British Army watched Nairac’s fatal spy mission

The British Army witnessed the IRA’s capture of its most infamous captain and spy Robert Nairac, but did not intervene, according to a report this week.

Interrogated and subsequently executed by the IRA, a search is currently underway in County Louth attempting to find his body.

According to UTV, covert regular British soldiers were hiding near the South Armagh pub when Nairac was attempting to infiltrate the tightly-knit republican community in the village of Dromintee in May 1977.

UTV said it had confirmed the British Army was present that night and had a “covert operation” in place. The soldiers were “dug in” right beside the car park, but were instructed to observe and not interact.

The revelation confirms Nairac’s superiors at the British Army base in Bessbrook were managing and ultimately responsible for his fatal efforts to gather information on local IRA activity.

Dressed in civilian clothes and armed with a concealed pistol, Nairac would visiting local pubs in order to engage with potential informers, putting on a Belfast accent and posing as a republican called ‘Danny McErlaine’. He had already come to the attention of IRA Volunteers in the area before the fateful night in question.

According to one report, after again failing to make inroads with the local community, Nairac disastrously approached the band playing that night and asked if he could sing. Nairac got on stage and attempted to sing republican ballads before he was arrested and interrogated by the IRA’s South Armagh Brigade’s 1st battalion.

The revelations challenge previous claims by British officials who portrayed him as a maverick who had carried out his own operations with little knowledge of his superiors.

However, Nairac’s actions have long been shrouded in secrecy. Upon his death, he was awarded the George Cross, with part of his citation kept from the public. It subsequently emerged that he was heavily involved in collusion with the UVF, and in 2020, documentation was uncovered which showed he was responsible for the planning and execution of the Miami Showband massacre, and had obtained equipment and uniforms for the killers.

The true nature of his role, including allegations that he took part ein other atrocities such as the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and the killing of IRA Volunteer John Francis green in Monaghan in 1975, remains a British state secret.

Urgent Appeal