Her social media paints a picture of a doting grandmother, sharing family photos, birthday wishes, and moments of ordinary life. There is nothing in her online presence to suggest a hidden, violent past. Yet, according to startling new reports, this woman was once a ruthless IRA commander allegedly central to one of Northern Ireland's most notorious atrocities: the Enniskillen bombing.
The Horrific Attack That Shocked the World
On November 8, 1987, a 40lb Semtex device concealed in a Catholic Church-owned building known as the Reading Rooms exploded in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. The blast occurred on Remembrance Sunday, as families gathered in solemn tribute at a nearby war memorial. Masonry flew, a gable wall collapsed, and rescuers desperately clawed at the rubble to free the trapped and dying.
By the end of that terrible day, 11 people were dead and 63 injured. A 12th victim, Ronnie Hill, died in 2000 after spending 13 years in a coma. The attack, which Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher called 'a blot on mankind', provoked universal condemnation, even from the IRA's usual supporters and its Libyan arms supplier, Colonel Gaddafi.
A Suspect Living in Plain Sight
For the families of the victims, the recent allegation that a woman played a key role is a devastating and unexpected twist. More shocking is the claim that this alleged former IRA commander has been seen living a normal life in the area. One local told The Mail on Sunday his wife recognised her in a shopping centre just two months ago, describing her as 'immaculately turned out'.
Stephen Gault, whose father Samuel was killed and who was himself injured in the blast, expressed his revulsion. 'It's very difficult to think that this person is walking the streets of Enniskillen and that I could have passed her without realising. It sickens me to the core,' he said.
The allegations originate from the An Garda Siochana, the police force of the Republic of Ireland, which suggested she led the IRA's South Fermanagh brigade at the time. British security sources have confirmed the claims 'demand consideration', noting Irish intelligence in the border region was superior at the time.
From 'Bright as a Button' Activist to Alleged Commander
Described by security sources as 'articulate, bright as a button - smarter than most of the men around her', the woman was a well-known IRA figure on both sides of the border. It is reported that British military intelligence attempted to recruit her as an informant in the weeks after Enniskillen, hoping the atrocity's horror might shake her resolve. The approach was swiftly abandoned; she was deemed 'too resolutely committed' to the republican cause.
One source recounted how she and a friend turned the tables on an intelligence officer, revealing they knew his car registration, workplace, and phone number. On another occasion in the 1980s, she was said to have deliberately dropped off a young soldier she had met socially at his barracks, smiling at the guards who knew her IRA connections—a brazen act of psychological warfare.
She reportedly rose quickly through IRA ranks, aided by the organisation's relative equality compared to loyalist groups. While some sources dispute she led the unit during the bombing, they agree she was active and took charge a few years later before moving abroad. She eventually returned to Northern Ireland to set up a business. It is not known if she has ever been questioned by authorities.
A 38-Year Search for Justice and Truth
The quest for accountability continues to haunt Enniskillen. Thirteen people have been arrested in connection with the bombing, but no one has ever been charged. A 2015 application for a new inquest included an account from an off-duty officer who claimed to have seen a woman in a green dress with a brown bag near the Reading Rooms the night before the attack, but it was never followed up.
Victims' families have questioned the thoroughness of police reviews conducted by both the RUC and its successor, the PSNI. Solicitor Kevin Winters of KRW Law revealed fresh legal action is being prepared, alleging an 'intelligence agenda' hampered the initial investigation. 'Any new information... is to be welcomed as we continue our fight for justice,' he stated.
Today, the Clinton Centre for peace and reconciliation stands on the bomb site. For many, it offers little comfort. As Donald Crawford of the Traditional Unionist Voice party said, 'if the allegations... are correct then there should be a campaign to get her into court'. For survivors like Stephen Gault, hope for justice remains, but faith is fading. 'Those responsible have lost that right to have cherished times with parents or loved ones,' he said, mourning the stolen years of the innocent victims.
