Write a commentSaturday marks the 30th anniversary of the IRA mortar attack on Corry Square police Station in Catherine Street in Newry.
On Thursday the 28th of February 1985 around 6.30pm nine RUC officers died and many more were injured when a mortar landed on a Portakabin being used as a temporary canteen in the station at the time. Other mortars overshot the station and caused extensive damage to surrounding streets.
Those who died were Res Constable Geoffrey Campbell, 24; Chief Inspector Alexander Donaldson, 41; Detective Sgt John Dowd, 31; Detective Constable Ivy Kelly, 29; Res Constable Rosemary McGookin, 27; Res Constable Paul McFerran, 33; Res Constable Sean McHenry, 19; Res Constable Denis Price, 22 and Constable David Topping, 22.
It was the highest RUC death toll in the history of the troubles and led to greatly increased reinforcing and fortification of stations in Newry and elsewhere.
Today a visitor would be hard pressed to see that the station ever existed or know its history, with the station replaced by the grassy McClelland Park and a city Car Park.
