Profiles
Óglach Eugene Toman
30th March 1961-11th November 1982
Eugene Toman from Lurgan, Co Armagh attended the local schools before serving his apprenticeship as a plasterer. Those who knew him say he was a hard worker who would often take on jobs that had him working late into the night. He was an ardent fan of the Furey Brothers and he would travel great distances to see them perform. His favourite song was ‘Willie McBride’ and he wasn’t shy of giving his own rendition of the song.
As a young nationalist growing up in Lurgan, Eugene was acutely conscious of the discrimination and bigotry that existed within the State and was greatly effected by the Hunger Strikes of 1980/1981. Arrested and charged with riotous behaviour he was remanded in custody to Crumlin Road prison.It was during his imprisonment that he decided he could do more than take part in riots and on his release some months later, he volunteered to join the ranks of Óglaigh na hÉireann.An extremely active Volunteer he was forced to go on the run from the British Army and the RUC, staying for a period in the Twenty Six counties before returning to Lurgan.
On the night of 11th November, Eugene was traveling in a car along with his comrades Sean Burns and Gervase McKerr when an undercover unit of the RUC ambushed them.Eugene survived the initial attack but as the car came to a halt and he tried to get out he was shot dead at close range. He was 21 years old at the time.
Óglach Gervase McKerr
6th August 1951-11th November 1982
My father, Gervase McKerr was born in Lurgan in 1951. One of seven children, he had a strong Irish family background and two of his uncles were interned during the 40’s and 50’s campaigns. My parents, who were childhood sweethearts, were both hard workers. On leaving school my father trained to be a monumental sculptor while my mother worked as a stitcher in a local factory.
My mother, Eleanor, told how she and my father attended Civil Rights marches and how during Internment and the Hunger Strike periods, my father, a keen photographer documented the marches and rallies. We have hundreds of family photos though my father was mainly behind the camera. He liked fishing and basketball and supported the County Armagh Gaelic team. A lover of traditional music he attended a number of Fleadh Ceoileanna. He enjoyed travelling, insisting we take an annual family holiday. At one time he’d made plans to emigrate to Canada but as a ‘security risk’ was refused entry. We often wonder how things might have been.
On the 11th November 1982 my father was murdered in an R.U.C. ambush less than a mile from our home. I was eight years old and David was three. That night, during a raid on our home, an R.U.C. woman, who knew my father was lying dead up the road, asked me where my daddy was. The specially trained undercover unit who carried out the killing were ordered to ‘shoot to kill’ my father and his two passengers, Sean Burns and Eugene Toman- the car they were travelling in was hit by 108 bullets. Our mother, who never got over the loss of our father, fought hard to get justice and succeeded in taking the British Government to the European Courts of Human Rights. She was so proud of him and what he stood for. She died on 31st October 1996.
My memories of my father are of a good man who would do anything for anyone. I remember how he and my mother laughed a lot together. I hope they are doing that now.
Jonathan McKerr
Óglach Sean Burns
8th March 1961- 11th November 1982
Óglach Sean Burns, like his lifelong friend and comrade, Eugene Toman, was a native of Lurgan, Co. Armagh. A painter by trade he managed, despite his Republican activities, to remain in steady employment and worked hard at his job.
Like most young men of his generation he enjoyed a healthy social life, when he wasn’t working, and he and Eugene were virtually inseparable.
Influenced by the oppression and discrimination that existed within his community and politicised by the sacrifices of the H-Block Martyrs, Sean, after a short spell on remand in Crumlin Road jail, made the conscious decision to join the ranks of Óglaigh na hÉireann.
A dedicated Volunteer who was always on the lookout for operations, he was almost captured during an operation when the British Army and RUC surrounded the Teghnevan Estate. Forced to go on the run he could not stay away from his native Lurgan, returning home after a short spell in the Twenty Six Counties. He immediately returned to active service.
On the night of 11th November 1982, Sean and his comrade Eugene Toman, both heavily disguised, were traveling in a car with another comrade Gervase McKerr. They had been under heavy surveillance by the RUC and after traveling a short distance to the Tullygally Road they were ambushed. The car was sprayed with bullets, with over a hundred strike marks, all three Volunteers were killed. Sean Burns was 21 years old when he was killed.
Vol Seamus Grew
Died 12th December 1982
Seamus Grew, aged 31, a leader of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, was killed, along with Roddy Carroll, when the car they were driving was fired on by the RUC at Armagh. Both men, who were unarmed, were killed instantly. The RUC had been led to believe by an informer that their real target, Dominic McGlinchey, the INLA's chief of staff, would be in the car as they crossed the border from an INLA meeting in Monaghan in the 26 counties.
Grew had been in shot in the throat and captured in 1979 and sentenced to four years for INLA activities. He was released after serving two years and survived an assassination attempt by Protestant gunmen two months before he was killed.
At the trial, the police officer who killed the two men, Constable John Robinson, was found not guilty, even though he and another RUC officer had fired 19 shots into the car. He claimed they thought they had been shot at, but when it was found out that the two men were unarmed, they later falsely claimed that the two men had crashed through a roadblock and the two police officers were fearful of being run down by the car.
The judge said he was not concerned with an RUC cover-up, only whether Robinson was guilty or not. Not surprisingly, he ruled that Robinson "honestly believed he was fired at and his life was in danger."
Vol Roddy Carroll
Died 12th December 1982
Aged 22, Roddy Carroll from Co Armagh, was killed along with Seamus Grew when theircar was fired on by the Royal Ulster Constabulary at a checkpoint in Armagh City. Both men were unarmed.