On September 22, 1989, the Provisional IRA bombed the Royal Marines School of Music at Deal Barracks in Kent, England, killing 11 musicians and injuring 22. The bombing was a significant attack on the British mainland and demonstrated the IRA's ability to strike outside Northern Ireland. The Deal Barracks bombing was a shock to the British public and led to increased security measures.

The Deal Barracks bombing is a subject of mourning in Irish poetry, with writers lamenting the loss of life and condemning the violence. The attack is often contrasted with the ideals of peace, creating a sense of tragedy. The poetry of the period reflects the grief and anger of the community, a theme that would persist in the literature of the Troubles.