Every year since the Madrid bombings in 2004 across Europe one day in March has been set aside as a Memorial Day to the victims of terrorist attacks. Prior to the election of Jim Allister to the Assembly this event had never been marked at Stormont. However, the TUV leader rectified this situation and has hosted six highly successful events attended by victims of Republican and Loyalist terrorism from across Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Republic and continental Europe.
Mr Allister is again hosting an event in the Long Gallery in Parliament Buildings at 10.30am for 11am on Tuesday 6th March 2018.
Jim Allister explained:
“The event will take the form of a minute of silence in memory of murdered victims, followed by three victims telling their stories so that we might hear some of the untold accounts of the consequences of terrorism, both republican and loyalist. It is anticipated the event will run for approximately 45 minutes from 11am.
“Following a break for lunch we will have the official launch of an exhibition of memorial quilts. These have been provided by groups across Northern Ireland and each patch in the quilts commemorates an innocent victim of terrorism. This is the first time these have been displayed in Stormont.
“I believe this will be a worthwhile effort and in previous years I received very positive feedback from those who attended. It is but right that one of the regions of Europe most savagely ravaged by terrorism should mark this important day.
“With so-called legacy issues a central part of political debate at the current time and republic efforts to rewrite the past in overdrive I believe it is important that the voice of innocent victims is heard directly. This makes this year’s event all the more important.”
Those taking part this year by telling their stories are:
Anthony and Marie O’Reilly
Anthony’s sister Geraldine aged 15 years was one of two teenagers to be murdered in an unclaimed loyalist terrorist bomb which struck the border village of Belturbet, County Cavan on 28th December 1972. The O’Reilly family were local to the area. Patrick Stanley was also murdered in the explosion, aged 16 years and from County Offaly.
Anthony was with his sister in the town that evening, having brought her in for chips. He suffered survivor’s guilt for a long period of time and his health suffered a downward spiral with the onslaught of alcoholism, depression and other mental health related illness. In more recent years the bomb has finally been officially recognised through the positioning of a memorial in the town celebrating the youthfulness of the two young people slaughtered. No one has ever been brought to justice for this act of terrorism.
Rajaa Berezag
Rajaa’s father Zaoui was left severely physically injured as a result of the Canary Wharf bombing in London in 1996. This was an action carried out by the South Armagh wing of the Provisional IRA.
The bomb left Zaoui seriously brain damaged with his life forever changed along with that of his family. Two men were murdered in the attack, John Jeffries and Inam Bashir. Zaoui’s wife Gemma passed away 18 months ago through sheer exhaustion after being his core carer for 20 years. Daughter Rajaa has assumed the role of carer to Zaoui and looks after his affairs. Zaoui is aged now and needing complex health and social care and his daughter battles with these issues day and daily.
Paul Donley
Paul Donley joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary in April 1981. In 1984 while serving on the border he was injured in a landmine explosion causing injuries to his spine, which would eventually result in his early retirement in 2003.
From South Armagh he was transferred to Andersonstown/Woodbourne in 1984. During his time there he was involved in several other terrorist incidents and witnessed many others. He was one of the first police officers to arrive at the two corporals’ murders and subsequently had to watch the helicopter footage repeatedly to identify the offenders.
During the 10 days leading up to that he was with an army foot patrol in the Turflodge when the army shot and wounded an IRA terrorist as he attempted to shot a member of the patrol. He then administered first aid to him.
Promoted in 1992 into the Drugs Squad/CID serving in the Belfast region. He was successful in the recovery of drugs, weapons and the arrest of some terrorists. Because of this he was targeted in 2000 and had an under-car booby trap placed on his vehicle despite there being a so called ceasefire. Thankfully it didn’t fully detonate. He now helps out with other disabled police officers.