BY FERGAL SHERRY
Midnight last night marked another significant step, in a decade of significant steps, for Northern Ireland.
After 38 years, with 763 fatalities suffered, and 301 inflicted, the British Army will have ended its operation to support the police force in the north, officially entitled 'Operation Banner'.
Originally intended to last just a few weeks, the operation became the longest ever British Army campaign.
With a total of 27,000 troops stationed in the north at the height of 'The Troubles', from 1st August 2007 only 5000 will remain; having the same role as those stationed in bases throughout Scotland, England, and Wales - undertaking training, and preparation for other postings.
While violence in Fermanagh never reached the same heights as in other areas, there was nonetheless a large army presence from the 1970s right up until 'normalisation' began to take place following the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.
In an attempt to isolate the IRA, and prevent attacks being launched from the south, movement was restricted all along the border area of the county to a great extent - with permanent vehicle checkpoints erected in eight locations, and many of the roads leading into the south being blocked or cratered.
Indeed, at this time Fermanagh, along with South Armagh was the most militarised zone in Western Europe.
As with elsewhere in the North, the presence of the Army was often seen by nationalists in Fermanagh as oppressive, a situation exacerbated by the everyday difficulties caused by the checkpoints, where long delays and vehicle searches were likely, and allegations of assault commonplace.
The situation was not helped by allegations of collusion between the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries in a number of murders in the county, in particular the killings of Michael Naan and Andrew Murray outside Newtownbutler (the infamous 'pitchfork murders') in 1972, and the killing of Louis Leonard in his butchers shop in Derrylin in December of the same year.
These suspicions proved, in part at least, to be well founded: Two British soldiers were subsequently convicted of the murders of Michael Naan and Andrew Murray, while the other members of the patrol were charged with less serious offences.
In total, throughout 'Operation Banner', there were 38 troops killed in Fermanagh - the last deaths being that of Lance-Corporal Michael Paterson, and Private James Houston, killed during an IRA attack on Derryadd checkpoint near Roslea in December 1989.
While the debate will rage on as to whether the British Army played a positive role or not in the resolution of the conflict, there is no doubt that the end of the operation which at its height was four times larger than that currently taking place in Iraq, is a much-welcomed step.
