Police in Northern Ireland have issued an appeal for information about a 1972 triple-bombing which killed two teenagers and left two men seriously injured.

Two children, Patrick Stanley, 16 and Geraldine O’Reilly, 15, were killed and eight other people injured when a bomb exploded in a red Ford Escort in Belturbet in County Cavan at around 10.30pm on 28 December, 1972.

Around half an hour earlier, two men were seriously injured by an explosive device contained in a blue Morris 1100 in Fermanagh Street, Clones in County Monaghan.

The third device was detonated at 10.50pm outside Britton’s bar in Mullnagoad, near Pettigo in County Donegal, injuring one woman.

All three devices were detonated without warning, officers said.

Another man, Patrick McCabe, died after falling from a roof while repairing the damage done in Clones, leaving a widow and eight children.

Police have issued photofits of the Escort and Cortina drivers, which had both been stolen, and descriptions of other people they would like to talk to.

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The Cortina driver was 18 years old, five foot eight (172m) tall with a thin build, long thin pale face and, with what police say, “a very conspicuous nose”.

He was dressed in a double-breasted dark blazer with wide lapels, with a collar and tie and wore a silver or steel band around his wrist.

Two men who got into the Cortina were both dark haired and estimated to be around 20 years old. All appeared to be well-dressed.

One of the men police want to trace had some fingers missing, according to information they have received, and was seen driving a stolen blue Morris 1100 on the day in question.

A woman seen in the back of the Cortina was 18-19 years old and fairly tall with sharp features, a pale complexion, wearing a long dark overcoat, which might have been red and a polo neck jumper.

She had blonde hair coming down over shoulders, which was parted in the centre and pushed away from her forehead.

Another man, seen in Belturbet that day and described as 25 to 28 years old, between five feet 11 (180cm) and six feet (182cm) with dark brown or black bushy hair, was wearing what police call “a distinctive ‘DUNLOP’ jacket”.

Garda Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn said: “Families have suffered indescribably; parents have gone to their graves without answers! Do you know something you have you held a secret for too long? It’s never too late to talk.”

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