Robert James Hanna, Maureen Hanna and their only child David Hanna were killed by a 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...

 bomb on 23 July 1988.

Overview

Robert Hanna was a forty-five year old building contractor married to Maureen, aged forty-four. They had a son, David, aged seven.

The family were killed by the I.R.A., who exploded a one-thousand pound bomb at Killeen, Newry

Newry

Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...

, on the 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...

 to Dublin road. The family were returning home to Hillsborough

Hillsborough

-In Canada:*Hillsborough, New Brunswick*Hillsborough, Nova Scotia, in Inverness County*Hillsborough , a defunct Prince Edward Island federal electoral district-In New Zealand:* Hillsborough, Auckland...

, County Down

County Down

-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...

, after a holiday in the USA. The bomb had been intended for High Court Judge, Eoin Higgins, the aim been to kill Judge Higgins and any RUC

RUC

RUC may refer to: or Coimbra University Radio, a Portuguese university station* Rapid Update Cycle, an atmospheric prediction system* Renmin University of China* Roskilde University or Roskilde Universitetscenter...

detectives travelling with him. Higgins had, like the Hannas, flown into Dublin after a visit to the USA with his wife and daughter. His arrival had been observed by the IRA at Dublin airport, but according to a later IRA statement, the wrong description was given to the bombers.

The Hanna family were killed instantly. No-one was ever tried for the killings.

External links

• http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/victims/humanface/chron/1988.html
• http://sluggerotoole.com/2007/05/10/3722-dead-between-1966-and-2007-2/