Michael Hayes, a former Irish Republican Army (IRA) commander, has claimed responsibility for masterminding the assassination of Lord Mountbatten in 1979. Hayes’s claims, reported by the Associated Press, contradict the conviction of Thomas McMahon, who served 19 years in prison for the crime before being released under the Good Friday Agreement.
In a recent interview, Hayes stated, “Yes, I blew him up. McMahon put it on his boat … I planned everything, I am commander in chief”. He added, “I blew up Earl Mountbatten in Sligo, but I had a justification, he’d come to my country… Look at the Famine … are we to forget that? The Black and Tans? He came to my country and murdered my people and I fought back. I hit them back.”
Hayes explained that the IRA’s opposition to Northern Ireland being part of England motivated the assassination of Lord Mountbatten, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He claimed that he planned and executed the attack to avenge the historical grievances of the Irish people against British rule.
Regarding the deaths of Lord Mountbatten’s grandson and two other individuals in the bombing, Hayes expressed regret, stating that they were “casualties of war.” He emphasized that he did not anticipate their presence on the boat and that he was “sickened” by their deaths.
Hayes also denied involvement in the 1974 Birmingham bombings, stating that he was not present at the time of the attacks. His claims have sparked renewed interest in the Lord Mountbatten assassination and the broader conflict in Northern Ireland during the late 20th century.
