COMMON BOND

'Hooded Man,' Joe Clarke, who was buried a fortnight ago with full republican honours, once saved the life of a police officer whom the Irish Republican Army (Provisionals) were about to kill.

Adrian Ringland, whose son Trevor played rugby for Ireland, was based in Andersonstown, Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) station in west Belfast when the Provisionals planned to shoot him on his way to work.

But Mr Clarke, who as a teenage mechanic had serviced the policeman’s car just before the Troubles erupted, was tormented when he learned of the murder plot. He let his friend know, via a third party, that his life was in imminent danger.

“It’s a remarkable story of personal friendship triumphing over politics and hate,” recalls a source familiar with what happened. Decades later, Mr Ringland would personally thank the republican who saved his life.

“Joe was an apprentice mechanic in a garage in west Belfast where Adrian, who was then based in Springfield Road RUC station, would bring his car to be serviced. This was in the run-up to the outbreak of the Troubles before relations between nationalists and the police really deteriorated.

“Adrian was an easy-going, big guy. There wasn’t an ounce of bigotry in him. He and Joe would chat away when he brought in his car, and a friendship developed between the two of them."

“They shared a big love of cars. They grew to know and like each other.”

The source says Mr Clarke became involved in the republican movement at the age of 18.He was arrested by (British Army) paratroopers at his Beechmount home at 4.30am when internment was introduced on August 9, 1971.He was held with dozens of others from Belfast in Girdwood Barracks where he was interrogated, beaten and kicked in the genitals over the next two days.

Then, he and three other young Belfast men were separated from the rest of the internees.They were handcuffed together, hooded, put in a helicopter and flown to a specially constructed torture centre in Ballykelly army base, although they didn’t know where they were at the time.

Mr Clarke — then aged 19 — was one of 14 internees selected to be human guinea pigs. They were clad in over-sized boiler suits. They were made to continually stand spread-eagled against a wall; deprived of sleep, food and water; and subjected to white noise. They weren’t allowed to use a toilet and were forced to urinate and defecate in the boiler suits.

After a week, Mr Clarke was released to Crumlin Road jail. He was later moved to Long Kesh where he was held for three years without charge. On release, he rejoined the IRA. The source says: “Adrian Ringland rose through the ranks of the RUC. He was based in Andersonstown police station from the mid-1970s where he was deputy sub-divisional commander.

“Joe learnt of a plot to kill Adrian. He was deeply troubled about it because of their personal relationship. He couldn’t handle it, he was tormented about what to do.”

The source says Mr Clarke made contact with a public servant he trusted who was asked to pass on a warning from him personally to Mr Ringland. “On the basis of that, Adrian changed the way he travelled to work and thwarted the attack. He knew that he owed his life to Joe Clarke,” the source adds.

Years later, after the IRA ceasefire, contact between the two men was re-established. Mr Clarke spoke on the telephone to a member of the Ringland family. A visit to the now retired policeman’s home in Co Antrim was arranged. “Joe put on his best suit and drove down to Adrian’s home,” the source says. “Adrian was cutting the hedge at the front of the house. It was very emotional for them both as Joe walked towards him.

“They spent a long time talking inside and it was the first of several visits they had together. To this day, Adrian is grateful for what Joe Clarke did for him. “It was a real hands-across-the-divide gesture which showed Joe’s humanity. He was a committed republican, but when he thought of Adrian he saw more than the uniform.”

Mr Ringland, who is now aged 86, ended his career as divisional commander in Strandtown RUC station in east Belfast. His son Trevor was capped 31 times for Ireland and scored nine tries in a seven-year international career during the 1980s.

A solicitor, he ran unsuccessfully for the Ulster Unionists in the 2010 Westminster election but resigned from the party four months later after an argument with then leader, Tom Elliott over the GAA. Mr Elliott said he had no interest in attending Gaelic games, but the former rugby international said unionists must reach out to the nationalist community.

Father-of-five Mr Clarke (71) died of cancer earlier this month. A decade ago, he won ￡10m in the Euromillions lottery. His coffin – draped in the tricolour with a black beret and gloves on top – was accompanied to Milltown Cemetery by a republican guard of honour. Credit: Suzanne Breen, Irish Independent.

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