Remembrance: Enniskillen 1987…
There’s not much to add to this piece by Diana Rusk recalling the events in Enniskillen twenty years ago this week, except to note the names of those who died…
There were three married couples – Wesley Armstrong (62) and wife Bertha (55), Billy Mullan (74) and wife Agnes (73), Kit Johnston (71) and wife Jessie (62).The others who died were Sammy Gault (49), Ted Armstrong (52), Johnny Megaw (67), Alberta Quinton (72) and the youngest victim, Marie Wilson (20).
A 12th person, Ronnie Hill, who slipped into a coma days after the explosion, never woke up and died almost 14 years later.
I for one welcome the fact and “PeaceandJustice” (sic) and other hatemongers post what they do, because it does remind us, as Billy P. pointed out, that those who hate, encourage hatred and indeed, cannot remember without hating, still exist.
The rest of us, who came through what they came through (possibly more)need to be vigilant to the influence of their hatred – we can remember – and not hate.
I think it was our current First Minister (of whom I am no fan), who said it was those who suffered least during the Troubles that resented so much his entering powersharing and who found the current (imperfect) peace so intolerable.
Some posts so moving. A truly terrible day. Hope tomorrow’s service can provide some solace.
Is it true that there is no memorial to these people who were murdered?
The “the Dail debate of November 10, 1987″ is a great link, Nevin.
In the debate in that link, the leader of the Worker’s Pary, Tomás Mac Giolla, has showed devastating insight into the tactics of the Provisional IRA and why they chose Enniskillen, fully intending to murder all and sundry in attendance at that ceremony:
“Since they were established 17 years ago their aim has been to have a full scale sectarian civil war in the north. Sunday’s appalling carnage bore this out. There should be no doubt whatever now as to the objectives of the Provisionals. The bomb attack in Enniskillen was designed not just to inflict the greatest possible number of casualties among innocent civilians but to promote the greatest possible outrage among the Protestant population. It was designed to kill Protestants and to enrage the general Protestant population.
It would be hard to think of a more provocative outrage than an attack on people who were engaged in what was primarily a religious service to commemorate their dead, in this case the dead of two world wars. Those who planted the bomb must have been aware that it would not just cause devastation and death but would create pressure among the Loyalists paramilitaries for retaliation. That is the hope of those who perpetrated that deed.
As I said last week, the Provisionals have always relied for their influence among Catholics on creating an atmosphere where they can masquerade as the defenders of the Catholic community. They are hoping, therefore, for attacks and retaliation by Protestant paramilitaries so that they can be seen to defend the Catholic community. Time after time they have gone out and engaged in vile sectarian murders knowing that they would provoke a reaction from the paramilitaries leading to more fear and more terror in Catholic areas and leading people to believe that they needed the Provos to protect them.
…
If anyone is in any doubt that the Provos’ aim is civil war, and that their attack on Sunday was quite consistent with that objective, I would refer them to an interview with a representative of the Provisional IRA in Hot Press magazine in December 1986. The interview, for some reason, received little notice in the general press or media at the time nor has it been quoted since. I believe it is one of the most revealing ever given about the aims and objectives of the Provisionals. During that interview the representative of the Provisional IRA said he considered all people who collaborate with the British forces to be legitimate targets. In response to the interviewer asking: “Are you saying that it would be better to have an all-out civil war?â€, the spokesman said, “yesâ€. It was quite clear from these sentiments that the warped Provisional mind would see those who had turned out to commemorate the dead of two world wars as collaborators, and therefore legitimate targets.”
At the time I was a prison officer at the Maze, a day or so after the bombing I was watching the local news through the grille at a dining room containing republicians, the coverage about the bombing came on, one of them said something glib, I couldn’t hear what it was, anyway the rest of the prisoners glared at him and walked out of the dining room and went to their cells, clearly they knew it was a huge blunder
Joe
I stand to be corrected on this, but my belief is that the War Memorial was re-created after the explosion. I think there is a photo of it on my Flickr site, where there were doves added to the new monument in memory of those who died.
Can I add my expression of sympathy to those that have gone before me here, and add that this was one more senseless and needless atrocity, and one that will only heap shame on the history of this land
http://www.flickr.com/photos/missfitz/1232222804/
There’s a link to a photo of the Memorial I took during the summer
Thanks missfitz.
Billy Pilgrim (or is it Brian Feeney)- “As for P&J, your attitude sadly demonstrates how the kind of sectarian hatred that fuelled our forty years of madness is still with us”
My post said that Republican posters on here are normally calling for justice – but not in the case of Enniskillen – FACT
Although Sinn Fein IRA lost some political support in Fermanagh after the bombing, their vote returned – FACT
There are a number of Roman Catholic priests whose media statements throughout the ‘Troubles’ have been Sinn Fein IRA friendly despite SF IRA murders – FACT
Republicans on here are always talking about justice, a truth process etc. Yet they ask Unionists to move on, not stay in the past etc. I’ll watch out for future posts by ‘I wonder…’ and ‘Billy Pilgrim’ – I trust they are not “hatemongers” blaming the police for everything, asking for justice, a truth process, staying in the past.
Despite a campaign of murder, torture and ethnic cleansing, the Unionist people of Fermanagh didn’t retaliate. And their Christian forgiveness after the Sinn Fein IRA attack in 1987 is to be admired by everyone.
That’s right Miss Fitz.
http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/commemoration/leonard/leonard97.htm
I seem to remember that one of the doves was sawn off by someone a good while ago and later returned. Am I imagining this? The ridiculously named Clinton Centre and Higher Bridges Project in Belmore and East Bridge Street was also designed by Richard Pierce and as far as I know intended to frame the memorial and act as a living monument in the context of the Higher Bridges building once having been an Orange hall and the Clinton Centre on the site of the Reading Rooms destroyed in the bomb. I’m not sure either building has served this purpose but having something productive and useful there is better than what was there previously.
Rapunsel, if you go to that Flickr site, I also have a photo of the Clinton centre…. the ‘O’ is hanging precariously, and needless to say I thought that was a good metaphor for the whole set up. It is a dark and unfortunate building and its only saving grace is that it is meant to be energy efficient.
P&J
It’s interesting that you didn’t actually disagree with what I said – you simply threatened to carry out some sort of stakeout on me, in the hope that soon enough I’ll say something that, in your warped perception, will equate to your hateful remarks.
(For example that if I, say, was to criticise the RUC, it’d be equivalent to your saying: “would it surprise people if some of their priests were involved?”)
As I say, interesting that you didn’t disagree with what I said – simply vowed to find a pretext for arguing that I’m every bit as hate-warped as you are.
Ulsterfan
“Billy I do indeed want my children to remember the evil act carried out that day.”
I suppose the nub of the issue is, exactly why do you want them to remember? What’s the motivation?
For example, I notice that you didn’t say you want those who died to be remembered – you want the “evil act” to be remembered.
So I go back to the question: why must we ensure our children never forget that “evil act”? Is this about nursing a grievance, indeed passing that grievance down through generations? Because if that’s what it’s about, it seems like we’d certainly be teaching our children to fear – and where there’s fear, there’s usually loathing.
You say: “We can remember without retaining hatred,” and indeed we can, it is possible, but how can you make sure you strike that balance? Do you think it’s important to strike that balance, or do you not mind if they hate, as long as they remember?
What would you rather: that your children remember and hate, or that they forget?
Not trying to put you on the spot here Ulsterfan. I just think these are important questions for all of us as we try to deal with the legacy of the 40 years of madness from which we are emerging.
Its interesting that the article says that it is unlikely that there will be any commemoration of the Enniskillen atrocity after this year.
I think that is unlikely for many reasons. While it is correct that many of those immediately affected will no longer be with us, it is also true that unless we remember these evil acts, it is always possible that they will be repeated.
I think that we remember both the act as well as commemorate the dead. Remembering is a moral act, and increasingly one that takes courage
Billy
I don’t understand why you question what I post when there is no ambiguity on my part.
If we don’t remember what is the alternative?—-to forget.
My motive is to recall the evil act which was carried out so that this is never repeated.
Of course there is no guarantee of this which makes it all the more important that we should work together to create a society which makes such acts impossible to commit.
I hope I have no hatred for any man but I am entitled to despise or hate barbarism and atrocities when these take place. Would you have it any other way?
I want my children to know the difference between right and wrong and to treat everyone with respect regardless of class, creed or race as we are all equal.
I did mention that those who were killed and injured should have a fitting memorial.
This horrible incident is a stark reminder of how much change has taken place.
People are capable of such things. I hope it never again seems appropriate to any one to ever do such a thing ever again.
The pious contributions on here from Unionist contributers is truly sickening, a community that spawned the most sadistic and savage sectarian murderers, a community which pays homage to ‘Bomber’ Harris, one of the biggest mass murderers of civilians as somone to be venerated.
In war things happen that are wrong, Enniskillen was one of this things. But of course since it was the IRA’s work (you know the organisation that is mentioned in the bible as the apotheosis of evil!) then of course for some of the contributors here that means the wrong-doing is elevated to a degree above all else.
Join me in writing… The killing of any civilians in any conflict is wrong, whatever the circumstances. Prove your Christian standard.
Maybe not so much change in some quarters, Kevster:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7084552.stm
No doubt ‘oh yeah’ will be applying to join the perpetrators if his comments above are to be believed.
Paul
Strongly disagree
Now join with me “The killing of anyone is wrong”.
Source of Authority “the ten commandments”.
Strongly disagree
Now join with me “The killing of anyone is wrongâ€.
Source of Authority “the ten commandmentsâ€.
Posted by ulsterfan on Nov 08, 2007 @ 09:53 AM
Ulsterfan, first of all I’m atheist and as such the Ten Commandments are no source of authority for me. That aside I do try to keep to a moral code which isn’t too far removed from some of the Commandments. Can you say with conviction, that the killing of IRA volunteers is wrong? Or will you like the rest of us offer some justification for SOME actions?
Oh yeah is a well known troll.
Just ignore him. He hates that.
Paul.
I have already answered your question by saying I believe all killing is wrong.
Please dont shift the debate on to the level of a just war.
Men (philosophers and clerics) have been arguing this for the past two hundred years and I don’t wish to get involved.
No one person has the right to kill another person
Paul.
I have already answered your question by saying I believe all killing is wrong.
Please dont shift the debate on to the level of a just war.
Men (philosophers and clerics) have been arguing this for the past two hundred years and I don’t wish to get involved.
No one person has the right to kill another person
Ulsterfan, i stand corrected. You live on a higher moral plain than most.
The Enniskillen bombing is of course iconic. It must, however, be seen in the context of the overall campaign by the IRA. Before Enniskillen we had Kingsmills and Darkley, afterwards we had Teebane. That of course ignores many many others.
I suspect that Enniskillen has a particular resonance as it was at a service and the international notority it generated.
Of course it was a political failure for the Republican movement. I would be inclined to strongly agree that the purpose of the attack was to create a blacklash by Loyalists and produce an esclation in sectarian violence. Had loyalsis produced the desired effect the IRA would have suceeded. Of course by their own terms they also suceeded on a more minor level by killing Protestants. The Pettigo attack simply demonstrates that there was an attempt 20 years ago to produce an extremely serious esclation in sectarian violence. We must all be very grateful that their sucess was less limited.
I do not fully accept Paisley’s position about those most opposed being those who lost least. This is a good debating point for a politician but is beneath him as a Christian leader. He knows full well that many who lost loved ones or were injured are very against the current dispensation. It is also reasonable to opppose the current dispensation as foolish and politically misguided without having suffered. The implication is that those opposed to the new arrangements would seek to go back to violence which is utterly specious and unfair. That is to begin to go down the road of to accepting the validity of the terrorist campaigns since one is implying that if the current arrangements were endeed the IRA would “have” to go back to violence.
Billy Pilgrim,
I think it is fair for people to remember not only the victims but also the prepatrators and their evil. To forget any of this would be wrong. In fairness to Billy Pilgrim, I have disagreed very sharply with him in the past but I do believe that he is genuninely opposed to violence. For him to come on here is not unreasonable. I was going to suggest that the cheerleaders, apologists, excusers and fellow travellers have stayed away (and I do not put Billy Pilgrim in those categories) but I see they may be appearing after all.
“Remembering is a moral act, and increasingly one that takes courage”.
I really hope you are wrong, missfitz.
It would depress me no end to think that anyone would be afraid to publicly “remember”
joeCanuck,
Remembering the past can be portrayed as perpetutating the hatred and conflict of the past. That this is not the case; and that remembering the past is necessary is a position which may be begining to be seen as somehow worng.
Of course there is the danger that remembering the past may make people ask whether or not the present state of affairs is really that acceptable, just or even moral. That position could, however, reveal and hence undermine the Faustian pact which is our political arrangements and the house built on sand which has been the whole “peace process”. Hence, the need “move on” and forget the past and those who suffered and of course have the implicit condemnation of those who commerate; let alone the very explicit condemnation of those who reject the process and where it has brought us.
Turgon
Thankyou for your kind words. It’s nice to think that two people like you and I, who hold such strongly opposed political views, can vouch for one another’s bona fides.
Ulsterfan
I’m sorry if my post came across as provocative, and perhaps it might seem like this is not the thread to have this debate, but I am very interested in the issue of HOW we remember what we have come through. I think it is very important that we DO remember our tragic recent history, the terrible things that people did to each other and the suffering that people endured. But I’m very concerned that we should do so in a way that does not pass on resentment and animosity to future generations.
Question is, how do we strike that balance? I don’t know, but I do know that we can find that balance as long as people like you and I and people of goodwill are prepared to talk about it. Hard, I know, but it’s my opinion that the best memorial we can give to the people who died at Enniskillen, and all the others too, is to make sure these things never happen again.
That means we decommission hatred (for Enniskillen surely was an act of hatred). And that requires us to take the long view, in terms of how we remember.
“…which makes it all the more important that we should work together to create a society which makes such acts impossible to commit.”
I totally agree with this. The question, of course, is how we create such a society. We’ll be having that debate for years to come.
“I hope I have no hatred for any man but I am entitled to despise or hate barbarism and atrocities when these take place. Would you have it any other way?”
Of course I can understand how you feel. I feel the same way about Enniskillen and other atrocities. But yes, there IS another way. Gordon Wilson’s way. I often fall short, but for me, that man set the standard for us all. By God he was a heroic figure.
I must say I had forgotten that there was a joint attack planned with Enniskillen. I suppose God (should She exist) couldn’t, after all, be in 2 places at the one time.
Its blood curdling enough what happened, let alone what was planned to happenn.
OAPs AND kids.
Nice article on BBC about the service.
Doon
When god painted Ireland,
He used watercolours
Smudging the dun, sodden landscape
With occasional sunshine
This wringing wet romance
Seeps down through quiet graveyards
To feed the lonely streams
Where soldiers drank
Scanning the heather ridges riddled
With possibilities of sudden death
I looked down from there
Through the shining, murderous hillocks
Is that where all this water goes?
Washing the clay clean to Enniskillen
Its a pity spilled blood
Can’t be got rid of as quickly
In remembrance of those innocent victims of terrorism 20 years ago today.
I have just wtached the documentary about Enniskillen on the BBC and defy anyone to do so and not be moved by the events of 1987 and the reaction of those involved to them.
Clearly this was a deliberate attempt to target the ultimate victims of the attack by local Provos who must have known who would be caught up in such an explosion but who ultimately did their cause more harm than any other event in the Troubles.
At the time I was a teenager with little personal knowledge of Enniskillen or municipal services of remembrance but I can remember as a Christian finding Gordon Wilson’s statement that he bore those responsible no ill will awe inspiring.
Twenty years later with a greater knowledge of Enniskillen and the significance to those who attend of such services of remembrance particularly in garrison towns like Enniskillen and with some knowledge of those who were injured and killed and their families and indeed in the case of Girdon Wilson as the father of a daughter who is the apple of my eye although not as old as Marie I find the actions of the bombers even more distasteful and the reaction of all those interviewed on tonights programme even more incredible than I did.
There may be revisionists who will post here who will deny the aim of the bombers was to achieve what they did – the weight of the evidence is against them in the same way that such attacks were the exception rather than the rule but evidence of an undercurrent of naked sectarianism in the republican movement the only answered question being how deep it went and how fast it ran.
I know that although other attacks were more deadly than Enniskillen few impacted on the wider unionist community more and but for the words of Gordon Wilson there would have been a more than equal and opposite reaction from so called loyalists and that he was therefore directly or indirectly responsible for saving numerous lives. I can’t watch that interview without the hairs on the back of my neck standing up and wondering could I have done the same – I still doubt it.
I think at least though even if I had disgareed I would not have written to him and his family to tell them so!
Twenty years is a long time to be orphaned or bereaved in any other way and others have been without one or more parents in NI for nearly double that on both sides over a quarrel whatever its rights and wrongs that was not and is not worth one life.
This has been, in the main, a lovely thread!