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The IRA have admitted responsibility for the death of a tragic nine year old schoolboy who died after he triggered a bomb left in his front garden.

Derry schoolboy Gordon Gallagher died in 1973 as a result of this heinous act for which the paramilitary organisation originally attributed blame to the British military.

Gordon had been playing in the garden of his family home in Creggan with his younger brother when he stumbled upon the bomb that had been left there. The impact of the explosion was such that he died instantly however his brother managed to escape relatively unharmed.

At the time, the IRA denied responsibility – saying that they had left the device in the garden but that there had been no detonator on it. The group made a ludicrous suggestion that the British military must have returned to the Gallagher family home and placed a detonator on the bomb.

The Gallagher family have been fighting for justice for almost 30 years in an attempt to discover the truth relating to the death of their son. After pressurising Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness the family have finally received some welcomed answers which reiterates their original claims.

A statement, released indirectly this week, said:

Republicans fully accept their responsibility for the death of Gordon and apologise to the parents and family of Gordon Gallagher for the pain and grief caused.

Republicans remain truly remorseful and profoundly sorry for the circumstances that led to Gordon’s death.

The statement explained that the IRA had anonymously informed the British Army that a bomb had been placed at the location and that they believed it had been found and made safe.

The IRA felt that if they had moved back to retrieve the device they would be captured or shot as the Creggan area was under heavy control of the British forces.