A special plaque is to be unveiled in memory of a young Keady man who was killed in a loyalist car bomb attack on the town’s Step Inn Bar 50 years ago.
Gerard McGleenan was only 22 when the atrocity – which has since been linked to the notorious Glenanne Gang – occurred.
Thirty-eight-year-old Betty McDonald also lost her life and more than 20 0thers were injured when the bomb was detonated on Monday, August 16, 1976.
Among those injured was Maria McShane, who lost an eye in the attack, and whose 17-year-old son Gavin was also later murdered by loyalists, as he and his friend, Shane McArdle, were gunned down in a taxi rank in Armagh.
The horror of that day in 1976 has never left the people of Keady, families and friends left demanding justice for the two innocent victims, with no-one ever convicted in connection to the murderous attack.
Gerard McGleenan is remembered in the town with the naming of a local GAA ground in his honour.
And now a plaque will be unveiled after an anniversary Mass five decades on.
Céide Lamh Dhearg Hurling Club confirmed plans for the plaque to be erected on Gerard’s former home on Chapel Street.
It will follow a Mass at St Patrick’s Church in the town at 11.30am on Sunday, August 16.
The club – detailing its intentions – reflected on social media of the day that one of its own members was killed and how it intends to honour Gerard’s memory on the 50th anniversary of his murder.
The club wrote: “Our entire community was shattered by the aftermath of the Step Inn bombing, an atrocity that claimed two innocent lives and left many more injured. It was a moment that tore through the heart of Keady, leaving scars that would last for generations.
“The tragedy struck cruelly just one day after our Seniors had been defeated in their Championship Final by a strong Cuchulainn side. Spirits were low, but no-one could have imagined how much darker the days ahead would become.
“Among the team’s youngest players was Gerard McGleenan, a talented and determined lad whose future in Keady hurling seemed bright. Although gifted, Gerard wasn’t the best loser — the defeat weighed heavily on him, and instead of heading out on the town, he chose to stay at home.
“That small, ordinary decision after the tough loss became unbearably cruel in hindsight.
“While Gerard stood at his front door, the terrorists’ device, planted with evil intent, detonated only metres away. The explosion tore through the heart of the town and Gerard was fatally wounded, becoming one of the many innocent victims of the Troubles.
“His death was not just the loss of a promising hurler. It was the loss of a son, brother, a teammate, a friend, and a young man whose life should have stretched far beyond that terrible night.
“Gerard’s passing left a void that could never be filled. The Step Inn bombing didn’t just take lives — it stole futures, fractured families and left our community carrying grief that still echoes today.
“Remembering Gerard is not only an act of mourning but an act of honour. His story reminds us of the fragility of life, the cruelty of violence, and the strength of a community that refuses to forget its own. Our GAA pitch reminds of us all of who Gerard McGleenan was, is and always will be.
“Of course his father Paddy and mother Maureen were totally broken the remainder of their lives, but they carried on with great strength and dignity until they once again embraced Gerard in the great heavens above.
“Also in this devastation we have to remember the other victims, one of which was very close to our club’s hearts. Maria McShane, God rest her, was in the Step Inn at the time and she was carrying her unborn child. Maria lost her eye but the child survived and was born to the name of Gavin. Gavin became Maria and Matt’s pride and joy. But as we all know, we also lost Gavin 17 years later to another act of evil, another innocent victim!
“Keady GAA and the McGleenan Family would invite everyone to Gerard’s memorial mass on Sunday, 16th August at 11.30am, which will be followed by the unveiling of a plaque at the McGleenan house on Chapel Street.
“We will dedicate a rosary for Gerard and all the victims of this atrocity and all others before crossing the road to St Patrick’s Hall for refreshments and a bit of chat.
“We would send a special invite to all who knew Gerard and to all the Cuchulainn side who played against Gerard the previous day or any family members of those departed.”
