20 years on...never forget Loughinisland

brokencrossbar1 · June 18, 2014, 01:36:38 PM

I can vividly remember this when it happened. Like the people in Loughinisland I was sitting in my local having pints and watching Houghton score that goal. At the time we were in a complete lock down in Cross as the barracks was being renovated due to the repeated damage it had suffered from a campaign of barrack buster bombs and there was a ring of steel around the town. As I live a few miles outside the town I had to endure the constant searching of the car etc. The pub were in was actually effectively under armed guard as there was a company of Scots Guards buried in holes around the main road, including my back garden and there was one actually 10 yards from the front door of the pub. When Houghton scored we all were well pissed and start goading them and doing a congo around them but they actually were cheering Ireland on and were delighted as England were at the WC that year and Scotland were!!

As we drank reports started filtering through on the grapevine that something had happened. There was a deathly feeling in the pub as in many ways it could just as easily have been us. Were the pub was located, given what was known, even at that stage, of suspected collusion, to us we could just have as easily been the target. It still makes me shiver when I think of it.

Never forget...RIP Adrian Rogan, Malcolm Jenkinson, Barney Greene, Daniel McCreanor, Patrick O'Hare and Eamon Byrne.

AZOffaly · June 18, 2014, 01:39:55 PM

Well said, and RIP to the victims.

AQMP · June 18, 2014, 02:05:05 PM

Good post bc.

muppet · June 18, 2014, 02:16:38 PM

Good post.

2 years ago on this day the Irish soccer team wore black armbands as a mark of respect to the victims with the support of the FAI & UEFA.

Ulick · June 18, 2014, 02:25:06 PM

One of the survivors was on Good Morning Ulster this morning:

Fast forward to 1:38:30 at the following link to hear him being interviewed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0460vy2

He reads a bit from his diary at the end. Very poignant.

macdanger2 · June 18, 2014, 02:25:58 PM

RIP

Rossfan · June 18, 2014, 02:55:21 PM

Quote from: AZOffaly on June 18, 2014, 01:39:55 PM
Well said, and RIP to the victims.

+1.

armaghniac · June 18, 2014, 03:29:11 PM

Fortunately this is less likely to happen here these days.
Elsewhere evil people have the same idea
http://www.36ng.com.ng/news/boko-haram-militants-attack-football-viewing-center-during-brazil-vs-mexico-soccer-match-in-yobe/

ziggysego · June 18, 2014, 04:27:54 PM

20 years ago? Time really is moving along at a quick pace.

I remember this day, as if it was only a few years ago. It was one of the few times that the troubles truly terrified me. Not that I am in anyway a brave lad or such, but that we had become so used to seeing attacks and murders on the television on a daily occurance. This one really became etched in my mind.

A truly dark day in our troubled history.

RIP.

All of a Sludden · June 18, 2014, 05:45:58 PM

We were just talking about this earlier, hard to believe it is twenty years ago. Like everyone else I was at the pub watching the Ireland beat the Italians, the joy quickly turned to horror when the news came through about the events in Loughinisland.

Heartbreaking story on the BBC website http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-27899485

orangeman · June 18, 2014, 05:50:40 PM

Yet another landmark. Thankfully things like this don't happen anymore. RIP

Carmen Stateside · June 18, 2014, 06:03:48 PM

ESPN 30 for 30 on it.

http://youtu.be/2lnWWQaHeeg

Puckoon · June 18, 2014, 06:30:32 PM

Very sad viewing there. Hard to believe its 20 years ago. RIP

T Fearon · June 18, 2014, 08:37:06 PM

Remember it vividly,took the shine off the victory.Also remember Down beating Monaghan in Armagh next day,in front of a very sombre crowd almost in complete silence.

Hard to think the ceasefires were only a few months away.Remember another atrocity shortly before when loyalists shot an 18 year old catholic schoolboy in an amusement arcade in Armagh city.Desperate times

Tony Baloney · June 18, 2014, 10:49:37 PM

Quote from: T Fearon link.msg1365368#msg1365368 date=1403120226
Remember it vividly,took the shine off the victory.Also remember Down beating Monaghan in Armagh next day,in front of a very sombre crowd almost in complete silence.

Hard to think the ceasefires were only a few months away.Remember another atrocity shortly before when loyalists shot an 18 year old catholic schoolboy in an amusement arcade in Armagh city.Desperate times

There was an anniversary match for Gavin McShane in Keady a couple of weeks ago.

Good post BC. I was in the throes of A Levels at the time and remember being in my granny's house watching the match when the news came through. Remember watching the Mexico match the following week in Ballycastle with all my class after the exams finished and someone mentioning that it could have been any pub.