Kieran Conway describes apology over Birmingham pub bombings as ‘courageous’

Mr Conway, now a solicitor in Dublin, ran the IRA’s intelligence operation until 1975. Mr Hayes told the BBC that he took “collective responsibility” for the IRA’s actions in England.

But he did not mention the names of the bombers who placed the devices in the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pubs in Birmingham on November 21, 1974 as doing so would make him an informer, he said.

Mr Conway told The Irish Times: “With the inquest coming up and hearing the feelings of the relatives he probably felt that he could perhaps say something that could help them in some small way.”

The inquests have been reopened after a four-decade campaign by the families of the victims.

Sir Peter Thornton, former chief coroner of England and Wales, said the suspects will not be investigated or named as part of the hearings, prompting the families to denounce the inquest as a “whitewash”.

Sir Peter said naming the bombers is not “in the public interest for these investigations and inquests to pursue unachievable, or indeed unlawful objectives”.

However, he did say evidence on whether West Midlands Police had twice been tipped off about possible attacks would be accepted.