Republicans in Tyrone will gather this weekend to remember one of two Co Cork IRA men killed six weeks apart in premature explosions 50 years ago.
Dermot Crowley (18) died along with fellow republicans Patrick Carty (26) and Sean Loughran (37) when a bomb they were transporting in a car near Omagh exploded on June 25 1973.
Mr Crowley was killed just weeks after his childhood friend and neighbour Tony Ahern died when a bomb he was attempting to plant also went off without warning.
Although brought up in Co Cork, Mr Crowley travelled to east Tyrone in 1972 where he was active with the IRA.
Mr Ahern was active with the IRA in Co Fermanagh.
The 17-year-old died in a premature explosion near Roslea in May 1973 and Mr Crowley was among the mourners at his funeral in his home county.
He returned north and a short time later was also killed.
The car he was travelling in had been hijacked in the Pomeroy and the bomb the three man IRA team were carrying exploded on the Gortin Road, on the outskirts of Omagh.
It is believed a local RUC base may have been the intended target.
Read more:Who were the Provisional IRA?
Carty was an experienced IRA member in east Tyrone, who was wanted on both sides of the border at the time of his death.
He had escaped from the Curragh military camp in Co Kildare and Monaghan court house during separate incidents.
Loughran, who was known as 'The Crow', was a veteran of the IRA's 1950s campaign, during which he was interned.
When the Troubles broke out he was living in England with his family but returned home and became active.
After the three men were killed loyalists in Tyrone put up a Union flag in the middle of a field close to where they died.
Earlier this year footage posted on social media appeared to show the flag being ripped down by a person who had climbed the flagpole.
Dozens of GAA supporters were in the area at the time as they made their way to Healy Park in Omagh to watch Derry v Monaghan in the Ulster championship.
Two union flags were later put up at the same spot.
Relatives of Mr Carty have organised an independent republican commemoration, which will be held at Edendork graveyard, between Dungannon and Coalisland, at 3pm on Saturday.
The 1916 Societies will host a commemoration at the same location at 3pm on Sunday.
Tyrone will gather this weekend to remember one of two Co Cork IRA men killed six weeks apart in premature explosions 50 years ago.
Dermot Crowley (18) died along with fellow republicans Patrick Carty (26) and Sean Loughran (37) when a bomb they were transporting in a car near Omagh exploded on June 25 1973.
Crowley was killed just weeks after his childhood friend and neighbour Tony Ahern died when a bomb he was attempting to plant also went off without warning.
Although brought up in Co Cork, Mr Crowley travelled to east Tyrone in 1972 where he was active with the IRA.
Mr Ahern was active with the IRA in Co Fermanagh.
The 17-year-old died in a premature explosion near Roslea in May 1973 and Mr Crowley was among the mourners at his funeral in his home county.
He returned north and a short time later was also killed.
The car he was travelling in had been hijacked in the Pomeroy and the bomb the three man IRA team were carrying exploded on the Gortin Road, on the outskirts of Omagh.
It is believed a local RUC base may have been the intended target.
Carty was an experienced IRA member in east Tyrone, who was wanted on both sides of the border at the time of his death.
He had escaped from the Curragh military camp in Co Kildare and Monaghan court house during separate incidents.
Loughran, who was known as 'The Crow', was a veteran of the IRA's 1950s campaign, during which he was interned.
When the Troubles broke out he was living in England with his family but returned home and became active.
After the three men were killed loyalists in Tyrone put up a Union flag in the middle of a field close to where they died.
Earlier this year footage posted on social media appeared to show the flag being ripped down by a person who had climbed the flagpole.
Dozens of GAA supporters were in the area at the time as they made their way to Healy Park in Omagh to watch Derry v Monaghan in the Ulster championship.
Two union flags were later put up at the same spot.
Relatives of Mr Carty have organised an independent republican commemoration, which will be held at Edendork graveyard, between Dungannon and Coalisland, at 3pm on Saturday.
The 1916 Societies will host a commemoration at the same location at 3pm on Sunday.
