Another day, another Republican Atrocity goes (conveniently) unremembered...

Evil Genius · July 31, 2012, 03:48:52 PM

This time it's the 40th Anniversary of the Claudy Massacre.

Relatives speak to Claudy bomb suspect

Relatives of those killed in the Claudy bombing of 1972 have spoken to one of the key suspects.

The man spent most of his life in the US and is now living in the Irish Republic. He was identified through intelligence reports as being involved.

Families of the victims say they cannot understand why more is not being done to bring the killers to justice.

(Read more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-19059183 )

For those too young to remember, the Provos murdered 9 entirely innocent people - men, women and children, Protestant, Catholic and Neither - in Claudy in 1972, in a particularly callous and wreckless manner:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudy_bombing

Still, no doubt the "Usual Suspects" will be queueing up to give us their considered thoughts on this matter, as they did in such numbers on the "Bloody ~~Sunday~~ Friday" thread...

AQMP · July 31, 2012, 03:56:45 PM

I remember it well. Gruesome event.

Newbridge Exile · July 31, 2012, 04:04:24 PM

Too young to remember it but there is feature on it in today's Irish News,

camanchero · July 31, 2012, 04:09:24 PM

the cops knew who it was that did it at the time- they told a good few people in the area who were pulled in who it was and that these people were to be blamed for the bombing.
dreadful event. Shouldnt have happened. not sure why claudy was chosen to be honest.

the culprit was never arrested and did not or was not living in america either.
not sure if he is still alive.

While this is a sad event, I'd be careful with point scoring here evil myles- theres at least one member on this board with a relative that was killed in that blast.

Evil Genius · July 31, 2012, 04:36:19 PM

Quote from: camanchero on July 31, 2012, 04:09:24 PMWhile this is a sad event, I'd be careful with point scoring here evil myles- theres at least one member on this board with a relative that was killed in that blast.

Fair enough, though in my defence, my "point" is that it always seems to be atrocities by one side which get commemorated on this Board (and elsewhere), whilst the victims of all the countless other atrocities go unremarked.

So the Board Member bereaved at Claudy should know that he/she (and the other bereaved) are not completely forgotten, nor should their right to justice be ignored at the behest of guilty parties who have since assumed positions of influence.

ziggysego · July 31, 2012, 04:45:13 PM

Fair enough, I can see your point EG.

Claudy was a horrific event and one that should never have happened. I do not know the ins and outs of it, as it was before my time. To me, it's up there was the worst atrocities of the Troubles - Omagh, Bloody Sunday, Bloody Friday, etc.

deiseach · July 31, 2012, 04:46:39 PM

For an atrocity that is "(conveniently) unremembered", it's odd that the BBC has quotes from Martin McGuinness about it.

Checked up about it on Wikipedia. Even by the standards of the Troubles, a brutal business.

Hardy · July 31, 2012, 04:47:16 PM

Which of the horrific events of the Troubles SHOULD have happened?

ziggysego · July 31, 2012, 04:55:17 PM

Quote from: Hardy on July 31, 2012, 04:47:16 PM
Which of the horrific events of the Troubles SHOULD have happened?

Don't be so f**king pedantic

NONE
and quit point scoring.

AQMP · July 31, 2012, 05:03:17 PM

Quote from: deiseach on July 31, 2012, 04:46:39 PM
For an atrocity that is "(conveniently) unremembered", it's odd that the BBC has quotes from Martin McGuinness about it.

Checked up about it on Wikipedia. Even by the standards of the Troubles, a brutal business.

Yes, I seem to remember this was discussed a lot when the accusations against Fr McChesney re-surfaced...about 2 years ago?

Nally Stand · July 31, 2012, 05:07:55 PM

Forgotten? It was one of the most media covered attacks in the past, particularly around Sept/Aug 2010 at the time of the Ombudsman report. Also, on this board where you say it is being forgotten, a quick search shows it is mentioned on 27 threads and has now two threads specifically about it. Starting a thread out of genuine concern is well and good, but so clearly doing it to point score is shameless.

Minder · July 31, 2012, 05:09:22 PM

Quote from: ziggysego on July 31, 2012, 04:45:13 PM
Fair enough, I can see your point EG.

Claudy was a horrific event and one that should never have happened. I do not know the ins and outs of it, as it was before my time. To me, it's up there was the worst atrocities of the Troubles - Omagh, Bloody Sunday, Bloody Friday, etc.

That line has been copyrighted by SF.

Evil Genius · July 31, 2012, 05:18:51 PM

Quote from: deiseach on July 31, 2012, 04:46:39 PM
For an atrocity that is "(conveniently) unremembered", it's odd that the BBC has quotes from Martin McGuinness about it.

I think we may assume that it was the BBC who brought the Anniversary to McGuiness's attention and not the other way round.

And whilst I would like to be able to applaud in his response his (recently-acquired) ability to use terms like "indefensible" and "appalling" etc, I find myself unable when I observe the callous cynicism which follows: "Mr McGuinness, a former IRA leader, said 'all of the families of those who died or were injured deserve and are entitled to the truth about the deaths of their loved ones'.".

That is, if he genuinely believed that the families deserve the truth, then he would tell them all of what he must know about Claudy.

But I don't expect him to do so, anymore than the victims:

No 'hope of Claudy Bombing truth'

REPUBLICANS are waiting for the families of IRA victims to die and can never be trusted to tell the truth, a relative of a Claudy bombing victim has claimed.

On Tuesday, some of the Claudy relatives will mark the 40th anniversary of the atrocity, which claimed the lives of nine people, at the memorial in the Co Londonderry town.

But Gordon Miller, who lost his 60-year-old father David as he went to the aid of those cut down in the first blast, said he would not be attending the memorial and admitted he has given up any hope of justice.

The IRA has never admitted responsibility for the triple bombings.

Speaking to the News Letter, Mr Miller said too many years had passed without answers either from republicans or the police.

"To be honest, it is too late now for us. It's been too long, there will be no justice or truth," he said.

"That is something which we have to face up to now.

"Not for one minute do I think that Sinn Fein or Martin McGuinness will ever tell the truth. They cannot be trusted.

"What they want is for people like myself to die off, so that they never have to face up to what they did. There are a few relatives of Claudy who have already passed away.

"The IRA has never even admitted responsibility, so how can you ever expect to find who was involved in the bombing? It is never going to happen."
(Read more at http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/no-hope-of-claudy-bombing-truth-1-4108824 )

Hardy · July 31, 2012, 05:31:41 PM

Quote from: ziggysego on July 31, 2012, 04:55:17 PM
Quote from: Hardy on July 31, 2012, 04:47:16 PM
Which of the horrific events of the Troubles SHOULD have happened?

Don't be so f**king pedantic

NONE
and quit point scoring.

Calm down, Ziggy.

I wasn't being pedantic and definitely not point scoring. I was being irritated at one of the most annoying clichés of the troubles (as used on this occasion) and one of the most nauseating, mealy-mouthed cop-outs when used as a way of avoiding condemning atrocities committed by one's "own" side (as I accept you weren't doing).

deiseach · July 31, 2012, 05:37:23 PM

Quote from: Evil Genius on July 31, 2012, 05:18:51 PMI think we may assume that it was the BBC who brought the Anniversary to McGuiness's attention and not the other way round.

So you don't want it 'remembered', you want it rubbed in the face of Martin McGuinness et al. If it were down to you the killing would still be going on in Northern Ireland.

You can say what you like from this point on. I'm done with you.