Eddie Copeland
Encyclopedia
Eddie Copeland is a prominent Irish republican
from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
.
Copeland joined the Provisional Irish Republican Army
after the fatal shooting of his father by the British Army
. John Copeland died on 31 October 1971, two days after being shot near his home in Strathroy Park in Ardoyne
. John Copeland was not known to be affiliated with any paramilitary group.
Copeland himself has been the target of loyalist
paramilitaries. In December 1996 he was seriously injured in a Ulster Defence Association
car bomb attack at his home. He suffered leg and arm injuries but escaped with his life when loyalist paramilitaries planted a booby-trap beneath his car. The bomb had been made by Frankie Curry
, who had been a leading figure in the Red Hand Commandos
before becoming an independent dissident. Copeland later received £60,000 in compensation for the injuries he received.
On 8 February 1995, Andrew Clarke (27), a private
in the British Army
, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court to ten years' imprisonment for the attempted murder of Copeland when he opened fire on mourners outside the home of deceased IRA Volunteer Thomas Begley
in Belfast in October 1993. On 19 May 1999, the Ministry of Defence
was found guilty of negligence at Belfast High Court and Copeland was awarded £27,500 compensation for the injuries he received.
In 2001 Copeland was refused bail at Belfast High Court on charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault and threatening to kill another person. The charges arose from the abduction of a man from a betting shop in Ardoyne. Copeland denied all charges.
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Copeland joined the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
after the fatal shooting of his father by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. John Copeland died on 31 October 1971, two days after being shot near his home in Strathroy Park in Ardoyne
Ardoyne
Ardoyne is an Irish nationalist, working class and mainly Catholic district in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It gained notoriety due to the large number of incidents during "The Troubles". It is home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
. John Copeland was not known to be affiliated with any paramilitary group.
Copeland himself has been the target of loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
paramilitaries. In December 1996 he was seriously injured in a Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
car bomb attack at his home. He suffered leg and arm injuries but escaped with his life when loyalist paramilitaries planted a booby-trap beneath his car. The bomb had been made by Frankie Curry
Frankie Curry
Frankie Curry nicknamed "Pigface", was an Ulster loyalist who was involved with a number of paramilitary groups during his long career...
, who had been a leading figure in the Red Hand Commandos
Red Hand Commandos
The Red Hand Commando is a small loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland, which is closely linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force...
before becoming an independent dissident. Copeland later received £60,000 in compensation for the injuries he received.
On 8 February 1995, Andrew Clarke (27), a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court to ten years' imprisonment for the attempted murder of Copeland when he opened fire on mourners outside the home of deceased IRA Volunteer Thomas Begley
Thomas Begley
Thomas Begley , was a volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army...
in Belfast in October 1993. On 19 May 1999, the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
was found guilty of negligence at Belfast High Court and Copeland was awarded £27,500 compensation for the injuries he received.
In 2001 Copeland was refused bail at Belfast High Court on charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault and threatening to kill another person. The charges arose from the abduction of a man from a betting shop in Ardoyne. Copeland denied all charges.