The twenty third anniversary of Northern Ireland’s second Bloody Sunday is fast approaching, when, on 8th November 1987, the IRA murdered 13 people (Ronnie Hill died after 13 years in a coma following the bomb) by detonating a bomb in Enniskillen’s Catholic Church reading rooms. The News Letter is reporting that the Historical Enquiries Team is poised to present its report on the murders. Stephen Gault, the son of one of those murdered, who is also leading the campaign to restore the plaque in the fire station to the victims, told the News Letter:
“It (the HET report) doesn’t look very good – we are not hopeful of any prosecutions.”
Mr. Gault has launched a campaign for a public inquiry into the Remembrance Sunday bomb:
“They (the government) tend to lead inquiries into other atrocities and tend to forget about events such as Enniskillen, Teebane and so on,”
“It may not come to anything but at least we are creating awareness. Quite a few other victims of the Enniskillen bomb have signed up to it, so at least we know they are supportive.”
Mr Gault also expressed anger that deputy first minister Martin McGuinness is due to receive a peace award from a charity in the Republic next month.
He said the timing of the presentation ceremony – on November 11 – was “very hurtful”.
“The IRA were responsible for one of the worst atrocities of the Troubles and coming on the time of the anniversary is a kick in the
teeth for victims.”
The joint award has also been conferred on first minister Peter Robinson by the Wicklow-based Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. Mr Gault hopes the DUP leader will not attend “out of respect”.
This author has not written a biography and will not be writing one.
