Hugh Torney

INLA member who was active in the defending the INLA and IRSP against the attacks by the IPLO which was comprised of former INLA members in the mid-80's. Nicknamed Cueball Torney took over as Chief Of Staff in the mid-late eighties, Q ball as he was known was responsible for some 15 murders, during the period of the feud with the IPLO but whilst some military activity took place, the political wing, the IRSP, was in serious decline.

Torney,in 1995 when he offered an INLA ceasefire from a Dublin court without consulting the membership. He was expelled and replaced as Chief Of Staff by Gino Gallagher, formerly the PRO (Prisoner Relations Officer) of the IRSP as well as being a feared gunman. Torney and his gang (known as the INLA-GHQ)assassinated Gallagher in January 1996.

The events that followed saw the deaths of Torney along with his allies IRSP/INLA founder member John Fennell, Dessie McCleery and Fra Shannon as well as, tragically, 9 year old Barbara McAlorum who was killed by pro-Gallagher gunmen after her brother Kevin. Kevin was later killed in 2004 although this has not been linked to the INLA.

References

INLA Deadly Divisions (Holland and McDonald) also personal testimony.