On November 21, 1974, bombs exploded at two pubs in Birmingham, England, killing 21 people and injuring over 180. The bombings, which were carried out by the Provisional IRA, were the deadliest terrorist attacks in Britain at the time. The Birmingham pub bombings caused outrage in Britain and led to the introduction of anti-terrorism legislation, including the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The Birmingham pub bombings are a subject of mourning in Irish poetry, with writers lamenting the loss of life and condemning the violence. The attacks are often contrasted with the ideals of the Irish Republic, creating a sense of moral complexity. The poetry of the period reflects the grief and anger of the British public, a theme that would persist in the literature of the Troubles.