Below is piece by myself that featured in an article by Kieran Hughes in the North Belfast News (17th September 2011). Last Thursday (8th September 2011) some of the McGurk’s campaigners visited Stormont to hear what the Police Ombudsman, Al Hutchinson, had to say for himself in front of the Justice Committee. He was answering damning criticisms from …
The families of those killed in the McGurk’s Bar Massacre of December 1971 are to attend today’s hearing of the Assembly Justice Committee at Stormont. The Justice Committee will be questioning the Police Ombudsman, Al Hutchinson following a report by Michael Maguire from the Criminal Justice Inspectorate into the running of the Police Ombudman’s Office. …
Press Release: McGurk’s Families Attend Assembly Justice Committee Read More »
Below is a posting from I first made in July 2010 with relevant news pieces when the Police Ombudsman aborted his first so-called investigatory report into the McGurk’s Bar Massacre. I re-published it today with the release of an historic article by Barry McCaffrey (The Detail and Irish News) regarding an independent review by the Criminal Justice Inspectorate which says the office …
My name is Ciarán MacAirt. I am a grandson of John and Kathleen Irvine. Kitty, as her friends and family called her, was one of fifteen innocent civilians, women, men and children, who were slain in the McGurk’s Bar Massacre, 4th December 1971. Over a dozen injured were lucky to escape with their lives. It …
Belfast Féile and the Ballymurphy Campaigners have given me a great honour: they have kindly asked me to attend and present at an event that they have organized tomorrow: Shared Experience and Dealing With the Past. Also represented with be the families of those killed in the Shankill Bombing and the New Lodge 6. Victims’ groups, VAST and WAVE …
Whilst researching the McGurk’s Bar Massacre within British Governmental and military archives, I discovered secret documents that give a startling insight into how the British élite actually viewed the worsening situation in Northern Ireland in late 1971. Document 1: Central Policy Review Staff (30th September 1971) Sourced from the National Archives, Kew Shocking facts emerge, …
1971: Missed Opportunities and Ceding the Maiden City Read More »
On Saturday past (11th June) the families met to mull over artefacts we have for exhibition and plans to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the McGurk’s Bar Massacre on 4th December 2011. Everything was brought to the table: hand-carved Celtic crosses, opinions, much-loved photographs, old newspaper clippings, concepts and, of course, many, many now-not-so-secret archives. …
Last year the community in the shadow of St. Patrick’s church wished to bestow on us a grand tribute to the lives that were lost in the McGurk’s Bar Massacre of 4th December 1971. They wished to name a street in the newly developed area of Lancaster Street and Great George Street “McGurk’s Walk” in …
We protested the private meeting of the Policing Board on Thursday (2.6.11), delivered a press statement to the waiting press pack and handed over a suitcase to the newly elected Chairman, Brian Rea. It was a suitcase that was loaded with archive evidence and was weighted with symbolism. It represented the suitcase that the RUC fabricated …
Following the publication in February of the Police Ombudsman’s report into the RUC investigation of the McGurk’s Massacre, the Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, rejected key aspects of the Ombudsman’s findings. He tried to suggest that the hurt caused to the families was as a result of ‘confusion’ and was not the direct result of a …
