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Gillian Johnston was a chemist and shop worker fromNorthern Ireland who was murdered by theIRA on 18 March 1988; she was aged 21 at the time of her murder.
Johnston was a 21-year-old chemist and shop worker from Tonaghgorm, Legg, nearBelleek, County Fermanagh.[1][2] She was engaged for two years, having dated her fiancé since she was fifteen. Johnston and her fiancé were sitting in her father's car, outside her home, when members of the IRA murdered her by firing 27 bullets into Gillian,[3] killing her and wounding her fiancé.[4]
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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 theUlster Defence Regiment (UDR).[5] The IRA later stated it had been mistaken about Johnston's brother, as well.[3]
The IRA disbanded the unit which carried out the attack in reaction to public revulsion at the killing of Johnston and the killing of other individuals.[5] TheGardaí linked a man in his mid-20s, a key member of theBallyshannonASU, to the murders of Johnston, Harry Keys, and of William Hassard and Frederick Love. There was unconfirmed speculation that this unit was also responsible for theRemembrance Day bombing inEnniskillen 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."
