Gillian Johnston was a chemist and shop worker from Northern Ireland who was murdered by the IRA, 18 March 1988, aged 21.
Contents
Overview
Johnston was a 21-year-old chemist and shop worker from Tonaghgorm, Legg, near Belleek, County Fermanagh. She was engaged for two years, having dated her fiance since she was fifteen. Johnston and her fiance were sitting in her father's car, outside her home, when members of the IRA murdered her by firing 47 bullets into Gillian, killing her and wounding her fiance.
After
The IRA later claimed the murder was a mistake and that the intended target had been Johnston's brother, whom they had claimed was a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). The IRA later stated it had been mistaken about Johnston's brother, as well.
The IRA disbanded the unit which carried out the attack in reaction to public revulsion at the killing of Johnston and the killing of Harry Keys. The Gardaí linked a man in his mid-20s, a key member of the Ballyshannon ASU, to the murders of Keys, Johnston, and of William Hassard and Frederick Love. There was unconfirmed speculation that this unit was also responsible for the Remembrance Day bombing in Enniskillen in November 1987. Johnston was described by her employer as:
"... the kind of girl who was always smiling. I don't think I ever heard her say a bad word about anyone, people are just horrified."