Eddie Fullerton
Encyclopedia
Edward "Eddie" Fullerton (1935 – 25 May 1991) was a Sinn Féin
councillor from County Donegal
, Ireland
. He was assassinated at his Buncrana home in May 1991 by members of the Ulster Defence Association
.
The eldest of John and Mary Fullerton's 20 children, Eddie Fullerton emigrated to Scotland
at the age of 18, and then moved to England
. He became involved in Irish republicanism
in Birmingham
, where he also met and married his wife Diana (with whom he would have 6 children). They returned to Ulster
in 1975. He was elected to Donegal County Council
for Sinn Féin in 1979, and held his seat until his assassination at age 56.
At two o'clock in the morning, on the 25 May 1991, Cllr. Fullerton and his wife were woken by the sound of their front door being knocked in with a sledgehammer. Loyalist
paramilitaries shot the Councillor six times from the stairs as he left the bedroom to investigate the noise.
A month later, a documentary on British television revealed that an RUC
intelligence file containing Fullerton's photograph and details was found in the possession of the UDA in Derry
. The weapon used to kill him was recovered two years later. The perpetrators were never found. The Fullerton family has long campaigned for an independent public inquiry into the events surrounding his death.
This was the third assassination of an elected representative in the Republic of Ireland
since its independence from the United Kingdom
.
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
councillor from County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He was assassinated at his Buncrana home in May 1991 by members of the 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"...
.
The eldest of John and Mary Fullerton's 20 children, Eddie Fullerton emigrated to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
at the age of 18, and then moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He became involved in Irish republicanism
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...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, where he also met and married his wife Diana (with whom he would have 6 children). They returned to Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in 1975. He was elected to Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Donegal in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
for Sinn Féin in 1979, and held his seat until his assassination at age 56.
At two o'clock in the morning, on the 25 May 1991, Cllr. Fullerton and his wife were woken by the sound of their front door being knocked in with a sledgehammer. 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 shot the Councillor six times from the stairs as he left the bedroom to investigate the noise.
A month later, a documentary on British television revealed that an RUC
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
intelligence file containing Fullerton's photograph and details was found in the possession of the UDA in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. The weapon used to kill him was recovered two years later. The perpetrators were never found. The Fullerton family has long campaigned for an independent public inquiry into the events surrounding his death.
This was the third assassination of an elected representative in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
since its independence from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.