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'It has taken 50 years for the truth to come out': Ballymurphy families speak out on tragedy after coroner court verdict

Carmel Quinn spoke about her experience after the massacre took place and the 50 years it took for families to be vindicated.

THE SISTER OF John Laverty, who was killed in the Ballymurphy Massacre in 1971, said that the shootings destroyed their lives.

Carmel Quinn, speaking to Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late Show last night, spoke about her experience after the massacre took place and the 50 years it took for families to be vindicated.

“It has taken 50 years for the truth to come out, 50 years for my brother and my neighbors to be vindicated. And that 50 years has destroyed our lives,” said Quinn.

Quinn detailed the time leading up to her brother’s death, where she left Belfast to go to the Kildare army camp, saying that they were made “refugees in our own country”.

Her brother, John, told her that everything would be okay before they left for Kildare, and Quinn says that this was the last time she ever saw him.

The Ballymurphy Massacre occurred between 9 and 11 August 1971, where 10 people were shot and killed in the Ballymurphy area of West Belfast. 

Internment was introduced on 9 August, with scores of people being jailed without trial for being suspected as IRA members.

An inquest by Belfast Coronors Court on Tuesday found that the British Army was responsible for the 10 deaths, of which a mother of eight and a Catholic priest was among.

Apology

Families of those killed in Ballymurphy reacted angrily to a private apology by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill over the phone.

Breige Voyle, who’s mother Joan Connolly was shot and killed by a soldier, rejected the apology and said she wouldn’t think too much of a direct apology by Johnson.

“Now, I wouldn’t think too much of it because realistically he is only being told what to say, he doesn’t care about the people in the north of Ireland, we are just numbers,” said Voyle.

Johnson has since sent a letter to the families, saying that he is “truly sorry” for the events carried out 50 years ago.

With reporting by Gráinne Ní Aodha

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    Mute Mr Bordello
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    May 15th 2021, 1:57 PM

    At least the IRA and even loyalists actually admitted and claimed their atrocities.
    50 years is a disgusting lack of respect to victims from a government.

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    May 15th 2021, 2:12 PM

    @Mr Bordello: Totally agree and Boris Johnson should apologise in the house of commons.

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    Mute Brian Lyons
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    May 15th 2021, 2:18 PM

    @Mr Bordello: the IRA didn’t claim their ‘atrocities’….they admitted they carried out operations … They have never described any of their ‘operations’ as atrocities and they have never apologised for any of them….

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    Mute CASO
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    May 15th 2021, 2:45 PM

    @Brian Lyons: This has nothing to do with the IRA, innocent people were murdered by The British State.

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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    May 15th 2021, 4:25 PM

    @Brian Lyons: that’s his point Brian. The IRA admitted what they did. The British didn’t

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    Mute frank griffin
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    May 15th 2021, 5:32 PM

    @Brian Lyons: yes they have

    15
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    Mute Patrick Daly
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    May 15th 2021, 5:45 PM

    @frank_1916: take off your IRA sinn fein blinkers and do a bit of basic research. Only yesterday,as reported on the journal, Michael Martin called it a massacre but that’s probably inconvenient for your govt bashing.

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    Mute Larry Doherty
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    May 15th 2021, 11:08 PM

    @Mr Bordello: not to mention all the people they killed with plastic bullets, some just children. Some of their files are locked by the British until 2070. I wonder why.

    Francis Rowntree, April 24th 1972 (age 11)
    Tobias Molloy, July 16th 1972 (age 18)
    Thomas Friel, May 17th 1973 (age 21)
    Stephen Geddis, August 30th 1975 (age 10)
    Brian Stewart, October 10th 1976 (age 13)
    Michael Donnelly, August 9th 1980 (age 21)
    Paul Whitters, April 25, 1981 (age 15)
    Julie Livingstone, May 13th 1981 (age 14)
    Carol Ann Kelly, May 22nd 1981 (age 12)
    Henry Duffy, May 22nd 1981 (age 45)
    Nora McCabe, July 9th 1981 (age 30)
    Peter Doherty, July 31st 1981 (age 33)
    Peter McGuinness, August 9th 1981 (age 41)
    Stephen McConomy, April 9th 1982 (age 11)
    John Downes, August 12th 1984 (age 22)
    Keith White, April 14th 1986 (age 20)
    Séamus Duffy, August 11th 1989 (age 15)

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    May 15th 2021, 11:56 PM

    @CASO: He is addressing the comment above, and he is right. Terrorists might claim responsibility, but they never describe anything the do as an atrocity, and they never say they’re sorry because why would they lie?

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    Mute Margaret Kane
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    May 15th 2021, 2:52 PM

    Why does the keyboard warriors feel they have to mention the IRA when it was the BRITS that killed these people

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    Mute Michael Healy
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    May 15th 2021, 2:55 PM

    @Margaret Kane: because too many don’t wanna admit the Brits kill in cold blood, they prefer to deflect and drag the RA into everything

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    Mute frank_1916
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    May 15th 2021, 5:33 PM

    @Margaret Kane: that’s a media thing like mm calling the ballymurphy murders a situation

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    Mute Eamonn Tierney
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    May 15th 2021, 3:55 PM

    Its incredible the Courage these families have shown in getting to the Truth and there Dignified appearance on TV last night

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    Mute joe oneill
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    May 15th 2021, 4:13 PM

    The spineless way sucessive Irish governments treated the families of the Bloody Sunday and Ballymurphy massacres I hold out little hope for the families of those murdered/injured in the Dublin/Monaghan/Cavan bombings that they will receive any form of truth, never mind justice.

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    Mute Larry Doherty
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    May 15th 2021, 11:11 PM

    @joe oneill: aye, I remember Mary Robinson refusing to meet the Ballymurphy families when she was Irish president in case it offended Unionists. What a spineless woman but typical of the Free-state establishment and media. Don’t offend the Unionists. Don’t offend the British. Even when they murder our people. All afraid to shout that the emperor had no clothes and still afraid.

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    Mute frank_1916
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    May 15th 2021, 5:31 PM

    tubertys said on last nights late late show very few people knew about the Ballymurphy murders would that be because @rtenews and most other media outlets turned a blind eye to it!! my opinion is almost everyone knew about it !! #LateLateShow

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    May 15th 2021, 6:57 PM

    @frank_1916: On Lynch’s instructions the media in Ireland stud idly by

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    Mute Anne
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    May 15th 2021, 3:20 PM

    There is a very good documentary on the All4 app. Horrific loss.

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    May 15th 2021, 3:50 PM

    @Anne: Channel 4 done a very good documentary called Massacre at Ballymurphy.

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    Mute Anne
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    May 15th 2021, 3:57 PM

    @Joe Johnson: yes, that’s the one I’m talking about. It was very well made.

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    Mute Dave Byrne
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    May 15th 2021, 4:54 PM

    @Joe Johnson: Yep watched it the other evening bet RTE wouldn’t show it.

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    Mute Brian Shea
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    May 15th 2021, 4:42 PM

    The IRA gave out beatings and shot teenagers in the legs is nothing more than child abuse. The IRA never apologised for any of that. Say what you want but they were children. They bullied their ways into the communities of N Ireland. It’s beyond me how they can justify that as part of their campaign.

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    Mute frank griffin
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    May 15th 2021, 5:34 PM

    @Brian Shea: silly

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    Mute frank_1916
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    May 15th 2021, 5:36 PM

    @Brian Shea: this isn’t about the ira you dope

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    Mute Brian Shea
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    May 15th 2021, 5:43 PM

    @frank_1916: I know it’s about an apology

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    Mute joe oneill
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    May 15th 2021, 7:25 PM

    @Brian Shea: with their communities under siege from the British army and various unionist/loyalist millitas the IRA did not have the time/resources/training to set up and run juvenile detention centres for members of its own communities both young and old.

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    Mute Brian Shea
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    May 15th 2021, 8:07 PM

    @joe oneill: They were children. Teenage children wrapped up in very mixed up society. It’s hard for any adult to condone what would be seen as child abuse of 14 and 15 year olds. What I can see from your comments you support this kind of child abuse.

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    Mute Larry Doherty
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    May 15th 2021, 11:17 PM

    @Brian Shea: any comment on the murder of these children by the British and RUC, Brian??? I bet not, you hypocrite.

    Francis Rowntree, April 24th 1972 (age 11)
    Tobias Molloy, July 16th 1972 (age 18)
    Thomas Friel, May 17th 1973 (age 21)
    Stephen Geddis, August 30th 1975 (age 10)
    Brian Stewart, October 10th 1976 (age 13)
    Michael Donnelly, August 9th 1980 (age 21)
    Paul Whitters, April 25, 1981 (age 15)
    Julie Livingstone, May 13th 1981 (age 14)
    Carol Ann Kelly, May 22nd 1981 (age 12)
    Henry Duffy, May 22nd 1981 (age 45)
    Nora McCabe, July 9th 1981 (age 30)
    Peter Doherty, July 31st 1981 (age 33)
    Peter McGuinness, August 9th 1981 (age 41)
    Stephen McConomy, April 9th 1982 (age 11)
    John Downes, August 12th 1984 (age 22)
    Keith White, April 14th 1986 (age 20)
    Séamus Duffy, August 11th 1989 (age 15)

    9
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    Mute Brian Shea
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    May 15th 2021, 11:43 PM

    @Larry Doherty: Thought this article was about the massacre in Ballymurphy. The Ruc/British forces were wrong absolutely. Daniel Teggart was a victim in the Ballymurphy massacre. His mentally disabled brother Bernard was shot by IRA in 1973. They denied it at the time. It took 31 years for the IRA apologize in 2004. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-34130277

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    Mute On the right side
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    May 15th 2021, 11:44 PM

    @frank_1916: Who were the troops hunting? If the IRA were not hiding amongst the community then this would of not happened, why did the community allow people who murdered innocent people to hide amongst them? People are complaining about Israel killing children in Gaza but where was their condemnation when the IRA blew up innocent children.

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    Mute On the right side
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    May 15th 2021, 11:49 PM

    @joe oneill: The communities welcomed the British Army then the IRA turned the communities against them.

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    Mute joe oneill
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    May 16th 2021, 3:10 AM

    @On the right side: so when people were lining up, begging the IRA for membership it was all the fault of the IRA

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    Mute Larry Doherty
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    May 16th 2021, 2:51 PM

    @On the right side: oh you naïve eejit.

    3
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