Today we remember the bravery and professionalism of the SAS who on this day 33 years ago stopped 8 terrorist killers from entering Loughgall Police Station and murdering 2 officers inside .

In a ten minute spell the threat from the entire brigade command of the East Tyrone ,(Monaghan where they used to hide ) IRA had been removed.

Incidents like Loughgall were the closest the IRA came to open combat instead of lurking in the shadows and it wasn’t through choice.

The IRA were never the same,it totally wrecked them.The hunt for a mole destroyed them mentally. They lost all confidence. This was indeed the beginning of the end of the IRA ,a series of incidents & the stranglehold of intelligence led policing that would lead to an IRA defeat .