The Ballymurphy Massacre 1971

[Angelo]

I know some had a cut across Angelo earlier in the thread but he is absolutely right about the lack of knowledge of this massacre in the minds of many. This was a massacre, an unadulterated massacre. The MSM in the south routinely bring out the names of Jean McConville, the treatment of Maria Cahill and the death of Paul Quinn but I have rarely, if ever, heard much support for the families of the Ballymurphy victims. I'll be honest it is part of the revisionism of history of the Troubles that sickens me. The lack of empathy and understanding from many quarters of what happened up here is astounding. I think about it now and then and realise what we grew up in and think how could someone a few miles down the road dismiss it?  And they did as I often found out as a teenager playing schools football and being called an orange, Nordie, Brit bastard.

The hierarchy of victims in the eyes of the media sickens my hole. The British army murder 11 innocent people nearly 50 years ago. Each one who pulled a trigger that day and each commanding officer over them is guilty of a war crime and should be tried accordingly. I would love to hear my fellow 'Irish men' call that out

110% correct. Will never be justice for the innocent.

That's all well and good to point fingers at scummy free staters  but at what time in history was the Ballymurphy massacre recognised as a massacre? I heard a news report on RTE this morning that the 'family victims' came together almost by accident when attending a Forgotten Victims event,  part of the West Belfast festival  in 1998  and they only connected  the similarities and timing of the murders when one by one  each of the families gave account of the murders.  Up to that point the murdered were stigmatised as being IRA members, including a priest on his way to render last rites to one of the murdered.
And from that time onwards the campaign for justice began in earnest.
If one is to talk about justice, what is the first major step in that process for for a family?  to have the murdered cleared of all stigma and declared  not just innocent but murdered in cold blood?

Maybe from 1998 people could have started seeing it for what it was?  It was always a state sponsored killing spree, the naming of it is irrelevant.

Your response simply backs up what is often said. No where did I mention 'scummy free staters' but I will categorically point the finger at the fact that I personally was treated differently by people who were born on the same island as me, who purport to have the same ideological or at least a similar ideology to me in that we perceive ourselves to all be Irish, yet there is either and antipathy or worse still in the case of some, a downright dislike for nationalist/republicans from the north. Successive governments have continued to tip their hats to London when it comes to atrocities in the north, and the south when you consider the Monaghan and Dublin bombings, yet people in the MSM simply point the fingers at SF and castigate them.

Today is another example of how ordinary, normal people in this small pet of our island were targeted by state sponsored killers. They committed war crimes and should face sanctions as a result. They won't. Does that sit well with you and should the Irish government support citizens of this island that they would hope to one day rule, or are they happy to leave us to our own devices like they have done for the last 100 years?

Great post.

You go over to the Indo thread and you see it so explicitly from the likes of Rossfan, Hound, Clonadmad and Mouview.

The same chaps are happy to defend those who committed sectarian murder in their name but want to lecture others then on similar incidents.

[Hound]

So, since the ten people killed were entirely innocent, that means state forces were entirely guilty.

So, this is only the beginning. Those who murdered them are guilty, and need to face court/sentencing.

But, like Bloody Sunday, I won't be holding my breath for that.

The Coroner seems to have done a superb job. Pulled no punches. Obscene massacre.

[Rossfan]

No doubt orders from on high to shoot on sight!

[brokencrossbar1]

Listen to radio Ulster now. Families speaking. Heart wrenching

[GJL]

I know some had a cut across Angelo earlier in the thread but he is absolutely right about the lack of knowledge of this massacre in the minds of many. This was a massacre, an unadulterated massacre. The MSM in the south routinely bring out the names of Jean McConville, the treatment of Maria Cahill and the death of Paul Quinn but I have rarely, if ever, heard much support for the families of the Ballymurphy victims. I'll be honest it is part of the revisionism of history of the Troubles that sickens me. The lack of empathy and understanding from many quarters of what happened up here is astounding. I think about it now and then and realise what we grew up in and think how could someone a few miles down the road dismiss it?  And they did as I often found out as a teenager playing schools football and being called an orange, Nordie, Brit bastard.

The hierarchy of victims in the eyes of the media sickens my hole. The British army murder 11 innocent people nearly 50 years ago. Each one who pulled a trigger that day and each commanding officer over them is guilty of a war crime and should be tried accordingly. I would love to hear my fellow 'Irish men' call that out

Great post. The dismissive comments from unionism and supporters of British forces is one thing but from fellow Irish people is very saddening.

[J70]

The f**king Parachute Regiment according to an Irish Times piece.

Wonder how many of the same boys were in Derry on Bloody Sunday?

[Dire Ear]

I know some had a cut across Angelo earlier in the thread but he is absolutely right about the lack of knowledge of this massacre in the minds of many. This was a massacre, an unadulterated massacre. The MSM in the south routinely bring out the names of Jean McConville, the treatment of Maria Cahill and the death of Paul Quinn but I have rarely, if ever, heard much support for the families of the Ballymurphy victims. I'll be honest it is part of the revisionism of history of the Troubles that sickens me. The lack of empathy and understanding from many quarters of what happened up here is astounding. I think about it now and then and realise what we grew up in and think how could someone a few miles down the road dismiss it?  And they did as I often found out as a teenager playing schools football and being called an orange, Nordie, Brit bastard.

The hierarchy of victims in the eyes of the media sickens my hole. The British army murder 11 innocent people nearly 50 years ago. Each one who pulled a trigger that day and each commanding officer over them is guilty of a war crime and should be tried accordingly. I would love to hear my fellow 'Irish men' call that out

Great post. The dismissive comments from unionism and supporters of British forces is one thing but from fellow Irish people is very saddening.

Absolutely 💯

[Itchy]

At least its out there in the open now, gutless cowardly British soldiers sniping and "murdering" innocent civilian is the reality of what happened. What incredible people the families of the victims are, who kept going to get to where we are today. I hope they take millions of the brits in civil cases now.

[An Watcher]

This is not a surprise, irrespective of what happened today everyone knows these people were innocent. At least people around the world will now know the truth. What is almost worse than the shootings is the treatment these people received in the immediate aftermath. Disgusting behaviour that some of the relatives mentioned today. This from what was supposed to be one of the greatest armies in the world. I think not, hang your head in shame.

[tiempo]

Listening to sport radio in England earlier, of course they just had to say "killed when the army were involved in a gun battle with the IRA" ... scumbags of the highest order

[smelmoth]

Listening to sport radio in England earlier, of course they just had to say "killed when the army were involved in a gun battle with the IRA" ... scumbags of the highest order

What station was that? Dreadful and should be reported.

[smelmoth]

Today shows the value of proper public inquiries. Criminal trials are going to be near impossible even before the proposed legislation gets passed but no reason why more of this type of inquiry can't be progressed whilst there is still time

[BarryBreensBandage]

I know some had a cut across Angelo earlier in the thread but he is absolutely right about the lack of knowledge of this massacre in the minds of many. This was a massacre, an unadulterated massacre. The MSM in the south routinely bring out the names of Jean McConville, the treatment of Maria Cahill and the death of Paul Quinn but I have rarely, if ever, heard much support for the families of the Ballymurphy victims. I'll be honest it is part of the revisionism of history of the Troubles that sickens me. The lack of empathy and understanding from many quarters of what happened up here is astounding. I think about it now and then and realise what we grew up in and think how could someone a few miles down the road dismiss it?  And they did as I often found out as a teenager playing schools football and being called an orange, Nordie, Brit bastard.

The hierarchy of victims in the eyes of the media sickens my hole. The British army murder 11 innocent people nearly 50 years ago. Each one who pulled a trigger that day and each commanding officer over them is guilty of a war crime and should be tried accordingly. I would love to hear my fellow 'Irish men' call that out

Great post. The dismissive comments from unionism and supporters of British forces is one thing but from fellow Irish people is very saddening.

Absolutely 💯

A few great posts this last couple of pages BCB. Fair play.

[balladmaker]

I know some had a cut across Angelo earlier in the thread but he is absolutely right about the lack of knowledge of this massacre in the minds of many. This was a massacre, an unadulterated massacre. The MSM in the south routinely bring out the names of Jean McConville, the treatment of Maria Cahill and the death of Paul Quinn but I have rarely, if ever, heard much support for the families of the Ballymurphy victims. I'll be honest it is part of the revisionism of history of the Troubles that sickens me. The lack of empathy and understanding from many quarters of what happened up here is astounding. I think about it now and then and realise what we grew up in and think how could someone a few miles down the road dismiss it?  And they did as I often found out as a teenager playing schools football and being called an orange, Nordie, Brit bastard.

The hierarchy of victims in the eyes of the media sickens my hole. The British army murder 11 innocent people nearly 50 years ago. Each one who pulled a trigger that day and each commanding officer over them is guilty of a war crime and should be tried accordingly. I would love to hear my fellow 'Irish men' call that out

Great post. The dismissive comments from unionism and supporters of British forces is one thing but from fellow Irish people is very saddening.

Absolutely 💯

A few great posts this last couple of pages BCB. Fair play.

As we now apparently have three identities on this island now, Irish, British and Northern Irish ... I'd add a fourth as well i.e. the Irish British ... like it or not folks there are some in the south who are swayed by British media, are anti-northern, who deny the nationalist struggle in the north, who have anti-northern sentiments towards nationalists from the north.  I received that same treatment from a minority, of supposedly well educated people whilst working in the south .... snide northern comments were never far away.  So when it comes to showing support for a northern massacre, that is just too much to ask of some south of the border, and many of whom are in the political elite.  It does not suit the FF/FG narrative to proactively reference British atrocities in the north, nor does it suit the national broadcaster to be doing so ... oh no, we can't be highlighting that, no smoke without fire, they surely weren't shot for no reason .... they should hang their heads in shame!

[trailer]

It was powerful to see Colum Eastwood read the names of the victims in the HOC yesterday and state that they were entirely innocent.