Eric Glass (b.1942)

Eric Glass (b.1942)

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Eric Glass was reared in a working-class family in the Rosslea area, and after finishing his schooling he gained employment at the English Sewing Cotton Company in Lisnaskea. In 1964, he married Winifred Kilpatrick and the couple began life together in a cottage in Magheraveely, close to the Fermanagh Monaghan border. In 1970, Eric became a part time member of the UDR. In August 1972, UDR member and Eric’s good friend, Harry Creighton, was shot and killed close to the Glass home, and shortly after this atrocity the security forces offered Eric protection, as the IRA regularly fired shots over the family home. After two months, Eric and his wife decided to relocate to Enniskillen, in fear for the safety of their family. He then gained employment with Fermanagh County Council, and while working as a ganger he was travelling in a large van with eight other workers in the area of Garrison when they were fired upon. A volley of shots hit the vehicle, killing one man and injuring another. In later years, Eric worked in the Town Hall in Enniskillen and in 1992 he was appointed Dog Warden. In this capacity and in response to a phone call, he visited an isolated farmhouse in the Belleek area where he was ambushed by four members of the IRA but succeeded in defending himself with his protection pistol. One of the IRA men was shot dead and Eric was badly wounded but managed to drag himself into the house for cover. The security forces arrived by emergency helicopter and he was brought to hospital in Belfast, where he was to spend nine months recuperating. Later, An Garda Siochána arrested the three IRA men involved and Eric was summoned to give evidence in court in Dublin. All three men were found guilty and received prison sentences but were released in 1998 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. Eric Glass was awarded a DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal) by Queen Elizabeth 11 in 1992 in a private ceremony.

This collection, carried out by Irish Life and Lore on behalf of Cavan County Library Service, is funded by the EU Special EU Programmes Body Peace IV fund under the objective to build positive relations with people from different backgrounds and communities to support peace and reconciliation.

Download the recording free of charge by adding it to the basket and checking out as normal or listen to it online at this link: CDVOT01-30-Glass

Additional information

Type:

MP3

Audio series:

Voices of the Troubles

Download time limit:

48 hours

Number of files:

1

Recorded by:

Maurice O'Keeffe – Irish Life and Lore

Product ID:

CDVOT01-30

Length:

55mins

Date Recorded

21/9/2017

Location of Recording

Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh