkelly, County Mayo, Ireland

Died| 6 October 2004(2004-10-06) (aged 89)

Brooklyn, New York City, United States

Nationality| Irish
Occupation| Gun runner
Organization(s)| Provisional IRA
Continuity IRA
Political party| Sinn Féin (until 1986)
Republican Sinn Féin
Military Service
Allegiance|  United States
Service / branch|  US Army
Years of service| April 1944 to February 1946
Rank| Corporal
Battles / wars| World War II

* Pacific Theatre

George Harrison (2 May 1915 – 6 October 2004) was a primary gun runner for the Irish Republican Army and Provisional Irish Republican Army from the 1950s until 1981.

## Background

[edit]

Harrison was born in May 1915 in Shammer, Kilkelly, County Mayo, Ireland to parents Tom ‘Yank’ Harrison and Winnie McDermott. The Shammer Harrison grew up in has been described as fiercely Irish Republican, and it was there that the young Harrison experienced the chaotic years of both the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. In one incident that stayed with him for the rest of his life, he remembered a visit by the Black and Tans to his mother's shop that ended with them assaulting him. During the Civil War a cousin of Harrison, Michael Duffy, was shot while fighting as a part of the Anti-Treaty IRA. Both these incidents contributed to his growing belief in Irish Republicanism.[1]

At age 16 in 1931, Harrison joined what remnants remained of the Irish Republican Army. However, by this point, the IRA was at a low ebb and his unit never saw any actual fighting. By the mid-1930s, he had emigrated to England where he worked as a farm labourer. He briefly returned to Ireland in 1938 before emigrating again, this time to the United States, settling in New York City. Between April 1944 and February 1946, he served with the US Army in World War II in the Pacific Theatre.[2] Following the war, he became active in Irish-American political organisations such as Clan na Gael and the James Connolly Club. It was during this time Harrison became affiliated with Liam Cotter, a fellow Irish immigrant from County Kerry who had also spent time in the IRA.

At some point in the mid-1950s, the IRA approached Cotter and Harrison about supplying them arms for their Border Campaign, a request which the pair accepted, beginning a gun running career which would last for several decades. Harrison was able to source arms for the IRA through George de Meo, an Italian-American neighbour of his who had connections to the Mafia as well as gun runners who were supplying rebels in Cuba.[1]

In 1962, Cotter and Harrison cut their ties with the IRA as it became apparent the Border campaign was a failure. However, after the start of the Troubles, Dáithí Ó Conaill was able to convince them to support the Provisional IRA in 1970; once again, they began supplying arms to the IRA. Almost all smuggled guns went through the network run by Harrison.[3] In 1975, Harrison appeared before a grand jury investigating arms trafficking; however, he was released without charge.[2]

By 1975, the United States Department of Justice started to significantly weaken the Harrison network by prosecuting dozens of IRA arms trafficking cases since the start of the Troubles in 1969, and as early as 1973, the IRA already found more lucrative sources of funding and weapons from foreign states, including Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.[4] The prosecutions of IRA gunrunners in America were so great that according to Belfast author Jack Holland, "Harrison was not aware of any major shipments of arms that had successfully reached the IRA from the U.S. since the late 1970s; that is, before his network's destruction [in 1981]."[5] U.S. House Speaker Tip O'Neill told Northern Ireland Secretary of State Roy Mason in mid-October 1977 that "[t]he flow of guns and money had been greatly reduced."[6]

## 1981 arrest and trial in the US

[edit]

In 1981, Harrison was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force during a sting operation called "Operation Bushmill".[1][7] Harrison, Tom Falvey, Michael Flannery, Pat Mullin, and Danny Gormley, all Irish immigrants, were acquitted in a criminal trial held in New York City, which lasted from December 1980 to June 1981. Their acquittal was widely attributed to the unconventional efforts of Harrison's personal attorney, Frank Durkan; the men admitted to their activities but claimed that they believed the operation had Central Intelligence Agency sanction.[8][9] During the trial, a number of people spoke on the defendants' behalf, including Bernadette Devlin.[1]

## Post-acquittal

[edit]

Although he had spent much of the previous decade involved in this operation, his acquittal marked the end of his active career as an IRA gun-runner as well as the IRA's considerable source of American arms supply (by 1980, the IRA was already importing a large number of weapons from mainland Europe and the Middle East).[10][11] Throughout his life he would devote his time to other various socialist and communist causes, including support for the African National Congress, the Sandinista movement, the Cuban Revolution, the Second Spanish Republic and the Independista (Puerto Rican nationalist) campaign against Puerto Rico's status as an American Commonwealth.[12]

Harrison broke with the Provisional Republican Movement in 1986 when Provisional Sinn Féin dropped the traditional Republican stance of not taking their seats in Dáil Éireann. He joined Republican Sinn Féin and was a founder and activist of the Republican support group Cumann na Saoirse/Irish Freedom Committee in the US. He was a patron of Republican Sinn Féin until he died.[citation needed]

He also took a number of controversial stances within the broader Irish-American community in New York City, including outspoken support for former Mayor David Dinkins, support for the inclusion of LGBT marchers in the New York Saint Patrick's Day Parade[13] and his open defiance of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.[citation needed]

He died at the age of 89 in October 2004 from natural causes at his home in Brooklyn, New York City.[14][better source needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "The rebel with a cause…". Western People. 23 February 2005. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
2. ^ a b "Republican who preferred the gun to politics". Irish Times. 23 October 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
3. ^ Henry McDonald (17 July 2004). "Ex-gunrunner fights ban on rebel Sinn Fein". The Guardian.
4. ^ Abi McGowan (May 2020). Her Majesty's Most Disloyal Opposition: Irish America and the Making of US Policy Toward Northern Ireland (PDF) (Thesis). Ohio State University.
5. ^ Holland, Jack (1 February 2001). The American Connection, Revised: U.S. Guns, Money, and Influence in Northern Ireland. Roberts Rinehart Publishers. p. 111\. ISBN 9-7815-6833-1843.
6. ^ Sanders, Andrew (1 September 2022). The Long Peace Process: The United States of America and Northern Ireland, 1960-2008. Liverpool University Press. pp. 103–104\. ISBN 978-1-8020-7690-5.
7. ^ Holland, Jack (1 February 2001). The American Connection, Revised: U.S. Guns, Money, and Influence in Northern Ireland. Roberts Rinehart Publishers. p. 100\. ISBN 9-7815-6833-1843.
8. ^ Cox, Thomas J. _The Trial of the IRA Five_. Riverside Books, 1992.
9. ^ New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. 22 November 1982.
10. ^ Andrew Sanders and F. Stuart Ross (2020). "The Canadian Dimension to the Northern Ireland Conflict". The Canadian Journal of Irish Studies. 43: 201. JSTOR 27041321.
11. ^ Holland, Jack (1 February 2001). The American Connection, Revised: U.S. Guns, Money, and Influence in Northern Ireland. Roberts Rinehart Publishers. pp. 110–111\. ISBN 9-7815-6833-1843.
12. ^ Bono, Gary (29 October 2004). "George Harrison, Irish American activist, 89". People's World. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
13. ^ Wadler, Joyce (16 March 2000). "Unbowed, and Unashamed of His I.R.A. Role". New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
14. ^ Ancestry: George Harrison LifeStory

## External links

[edit]

* Ex-gunrunner fights ban on rebel Sinn Fein
* George Harrison Papers, Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University Special Collections

* v
* t
* e

Provisional Irish Republican Army

General|

* Anti-Treaty IRA
* Sinn Féin
* Republican News
* An Phoblacht
* The Green Book
* The Troubles (Timeline)
* Haughey arms crisis
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Organisation|

* Chief of Staff
* IRA Army Council
* IRA Northern Command
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* Internal Security Unit
* Active service unit
* Belfast Brigade
* Derry Brigade
* South Armagh Brigade
* East Tyrone Brigade
* Balcombe Street Gang

Actions|

| 1970–1979|

* Battle of St Matthew's
* Falls Curfew
* 1970 Crossmaglen bombing
* Scottish soldiers' killings
* Red Lion bombing
* Balmoral showroom bombing
* Abercorn bombing
* Donegall Street bombing
* Battle at Springmartin
* Battle of Lenadoon
* Bloody Friday
* Claudy bombing
* Newry customs bombing
* Old Bailey bombing
* Honey Trap killings
* King's Cross & Euston bombings
* Coleraine bombings
* 1973 Westminster bombing
* M62 bombing
* Clogher attack
* Houses of Parliament bombing
* Tower of London bombing
* Guildford pub bombings
* Harrow School bombing
* Brooks's Club bombing
* Woolwich pub bombing
* British Airways bombing attempt
* Birmingham pub bombings
* London pillar box bombings
* Talbot Arms bombing
* Bristol bombing
* Telephone exchange bombings
* 1974 Oxford Street bombing
* Carlton Tower & Portman Hotel shootings
* Mountainview attack
* Bayardo Bar attack
* Forkhill attack
* Caterham Arms bombing
* Tullyvallen massacre
* London Hilton bombing
* Piccadilly bombing
* Trattoria Fiore bombing
* Scott's Oyster Bar bombing
* Walton's Restaurant bombing
* Drummuckavall ambush
* Balcombe Street siege
* Kingsmill massacre
* West Ham station attack
* Olympia bombing
* Store bar shooting
* Stag Inn attack
* Garryhinch ambush
* Jonesborough Gazelle downing
* La Mon restaurant bombing
* Crossmaglen ambush
* Warrenpoint ambush
* Brussels bombing
* Dungannon attack

|

1980–1989|

* Dunmurry train bombing
* Lough Foyle attacks
* Glasdrumman ambush
* 1981 Bessbrook attack
* Chelsea Barracks bombing
* Hyde Park & Regent's Park bombings
* Harrods bombing
* Royal Artillery Barracks bombing
* Brighton hotel bombing
* Ballygawley land mine attack
* Newry mortar attack
* Ballygawley attack
* Enniskillen mortar attack
* RUC Birches barracks attack
* Rheindahlen bombing
* Loughgall ambush
* Operation Flavius
* Corporals killings
* Lisburn bombing
* Aughanduff Lynx shootdown
* 1988 Netherlands attacks
* Glamorgan barracks bombing
* Inglis Barracks bombing
* Ballygawley bus bombing
* Jonesborough ambush
* Clive Barracks bombing
* Deal barracks bombing
* Mayobridge attack
* Derryard attack

1990–1991|

* Derrygorry Gazelle downing
* South Armagh sniper
* Downpatrick roadside bomb
* Operation Conservation
* 1990 Wembley bombing
* Carlton Club bombing
* London Stock Exchange bombing
* Honourable Artillery Company bombing
* Lichfield gun attack
* RFA Fort Victoria bombing
* Proxy bombings
* Downing Street mortar attack
* Paddington & Victoria station bombings
* Mullacreevie ambush
* Glenanne barracks bombing
* Coagh ambush
* Musgrave Park Hospital bombing
* Crumlin Road Prison bombing

1992–1997|

* Teebane bombing
* Clonoe ambush
* London Bridge bombing
* Staples Cnr bombing
* Baltic Exchange bombing
* Sussex Arms bombing
* Cloghoge attack
* Coalisland riots
* Forensic Science Laboratory bombing
* Stoke Newington Road bomb
* 1992 Manchester bombing
* Night of the Long Knives
* 1993 Harrods bombing
* Warrington bombings
* Cullaville occupation
* Camden bombing
* Bishopsgate bombing
* Finchley Road bombings
* Battle of Newry Road
* Shankill Road bombing
* 1993 Fivemiletown ambush
* Heathrow attacks
* Crossmaglen Lynx downing
* Drumcree conflict
* Docklands bombing
* Aldwych bus bombing
* 1996 Manchester bombing
* Hammersmith Bridge bombing
* Osnabrück mortar attack
* Thiepval barracks bombing
* Coalisland attack
* 1997 Northern Ireland riots

Personalities
(Volunteers)|

* Paddy Agnew
* Martina Anderson
* Declan Arthurs
* Thomas Begley
* Ivor Bell
* Patricia Black
* Charles Breslin
* Edward Butler
* Paul Butler
* Joe Cahill
* Liam Campbell
* Fergal Caraher
* Malachy Carey
* Owen Carron
* Gerard Casey
* Carál Ní Chuilín
* Gabriel Cleary
* Peter Cleary
* Kevin Coen
* Eamon Collins
* Eddie Copeland
* Marion Coyle
* Gerard Davison
* Matt Devlin
* Hugh Doherty
* Joe Doherty
* Kieran Doherty
* Martin Doherty
* Pat Doherty
* Colin Duffy
* Rose Dugdale
* Dessie Ellis
* Mairéad Farrell
* William Fleming
* Kieran Fleming
* Bernard Fox
* Angelo Fusco
* Michael Gaughan
* John Francis Green
* Dessie Grew
* George Harrison
* Brendan Hughes
* Francis Hughes
* Martin Hurson
* Pearse Jordan
* Brian Keenan
* Gerry Kelly
* John Kelly
* Patrick Joseph Kelly
* Sean Kelly
* Jim Lynagh
* Proinsias Mac Airt
* Breandán Mac Cionnaith
* Antoine Mac Giolla Bhrighde
* Joseph MacManus
* Seán Mac Stíofáin
* Patrick Magee
* Paul Magee
* Donna Maguire
* Larry Marley
* Paul Marlowe
* Leo Martin
* Alex Maskey
* Pearse McAuley
* Daniel McCann
* Fra McCann
* Jennifer McCann
* Raymond McCartney
* Martin McCaughey
* Raymond McCreesh
* Joe McDonnell
* Séamus McElwaine
* Thomas McElwee
* Brendan McFarlane
* Tom McFeely
* Gerry McGeough
* Pat McGeown
* John Joe McGirl
* Martin McGuinness
* Pádraig McKearney
* Tommy McKearney
* Billy McKee
* Kevin McKenna
* Laurence McKeown
* Michael McKevitt
* Thomas McMahon
* Jackie McMullan
* Martin Meehan
* Ian Milne
* Arthur Morgan
* Danny Morrison
* Conor Murphy
* Thomas "Slab" Murphy
* Kieran Nugent
* Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
* Ed O'Brien
* Dáithí Ó Conaill
* Éamonn O'Doherty
* Joe B. O'Hagan
* Siobhán O'Hanlon
* Rita O'Hare
* Diarmuid O'Neill
* Dolours Price
* Marian Price
* Liam Quinn
* Paddy Quinn
* Billy Reid
* Bobby Sands
* Seán Savage
* Pat Sheehan
* Frank Stagg
* Jimmy Steele
* Bobby Storey
* Gerard Tuite
* Seamus Twomey
* Roy Walsh
* Séanna Walsh

Espionage and
Supergrasses|

* Eamon Collins
* Denis Donaldson
* Joseph Fenton
* Kevin Fulton
* Raymond Gilmour
* Martin McGartland
* Sean O'Callaghan
* Freddie Scappaticci (allegedly "Stakeknife")

Associates|

* Cumann na mBan
* Fianna Éireann
* South Armagh Republican Action Force
* Direct Action Against Drugs
* NORAID
* Clan na Gael
* Troops Out Movement

Derivatives|

* Continuity Irish Republican Army
* Real Irish Republican Army

Prominent
killings|

* Jeffery Stanford Agate
* Johnathan Ball
* Anthony Berry
* Robert Bradford
* Joe Bratty
* Matthew Burns
* Martin Cahill
* Eamon Collins
* Raymond Elder
* Gerard Evans
* Christopher Ewart-Biggs
* Joseph Fenton
* Billy Fox
* Maurice Gibson
* Ian Gow
* Heidi Hazell
* Donald Kaberry
* Andrew Kearney
* Baroness Brabourne
* William "Frenchie" Marchant
* Martin McBirney
* Jerry McCabe
* Robert McConnell
* Jean McConville
* Columba McVeigh
* Ross McWhirter
* Stephen Melrose
* Lord Mountbatten
* Lenny Murphy
* Robert Nairac
* Thomas Oliver
* Tim Parry
* Paul Quinn
* Robert Seymour
* Robert McCartney (allegedly)
* Joseph Rafferty (allegedly)
* Ray Smallwoods
* Sammy Smyth
* Nick Spanos
* James Stronge
* Norman Stronge
* Richard Sykes
* Stephen Tibble
* Sammy Ward
* Michael Willetts

* v
* t
* e

Continuity IRA and Republican Sinn Féin

General|

* The Troubles
* 1986 Sinn Féin Ardfheis
* Abstentionism
* Irish republican legitimatism
* Éire Nua
* Saoirse Irish Freedom
* Dissident republican
* Dissident Irish republican campaign
* CIRA actions

Personalities|

* Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
* Dáithí Ó Conaill
* Éamonn O'Doherty
* Billy McKee
* Seán Ó Brádaigh
* George Harrison
* Dan Keating
* Joe Stynes
* Seán Cunningham
* Seán Keenan
* Seosamh Ó Mhaoileoin
* Des Dalton
* Josephine Hayden
* Martin Corey

Associates|

* Cumann na mBan
* Fianna Éireann
* Republican Clan na Gael
* National Irish Freedom Committee
* Cabhair
* National Commemoration Committee

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