List of massacres in Ireland


This is a list of incidents that happened on the island of Ireland and are commonly called massacres. All those that took place during the late 20th century were part of the Troubles.
DateNameLocationDeathsInjuriesNotes
Simmonscourt Castle massacreSimmonscourt Castle~600A massacre by Vikings; bodies unearthed in 1879 from a mound and reburied in Donnybrook Cemetery. The mound was on the site of modern Ailesbury Road, east of the River Dodder.
928Dunmore Cave massacre
Dunmore Cave, County Kilkenny~1,000A massacre by Vikings, led by Godfrey of the Uí Ímair; recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters. A large quantity of human bones was found in the cave in 1869.
9 June 1329Braganstown massacreBranganstown, County Louth~160John de Bermingham and around 160 of his followers were massacred by a mob of angry tenants, over the treatment of the tenants by de Bermingham's soldiers.
1569Massacre of the Irish in north KerryNorth KerrySeveral hundredIn November 1569, Humphrey Gilbert campaigned in north Kerry and in the rebel fastness of Connellough woods. His soldiers routinely killed all men, women and children in their path, as well as any livestock they encountered in order to deprive the rebels of sustenance.
1574, NovemberClandeboye massacreBelfast200A massacre of The O'Neills of Lower Clandeboye by the English Forces of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex.
1575Rathlin Island massacreRathlin Island600+A massacre of MacDonnell clansmen both Irish and Scottish by English forces.
1578Massacre of MullaghmastMullaghmast, County Kildare100+The Irish chieftains of Laois and their families were summoned to a meeting with Tudor officials and massacred.
1579, 13 NovemberSack of YoughalYoughal, County CorkSeveral hundredYoughal was an important stronghold for the English in southern Munster. During the Desmond rebellions it was sacked by the forces Gerald, 15th Earl of Desmond who massacred the English garrison, hanged the English officials and looted and abused the townspeople.
10 October 1580Siege of Smerwick (Dún an Óir)Ard na Caithne, County Kerry600+During the Second Desmond Rebellion, English Naval personnel under the command of Lord Deputy Arthur Grey slaughtered 300–700 Papal mercenaries from Spain and Italy after they had surrendered.
June 1602Dursey MassacreDursey Island, off the Beara Peninsula~300A group of Irish soldiers and civilians taking shelter on the island during the Siege of Dunboy were attacked by English forces, and massacred despite being promised quarter.
1641Ulster massacresUlster, Ireland4,000–12,000The Ulster Massacres were a series of massacres and resulting deaths amongst the ~4,000–12,000 Protestant settlers which took place in 1641 during the Irish Rebellion.
November 1641Portadown massacrePortadown100+O'Neill clansmen massacred as many as 100 English and Scottish Protestant planters, including women, children, and other noncombatants. The massacre took place on the banks of the River Bann.
June 1642Baldongan massacreBaldongan Castle, near Skerries, County Dublin200–250Part of the Irish Confederate Wars. After the castle was taken by Parliamentary forces, the entire garrison of Confederate forces was put to the sword.
August 1642Second Rathlin Island MassacreRathlin Island100-3,000Covenanter Campbell soldiers of the Argyll's Foot were encouraged by their commanding officer Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck to kill the local Catholic MacDonalds, near relatives of their arch clan enemy in the Scottish Highlands Clan MacDonald. They threw scores of MacDonald women over cliffs to their deaths on rocks below.
15 September 1647Sack of CashelRock of Cashelalmost 1,000A massacre of English Royalists, plus MacCarthy and O'Brien clansmen, during the Irish Confederate Wars.
11 September 1649Siege of DroghedaDrogheda, County Louth3,552–6,400A massacre committed by the New Model Army and its commander Oliver Cromwell during the Eleven Years War; also called "the Drogheda Massacre." Drogheda had been defended by a garrison of English and Irish Royalists, many of whom belonged to the Anglican Communion. When the city fell, Cromwell's Army, which was enraged by events like the Portadown massacre, made no distinction between captured soldiers and civilian noncombatants and razed even the churches where civilians took shelter. In a subsequent report to Parliament, Cromwell called the massacre "the vengeance of God against these barbarous wretches."
11 October 1649Sack of WexfordWexford, County Wexford3,500Following a siege by Cromwell's New Model, Parliamentary troops broke into Wexford after negotiations with the commander of the garrison, David Sinnot, broke down – massacring soldiers and civilians alike. Much of the town was burned and the harbour was destroyed.
February 1650Donore Castle massacreDonore Castle, County Meath50During the Cromwellian wars, the MacGeoghegan took refuge in Donore Castle. It was captured by Sir John Reynolds who put most of those inside to death.
19 May 1798Gibbet Rath executionsCurragh, County Kildare300–500part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798
1798, 25 MayDunlavin Green executionsDunlavin, County Wicklow363Massacre of rebel prisoners by loyalist militia. Part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
1798, 25 MayCarnew executionsCarnew, County Wicklow38part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798
1798, 5 JuneScullabogue massacreScullabogue, County Wexford100–2002part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798
1798, 20 JuneWexford massacreWexford bridge, Wexford90–100part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798
1834, 18 DecemberRathcormac massacreBartlemy, County Cork2045Massacre by British soldiers and the Irish Constabulary as part of the Tithe War.
1887, 9 SeptemberMitchelstown massacreMitchelstown, County Cork3SeveralBritish soldiers fired into a crowd of Irish civilians during the Land War.
1914, 26 JulyBachelor's Walk massacreBachelor's Walk, Dublin43235 people were shot and 1 bayoneted by British troops on Bachelor's Walk, Dublin.
1916, 28–29 AprilNorth King Street massacreDublin15–16unknownBritish soldiers of the South Staffordshire Regiment raided houses on North King Street and killed 15 male civilians, part of the Easter Rising
1920, 21 NovemberBloody Sunday (Croke Park massacre)Dublin1460–70part of the Irish War of Independence; Spectators were shot by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Auxiliary Division at a Gaelic football match. This was the first Irish mass-killing to be called "Bloody Sunday".
1921, 10 JulyBloody Sunday (Lower Falls massacre)Belfast17Over 70one of a series of killings by Protestant extremists, the IRA and the Royal Irish Constabulary after the Irish War of Independence; named "Belfast's Bloody Sunday", until 1972.
1922, 1 AprilArnon Street killingsBelfast, Northern IrelandA mass shooting by the Police Specials under command of Senior Officers; part of the Irish War of Independence.
1922, 26–28 AprilDunmanway killingsDunmanway, County Cork131A mass shooting of Protestant civilians alleged to be informers by the "old" IRA.
1923, 7–12 MarchBallyseedy massacreBallyseedy, Caherciveen
Killarney
17219 prisoners of war were tied to landmines and blown up in three separate incidents by the Irish Army.
31 March 1926La Mancha massacreMalahide, County Dublin60Residents of a mansion named "La Mancha;" four members of the McDonnell family and two of their employees, who were poisoned with arsenic and beaten to death; the house was then set on fire. Their gardener Henry McCabe was controversially convicted of their murders and hanged.
3-5 July 1970Falls Curfew Falls Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland460During a gun battle against both the Official IRA and Provisional IRA the British Army shot dead three civilians and ran one down.
1971, 9–11 AugustBallymurphy massacreBelfast, Northern IrelandunknownA mass shooting by the Parachute Regiment, British Army.
1971, 23 October1971 Newry KillingsNewry, County Down, Northern Ireland30Undercover British soldiers shot dead three civilians in disputed circumstances, it appeared to be a case of mistaken identity
1971, 2 NovemberRed Lion Pub bombingBelfastA bombing by the IRA's Belfast Brigade.
1971, 4 DecemberMcGurk's Bar bombingBelfast, Northern Ireland1517A bombing by Ulster loyalists. Ulster Volunteer Force
1972, 30 JanuaryBloody Sunday (Bogside massacre)Derry, Northern IrelandA mass shooting by the British Army's Parachute Regiment. Part of "the Troubles"; the third Irish mass-killing to be called "Bloody Sunday".
1972, 9 JulySpringhill massacreSpringhill estate West Belfast, Northrern Ireland52The British Army shot seven unarmed Catholics near a timber yard in Belfast, five of whom died, including a Catholic priest and a 13-year-old girl
1972, 21 JulyBloody FridayBelfastWithin the space of 75 minutes, the Provisional IRA detonated 22 bombs in Belfast. Nine people were killed while 130 were injured
1972, 31 JulyClaudy bombingClaudyThree car bombs were detonated in the early morning on Main Street, Claudy, killing 9 civilians, including three children. The Provisional IRA are believed to be responsible for what became known as "Bloody Monday". Part of "the Troubles".
1972, 20 DecemberTop of the Hill bar shootingDerryAt 10:30 p.m., two Ulster Defence Association gunmen entered the Top of the Hill bar in Derry and opened fire, killing five patrons and injuring several others. The shooting is believed to be revenge for the IRA's killing of UDR soldier George Hamilton earlier that day.
1974, 17 MayDublin and Monaghan bombingsDublin and MonaghanThree bombs exploded in Dublin and a fourth exploded in Monaghan, carried out by the Glenanne gang; included British soldiers from the Ulster Defence Regiment, police officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and members of the Mid-Ulster Brigade of the Ulster Volunteer Force. The attacks exclusively targeted civilians.
1975, 31 JulyMiami Showband killingsBuskhill, County Down, Northern IrelandA botched attack by the UVF. Part of "the Troubles".
1975, 13 AugustBayardo Bar attackBelfast, Northern IrelandA shooting and bombing at the Loyalist-owned Bayardo's Bar in Belfast. Three members of the IRA were convicted over the attack.
1976, 4 JanuaryReavey and O'Dowd killingsWhitecross, County Armagh61A massacre of two families by the Ulster Volunteer Force.
1976, 5 JanuaryKingsmill massacreKingsmill, County Armagh, Northern IrelandA sectarian massacre of Protestant workers. A report by the Historical Inquiries Team found that Provisional IRA members were responsible. Part of "the Troubles".
1978, 17 FebruaryLa Mon restaurant bombingGransha, County Down, Northern IrelandMassacre conducted by the IRA. A large incendiary bomb, containing a napalm-like substance, was detonated outside one of the restaurant windows. Part of "the Troubles".
1987, 8 MayLoughgall AmbushLoughgall, County Armagh8 IRA Volunteers 1 civilian1British Army SAS ambush killed eight experienced IRA volunteers, making it the IRA's biggest loss of life from one incident since the 1920s, two Catholic civilians were also shot by the SAS in the ambush, one of whom died from his injuries, referred to by Irish republicans as massacre as a number of the IRA men shot dead were unarmed while trying to surrender.
1987, 8 NovemberRemembrance Day bombingEnniskillen, Northern IrelandA mass civilian bombing by the IRA. Part of "the Troubles".
1988, 16 MarchMilltown Cemetery attackBelfast, Northern IrelandA gun and grenade attack on Catholic civilians and IRA supporters carried out by UDA member Michael Stone. Part of "the Troubles".
1992, 17 JanuaryTeebane bombingCounty Tyrone
Northern Ireland
A roadside bombing carried out by the IRA on a van transporting workers hired by the British Army.
1992, 5 FebruarySean Graham bookmakers' shootingBelfast
Northern Ireland
59A mass shooting by the UDA.
1993, 25 MarchCastlerock killingsCastlerock, Northern Ireland41A mass shooting by the UDA
1993, 23 OctoberShankill Road bombingBelfast, Northern Ireland1057A mass bombing by the IRA in a protestant area that killed mostly civilians. Part of "the Troubles".
1993, 30 OctoberGreysteel massacreGreysteel, Northern IrelandA shooting by the UDA. Part of "the Troubles".
1994, 18 JuneLoughinisland massacreLoughinisland, Northern IrelandA shooting by the UVF. Part of "the Troubles".
1998, 15 AugustOmagh bombingOmagh, Northern IrelandA car bomb attack carried out by the Real Irish Republican Army