In what became one of the deadliest single incidents during the Troubles, the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) executed a bombing at a pub in Ballykelly, Northern Ireland. The attack was directed towards a crowd of British soldiers, who were frequent patrons of the establishment. On that fateful day, a bomb was detonated, killing eleven soldiers and six civilians. The bombing was part of the broader campaign by the INLA to resist British rule in Northern Ireland, reflecting the intense nationalist struggle and the ongoing conflict that had escalated since the late 1960s. The pub, a popular social spot for soldiers stationed in the area, was chosen deliberately to inflict maximum casualties.

The aftermath of the bombing left the local community in shock and mourning as the casualties included both military personnel and innocent civilians. This event highlighted both the immediacy of violence during the Troubles and the deep divisions within Northern Irish society. The incident not only drew condemnation from various communities but also prompted an intensified crackdown on paramilitary groups by British security forces, complicating the already fraught relations between nationalists and unionists.

As the conflict continued into the 1980s, acts of violence such as this bombing were emblematic of the desperate and tragic measures employed by groups like the INLA. The tragic loss of life that day reverberated throughout the region, marking a turning point that deepened the hostilities in what was already a heavily militarized area. The combination of civilian and military casualties changed public perception and brought the consequences of the Troubles to the forefront of daily life in Northern Ireland.