Kevin McKenna (Irish republican)
Kevin McKenna | |
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Born | near Chief of Staff | 25 June 1945
Conflict | The Troubles |
Kevin McKenna (
Background
From Brantry, near Dungannon, County Tyrone, McKenna was born on 25 June 1945.[3] From the mid-1970s, he lived in Smithborough, County Monaghan.[4]
McKenna joined the IRA in the mid-1960s before he emigrated to Canada. After internment was introduced in Northern Ireland, McKenna returned to Ireland and again became involved in IRA forming a new active service unit (ASU) based in the Eglish and Aughnacloy areas. When McKenna returned from Canada, he had enough money to purchase a car, and this mobility, allied with the fact that he was single and committed, aided him in rising quickly through the ranks of his local IRA unit.[citation needed]
Following the departure of Brendan Hughes, no relation to the Belfast figure of the same name, McKenna became the commander of the Tyrone Brigade in 1972.[5]
Tenure as Chief of Staff
In September 1983, Beano Lean, the adjutant of the Belfast Brigade, became the latest in a string of informers against the IRA. Although Lean later withdrew his statement, it did cause the then chief of staff
Tension with East Tyrone ASU
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2016) |
From early in McKenna's tenure as CoS, there were growing tensions between the
References
- ^ McDonald, Henry (29 September 2002). ""True tale of IRA 'martyrs' revealed"". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2007.
- ^ "Allegations of IRA killer will be heard in Omagh trial". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 3 December 2008. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ Young, Connla (27 June 2019). "One of the IRA's most influential leaders during the Troubles has died". The Irish News. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ISBN 0-71-399665-Xp.385
- ISBN 0-71-399665-Xp.243
- ISBN 0-71-399665-X(hb), pg. 559