A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held this weekend to mark the 50^th anniversary of the Guildford pub bombings.

The Holy Trinity Church in Guilford is hosting the service to remember the four soldiers and a civilian who were killed in the attack on 5 October, 1974 at the Horse and Groom pub.

The Guildford Four and Maguire Seven were wrongly convicted of the attacks in one of the UK’s biggest miscarriages of justice.

An IRA cell later claimed responsibility.

One of the first investigations carried out by a new body tasked with probing outstanding cases from the Troubles will be into the 1974 Guildford pub bombings.

The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information (ICRIR), which has been newly set up to investigate cases from the Troubles, will probe the atrocity at the Horse and Groom pub.

Another bomb detonated 30 minutes later at the Seven Stars pub in Guildford.

The service marking the bombing will begin at 11.30am tomorrow and will include representatives of the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association, the Scots Guards Association and members of the public.

Rector Canon Simon Butler said: “This is an important moment of commemoration and remembrance in the life of both the families of those who were killed and the wider Guildford community.

“We are honoured to be able to host this special service which will both look back at the terrible events of that night, to honour those who died and those who continue to suffer as a result, and to provide an opportunity for our town, and the wider community of those affected, to dedicate ourselves to work together for peace, justice and reconciliation.”

Guildford Four and Maguire Seven

The Guildford Four were wrongly jailed for murder in 1975, with the Maguire Seven convicted on explosives charges the following year.

The Guildford Four were released in 1989, while the Maguire Seven had their convictions quashed in 1991.

Gerry Conlon, the first of the Guildford Four to be freed, with his sisters Bridie Brennan and Ann McKernan outside the Old Bailey in London in 1989 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The Maguire Seven all served their sentences, apart from Giuseppe Conlon who died in prison in 1980, before the Court of Appeal overturned the convictions.

Anne Maguire, who was awarded a Papal medal from the Catholic Church for her ability to forgive the miscarriage of justice which saw her imprisoned, was a sister-in-law of Guiseppe Conlon.

(l-r) Anne Maguire, her husband Patrick, son Patrick and Sean Smith outside the High Court in London for the first day of the preliminary hearing into the Maguire Seven case in 1991 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Giuseppe had travelled to England to assist his son Gerry Conlon, one of the Guildford Four, when he was wrongly arrested on explosives charges as part of the Maguire Seven.

Daniel Day-Lewis starred as Gerry Conlon in Jim Sheridan’s 1993 film about the Guildford Four titled In the Name of the Father.

President Michael D Higgins said “we hold in our thoughts the five people who died, the bereaved families left behind whose lives have been marked by grief, and the many injured who continue to bear the scars of that savage act of violence”.

He expressed “solidarity with those affected by this appalling atrocity” and added: “Let us take this moment of remembrance to reaffirm our commitment to peace and our support to the families of victims and survivors of the Troubles as we continue the important work of addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.”