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A GROUP FOR victims of violence related to Northern Ireland has called for a memorial to commemorate two members of the Irish security forces killed by the IRA during a rescue mission 40 years ago.
On December 16, 1983, Private Patrick Kelly and garda recruit Gary Sheehan were killed in Derrada Wood, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, during an operation to rescue Quinnsworth supermarket executive Don Tidey, who had been kidnapped for 23 days in Dublin.
The South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) said the Irish State was “rocked when two of its security force members were brutally murdered” during the operation.
SEFF’s director Kenny Donaldson said: “To this day, no-one has been held accountable for stealing away the lives of Recruit Garda Gary Sheehan and Pte Patrick Kelly.”
Tidey exited the ordeal physically unharmed.
Donaldson added: “There has been a wall of silence surrounding the atrocity which took place in Derrada Wood outside Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.”
He added: “It is nothing short of shameful that the case was all but airbrushed from wider public consciousness but through the efforts of the family in recent years to raise the profile of what happened, coupled with the new publication ‘Kidnapped’ by Tommy Conlon and Ronan McGreevy, there exists fresh impetus to finally place focus on something which most wished would just go away.
“We have been privileged to support the Kelly family and the Sheehans are also known to the organisation.
“It is absolutely essential that all that can be done is done to bring to account those responsible for the heinous murders of two young men, much loved and cherished by their families and others.
“It is also important that immediate steps are taken to commemorate the men; a memorial should and must be sited within Ballinamore village but also an appropriate acknowledgement made at the scene of the crime, at Derrada Wood.
“We stand willing to support others in ensuring that this is expedited at the earliest possible occasion, 40 years is long enough for families to wait for acknowledgement and recognition. The State should and must honour its own – men of courage, men of honour.”
Dublin Monaghan bombing biggest death toll in all the troubles nothing has been ever done with it British state collusion
@Darragh Mcnamara: if you have evidence of collusion please report it to the police, north or south
@SF Means Sh!t 4 Free: Don’t you remember the Dublin / Monaghan Bombings ???? should we forget about them , The slaughter of the innocent.
@jim delaney: of course they don’t count. These boys have put so much time and effort into there particular party that they’ll pretend there wasn’t a war in the north of the country. It’s the FFG bury the head in the sand attitude
@jim delaney: ever wondered beer why you have webbed feet you inbred subhuman
Remember there’s a party leader who considers these murders as “justified”. Servants of the State were fair game as the IRA tried to raise money to pay dictators in the Middle East for semtex and other instruments of ‘liberation’. Thankfully those days are behind us now. Some of these liberators are now gainfully employed in the North claiming eye-watering sums of expense cash from the British government.
The money was always the most important bit. Tiocfaidh ar lolly lads!
I note McDonald has pulled the handbrake on immigration in a bid to win back support. These guys would say mass to get a vote.
@honey badger: yeah, it’s pathetic really
@honey badger: Spot on. Many of today’s voters either don’t know or don’t care about these events and the people behind them. They need to be fully informed!
@honey badger: take a day off, man.
@honey badger: where to begin with your comment. I get you dislike SF just as I do but they live rent free in your head and even I’m willing to take a chance on them to remove the stale individuals in power not representing the working class of the country. Now I understand the risks with SF but consider them far less than the current shower. It’s time we become a bit more mature about politics in this country.
@honey badger: it always amazes me how people forget how our own state came to be. How practically any civilised state came to be since the dawn of time
@Mic JHintl: I wouldn’t like to take a chance on them,never mind their fiscal ignorance,can you imagine the damage they would do internationally…expelling ambassadors left right and center and their unwavering support of Hamas and the like.Everyone will be like ‘ah,the political wing of a terrorist organisation that is in power in Ireland are siding with other terrorist nations’….you don’t come back from that easily.
@John Terry: But its ok to come back from FF bankrupting the country by implementing FF/FG agreed austerity measures which puts untold hardship on the Irish taxpayer? I see you are a big believer in fairness John.
@David Corrigan: Yes,ff were in charge when their was a worldwide banking collapse,and yes they played a large part….so did builders/developers/estate agents and lots of others but the people of Ireland who lost the run of themselves (obviously not all them)but lots did have as much to blame……I also firmly believe if any other political party had have been in charge it would have been just as bad.I’ve never voted for ff in my life and I’ve no time for them.
@David Corrigan: I remember distinctly during the boom sf were screaming across the dail to spend as ‘we are awash with money’….to increase spending in every field…so you think it would have been different if they were in charge.I bet we would have been in a worse situation.
@John Terry: You and all your multiple personality national front aliases should concentrate on your own country instead of trolling Irish news sites, lol.
@John Terry: I fully agree with you. All opposition parties were screaming for more spending. My point is that our politicians need to do a lot better than they have done and are doing. They need to protect the people and the state a lot better.
All your points are correct also.
@John Terry: Spot on there , the Army Council will still be making the decisions, The loo and her sidekicks will be told what to do and say .
@John Terry: your assertion that SF give “unwavering support for HAMAS” is false and easily contradicted by reading their statements condemning the Hamas attack on civilians. When you must resort to false accusations it only shows that your position is weak and untenable.
Sf are an absolute disgrace
@David Corrigan: You mean, saving the country from the consequences of the $600 Billion bankruptcy of Leamans Brothers Bank.
@David Corrigan: I agree totally,i honestly don’t know who I’d vote for if there was an election…..terrible state of affairs.
@John Terry: What an idiotic comment. What you’re saying is that it doesn’t matter who’s in charge, it’s always someone else’s fault when things go wrong. You might remember FG running election campaigns on the basis that FF wrecked the country, or you might not. You might remember FG forgetting about that and getting into bed with FF, or you might not. And you might yet see SF taking over, and things might then go down the toilet, but it will be somebody else’s fault, won’t it? Won’t it?
@Pat Kelly: relax pat.
@Pat Kelly: I do recall Fianna Fail’s chief saying live on camera three years ago that FF would never enter into a coalition with Fine Gael because FG had had caused the housing crisis, or the time he denied that our banks were bailed out. Then there was Enda Kenny saying it was immoral to tax a persons home. We were also told that USC was a short term emergency austerity tax. Finally when will Leo be punished for leaking confidential documents?
@John Terry: John I’m surprised you’ve reared your head again after being called out on your misinformation yesterday. Can you please provide the sources to your wildly untrue claims that FFG don’t massage the homeless figures in the South compared to the north. I’m still providing mine that proved your telling lies on behalf of your party. See journal fact-check homeless numbers v south. Man up and admit you were being very very untruthful and making up “facts” to suit your weird agendas
@Martin Mongan: Stop stalking me with your untruths…..we all know homeless numbers in the north are as bad if not worse down here.
@John Terry: and we also know that in the north ALL 13 recognised criteria of homelessness is used to calculate those numbers. Whereas FFG allow only 3 of that criteria in south, thereby distorting the true numbers of homelessness greatly.
@John Terry: completely untrue John because you still haven’t provided sources that you are yet you share. You can’t say “we all know” yet provide nothing to prove it. I’ve posted my proof every time and you’ve yet to. Why spread lies? What do you have to gain from it? Your dishonesty is there for all to see so you’ve clearly a motive to lie. Wonder what that is
@John Terry: fiscal ignorance? Sweet Jeebus. Can i ask abour the current fiscal ignorance employed by the current government. With the amount of money available to them and still nothing works. Thats real fiscal ignorance & blank cheques for hospital builds. You must have yourself well fooled if you think there is fiscal responsibility currently.
@Mic JHintl: John won’t answer you question he’s paid to spread misinformation. I thought he was just misinformed but after providing sources to him multiple times to show he was wrong he just doubles down and then won’t respond which suggests to me he’s personally invested in spreading lies online
@Frank Cauldhame: and Jerry wasn’t in the IRA
@John Terry: Funny way to answer a question, John. But then it would appear from other comments here that you post a lot of drot and don’t offer much in the way of serious discussion. Why don’t you take a break and come back when you get past pre-school?
@Murray peter: no, but his brother was in youngsters
There is a plaque in Custume Barracks Athlone, ar the entrance to Kelly Square which itself, is dedicated to Pte Kelly. Rip.
@Jon Doesn’t: we need a monument to the hero Jerry mc cabe who’s murders the shinner vermin gave a standing ovation to. Absolute subhumans and never let them forget
@Murray peter: that was vile, Peter, absolutely sickening, anyone with a moral compass wouldn’t even think about voting for that toxic party
@Boris Blank: Jeez what a muppet, post with one account and then answer yourself with another, total waster
@Seanie: pipe down now, pipe down
@Boris Blank: Strange that you didn’t deny it. Sad person.
@Seanie: not of normal criminal element
I remember the shock and revulsion there was throughout the country when these two men were murdered in the line of duty. An appropriate memorial should have been in place at the site long before now.
@William Tallon: absolutely grotesque what SF/IRA did to those wonderful young men. A vote for SF celebrates those murders
Nice to see SF dog whistling the far right re immigration. What a party.
@Alan: They must have seen all the opinion polls and joined the rest of us (75%)
@Alan: they are beyond pathetic at this stage
@Murray peter: and beyond help!
@Boris Blank: south Armagh cocaine
It also criticised the Fine Gael/Labour government of the time for its inaction and lack of interest in the bombings.[4] The report said it was likely that British security force personnel or MI5 intelligence was involved(Dublin, Monaghan bombings) for fg cheerleaders
Mary Toilet knows that immigration is hemorrhaging their support
Why not
Irish Palestinian in Gaza, a terrorist lover, don’t bring him, let him rot.
@BanIslam.: hear hear
@BanIslam.: You’re confused.
@BanIslam.: and links to prove what you are saying
Getting harder and harder to distinguish SFIRA from the early German National Socialists.
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