Film marks 50 years since Brougher Mountain bomb attack

A SPECIAL film has been made in tribute to five men who were killed in an IRA bomb attack on Brougher Mountain near Trillick 50 years ago this week.

John Eakins (52), a married father of seven, Harry Edgar (26), George Beck (43), a married father of two, and BBC Engineers, William Thomas  (35), a married father of two and David Henson (24), died in the blast.

It happened on February 9, 1971, when the men were travelling by Land Rover to repair the BBC Transmitter at the top of the mountain. A bomb, believed to have been intended for the British Army, was detonated when the vehicle passed over a trip wire. The explosion left a five foot crater.

The tribute film is available to view on the Facebook page of victims’ organisation, SEFF (South East Fermanagh Foundation).

There are also plans to unveil a granite monument commemorating the men on the mountain later this year.

Kenny Donaldson, SEFF’s director of services, said it’s important to mark the anniversary and acknowledged the “horrific loss” felt by the mens’ families.

“Five hard working men, the majority of whom had their own families, perished at the hands of the actions of Provisional IRA terrorists that fateful day. There is no formal recognition of the tragedy at the site, no memorial or plaque was ever placed there,” he said.

“Now, 50 years later, we have secured the consent and wishes of the families that a granite plaque marking the atrocity be placed at the site and we are indebted to the landowner and also Arqiva who now manage the transmitter at Brougher Mountain for working positively with us in facilitating the placement of the plaque.”

Saturday, October 2 has been set as the date for the dedication of the plaque.