Ambush at Drumnakilly
Ambush at Drumnakilly is an Irish rebel song about an event in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland which occurred on August 30, 1988: three volunteers of the Provisional IRA (IRA), brothers Martin and Gerard Harte and Brian Mullin (Bard), were ambushed and killed by the Special Air Service (SAS).
The IRA members were attempting to murder a previously identified off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment who seemed to be fixing a tyre on a coal lorry. The IRA unit drove up, armed with two AK-47 rifles and a revolver, and were ambushed as they approached by a dozen undercover soldiers, with others manning a heavy machine gun in a nearby derelict building.[1]
In total 236 shots were fired during the ambush; an inquest held failed to determine who had opened fire first in the ambush.[1]
The song was written by Gerry O'Glachin and recorded by The Irish Brigade.
There is also another song that was written and performed by Gerry Cunningham to commemorate the deaths of these three Provisional Irish Republican Army members. This version of the song has been adopted by Ógra Shinn Féin at their annual commemoration.