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Daniel "Danny" McCann (also known as Dan McCann) ((Irish Dónall Mac Cana), (b. Belfast, 30 November, 1957 – - d. 6 March 1988, Gibraltar), was was a member (volunteer) of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who was killed by members of the British SAS in Operation Flavius.

Background

McCann was born into a well respected Republican family from the Clonard area of West Belfast. McCann was educated at primary level at St. Gall's Primary School, Belfast and at secondary level at St. Mary's, Grammar School on Belfast's Glen Road. McCann did not finish his education as he was arrested whilst defending his community and was charged and convicted of "riotous behaviour" and sentanced to six months in jail. Later that year McCann volunteered for the Provisional IRA.

Active Service

In 1988 McCann, along with Mairead Farrell and Sean Savage were sent to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar to plant a bomb in the town area targeting the British military band which paraded weekly in connection with the changing of the guard in front of the Governors residence (see Operation Flavius).

McCann was shot dead, along with Savage and Farrell, by the SAS whilst walking unarmed towards the frontier with Spain, at the Winston Churchill Avenue Shell filling station. Several witnesses to the shooting allege that Farrell and McCann were shot both while attempting to surrender and while lying wounded on the ground.

No radio or other detonating device were found on the bodies, nor was there any bomb in the car in Gibraltar which had been identified as belonging to the bombing team. A car used by the bombers was found two days after the killings containing 140lb of Semtex with a device timed to go off during the changing of the guard.

The New York Times (13 June 1989) stated: Events leading up to the Gibraltar killings are depicted in a reconstruction made for a British television documentary, Death on the Rock.

Funeral

At the funeral of the 'Gibraltar Three', three mourners (including one PIRA volunteer) were killed in a gun and grenade attack by loyalist Michael Stone in what became known as the "Milltown Massacre".

See also

• Mairead Farrell
• Death on the Rock-Misplaced Pages Article describing a documentary about the shootings.

References

1. Tírghrá, National Commemoration Centre, 2002. PB) ISBN 0-9542946-0-2 p.301
2. ECHR Ruling on the killings
3. Para 93 and 96 of the ECHR Ruling
4. IRA gang shot dead in GibraltarBBC website
5. ). The documentary reportedly concluded that there was evidence of "disinformation"

References

• Gerry Adams, Hope and History: Making Peace in Ireland, Brandon Books, 2003. ISBN 0863223303

Links

• http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/D/htmlD/deathonthe/deathonthe.htm
• http://www.rcgfrfi.easynet.co.uk/larkin_pubs/older/motr/motr_all.htm

• 1988 deaths
• Northern Irish Roman Catholics
• People convicted on terrorism charges
• People from Belfast
• People killed by security forces
• Provisional Irish Republican Army members