Birmingham Marks 50th Anniversary of Pub Bombings

On the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham pub bombings, President Michael D. Higgins commemorated the 'unspeakable tragedy' that resulted in the deaths of 21 people and injuries to over 200 more on November 21, 1974. The two bombs exploded at The Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town, marking one of the deadliest attacks on the British mainland until the 2005 London bombings. Families of the victims, including those from the Justice4The21 campaign, continue to seek truth and justice, as no one has ever been held accountable for the bombings despite ongoing investigations. Memorial services are planned across Birmingham, and the Birmingham Irish Association has called for a minute's silence in remembrance of the victims. The event remains a painful reminder of the violence of the IRA's bombing campaign in England and the impact on the families left behind. The wrongful convictions of the Birmingham Six, six Irishmen imprisoned for the bombings, were overturned in 1991, but the quest for justice continues for the victims' families.