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During 1996, police stormed a London home and arrested Michael Gallagher accused of Irish Republican Army involvement. His girlfriend, an university lecturer focused in scientific research, was stunned and outraged.

She could not believe that her romantic partner – a former civil servant who helped those in need – could be involved with the IRA. He had even amazed her by finishing a difficult puzzle in merely three minutes.

Court Case

Gallagher was indicted with working to assist Irish republicans fire bombings at a key transport hub in the mid-1990s. Although these attacks led to no casualties, they produced widespread disruption.

She gathered money and campaign assistance to assert her boyfriend's innocence. Despite these efforts, Gallagher was found guilty of conspiring to cause explosions and was given a two-decade prison sentence.

Aside from a handful of others, I barely tell anyone,” she said. “It was nothing I was happy about because he had misled me.”

The Confession

Currently, roughly 30 years later, the partners are still in a relationship and have jointly authored a publication that reveals Gallagher was, in fact, involved.

Gallagher had been an IRA fixer who supported several actions, including the 1994 mortar launch. Gallagher concealed the facts from his partner and just revealed subsequent to his guilty verdict, making her shocked.

Post-Release

Following his freedom under the conditions of the Northern Ireland settlement, the couple relocated to a remote area and established a digital company, which they still operate.

Their book, called Unbroken: Hidden Facts, Deceit and Relationship, alternates narratives between the two and delays the revelation of Gallagher's involvement until post his conviction.

I am certain Gallagher isn’t a bad individual, he’s a truly decent individual,” she remarked. “Merely failed to prioritize me, and it is unclear if I view it as disloyalty. He didn’t intend it.”

Background and Relationship

The couple first encountered each other in 1985 through organizations that backed UK mining strikers and protested against racial segregation.

She, from the West Midlands, held a advanced degree in mathematical physics. He, a Glaswegian, was an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic.

He had family connections to Northern Ireland and did tasks for republican groups, arranging housing, transport and identification for activists in the UK.

Truth Emerges

He kept secret his involvement from Attenborough, who favored Irish unification but disapproved of violent tactics.

I had given a pledge to the organization and a commitment to Mary and I thought I was getting away with it – that I was able to do both,” Gallagher said.

Law enforcement recognized him as a individual under investigation who had entered a warehouse with traces of bomb-making materials. They watched his movements and eavesdropped on the residence for a lengthy period, culminating in the pre-dawn raid at their London residence on 28 October 1996.

Consequences and Thoughts

For 16 months – throughout her meetings in jail and the court case in February 1998 – he kept his involvement.

I could not inform her because had I told her then, she must have to notify my sister: ‘Do not trouble yourselves arranging sureties for Michael because he admitted it,’” Gallagher explained. “That was truly an awful period.”

The chance of escaping conviction maintained his false story until the jury found him guilty. Soon afterward, when she met with him to mention plans for an appeal, he confided his involvement.

Initially, I didn’t even know if to believe him,” Attenborough remembered. “I wondered, then, whose story of the reality was correct?”

Emotionally shaken, she considered terminating the partnership, but in future encounters she took Gallagher’s explanations and rationalised his secret actions.

Clearly I disapproved with his participation with the IRA. Yet, it was not a leading position that he performed.”

Final Revelations

While the creation of their publication, Gallagher shared another past deception to his companion: when he rapidly solved the crossword in her copy of the Guardian, he had previously done it in another edition.