17 February 1978: The IRA Bomb the La Mon Hotel and kill 12 people and injure many more in a horrific attack near Belfast Co Down.

The IRA unit had tried to issue a telephone warning but claim that a vandalised phone box and a UDR checkpoint had delayed them.

An incendiary device attached to an outside wall and fueled by the addition of a number of jerrycans caused a devastating explosion that swept through the dining area where guests had taken their seats at a number of functions that were being held there that night.

Many of the killed and injured were young married couples and all were members of the North's Protestant Community.

There was widespread anger and outrage in the wake of the attack and the IRA were forced to apologise for their terrible blunder that cost the lives of so many innocent people.

Even today the relatives of the victims are calling for an inquiry into who exactly gave the orders to go ahead with the attack.

 But with some files listed as 'missing' its unlikely that the exact circumstances behind one of the worst incidents in the 'Troubles' will ever be forthcoming.