John Barnhill (politician)

John Eccles Nixon Barnhill (11 April 1905 – 12 December 1971) was an Ulster Unionist Party member of the Senate in the Parliament of Northern Ireland. Born near Strabane, the son of W. Barnhill, he was educated at Campbell College in Belfast. He was killed by three members of the Official IRA, who later fled across the border,^[1][2] at his home, Brickfield House, near Strabane. The Official IRA later claimed responsibility but said the killing was unintentional and that they only intended to destroy the building.^[3] He had been a Senator since 1962 and served as Deputy Speaker from 1967 to 1968.^[4] His home was also destroyed as a result of an explosion during the incident.^[5][6] Barnhill was also an officer of the Orange Order.^[5]

John Barnhill
Deputy Speaker of the Senate of Northern Ireland
In office 1967–1968
Senator of Northern Ireland
In office 1962–1971
Personal details
Born	John Eccles Nixon Barnhill (1905-04-11)11 April 1905 Strabane, Ireland
Died	12 December 1971(1971-12-12) (aged 66) Brickfield House, Strabane, Northern Ireland
Political party	Ulster Unionist Party
Education	Campbell College

A plaque commemorating his murder was unveiled at Stormont on the 30th anniversary of his death on 12 December 2001.^[7][8][9]

References

1. "Acceptable Violence?". Time Magazine. 27 December 1971. Archived from the original on 1 December 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
2. Morris, Allison (20 February 2018). "Decommissioning special report: Official IRA thought to have killed 54 people". The Irish News. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
3. "I.R.A. Concedes Killing Ulster Senator". The New York Times. 14 December 1971. p. 3. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
4. Whyte, Nicholas (17 February 2002) [9 June 2000]. "The Northern Ireland Senate, 1921-72". ARK. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
5. "Rightist Ulster Senator Slain by Gunmen in Home". The New York Times. 13 December 1971. p. 1. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
6. Sutton, Malcolm. "Sutton Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland: 1971". Conflict Archive on the Internet. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2008.
7. "Murdered senators to be honoured". BBC News Online. 22 November 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
8. Moody, T. W.; Martin, F. X.; Byrne, F. J., eds. (2011). A New History of Ireland: Volume VIII: A Chronology of Irish History to 1976. Oxford University Press. p. 457. ISBN 9780199593057.
9. Demaris, Ovid (1977). Brothers in blood: the international terrorist network. p. 339. ISBN 0-684-15192-8.