The Murder of Seamus Ludlow in County Louth, May 1976. Towards a public inquiry?

Latest:  Revised: June 03, 2006.

2 June 2006: See journalist  Michael McHugh's report Ludlow murder report to be finished in four weeks in today's Belfast Telegraph.

 The Belfast Telegraph report includes comments from Jimmy Sharkey, a nephew of the late Seamus Ludlow.

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4 May 2006: The Assistant Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan met with members of the Ludlow family in Dundalk today. The meeting took place in the offices of the Ludlow family's solicitor James McGuill. 

The meeting follows from the Final Report of the Joint Oireachtas Sub-Committee examining the Barron Report which recommended a reopening of the investigation into the murder of Seamus Ludlow just over thirty years ago on 2 May 1976.

See report in The Argus, 10 May 2065: Ludlows met Asst. Cmmr.

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2 May 2006: Members of the Ludlow family travelled to Belfast today to support fellow campaigners An Fhírinne launch a new website designed to help highlight and compile accounts of state collusion in murders in Ireland over the past 35 years.

 Members of An Fhirinne kindly supported the Ludlow family by coming to Dundalk for Seamus Ludlow's fresh inquest in September 2005. Their presence at Dundalk Courthouse was deeply appreciated on that occasion.

An Fhírinne unveiled details of their new site at the Rodaí Mac Corlaí Club in west Belfast.

The group, which was set up four years ago, hopes that the initiative will prompt more relatives to come forward with information about the deaths of their loved ones where there has been evidence of collusion.

An Fhírinne believes that state-sponsored murder was a formal, politically sanctioned tactic by the British government and that the security apparatus established to facilitate this still exists today.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and other relatives of collusion victims addressed today’s gathering.

See report in Daily Ireland, 3 May 2006. The report focuses on the case of Seamus Ludlow, and Mrs Eileen Fox, a sister of Seamus, is pictured with Mr Gerry Adams.

An Fhirinne's website can be found at: http://www.anfhirinne.org/ 

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2 May 2006:

No major events were organised for this sad landmark in the Ludlow family's struggle for truth and justice. It has been a day for sad reflection and remembrance of a loved one who was taken by cruelly heartless killers all those years ago.

The anniversary was marked by Sky News Ireland which sent a reporter and camera man to Dundalk to interview members of the wider Ludlow family circle as they remembered Seamus. The anniversary was featured on Sky News Ireland's news programme later in the evening.

See: The Newry Democrat, 2 April 2006: A 30-year search for the truth

The Argus (Dundalk), 3 May 2006: Looking back on yesteryear 30 years ago

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12 April 2006: Read the following article from today's Daily Ireland:

BOMB PLOT IGNORED  Former IRA man says gardaí didn’t act on his tip-off that loyalists were on a ‘dry-run’ for attack on Dublin Airport Justice group calls for probe into claims man warned authorities of Dublin airport bomb plot two months before loyalist attack ‘Gardaí ignored tip-off about airport bomb’

This headline and article refers to a sensational claim that Belfast man Pat Livingstone tipped off the Garda about a planned loyalist UDA bombing outrage at Dublin airport in September 1975. 

Disturbingly, the Garda ignored Mr Livingstone's valuable information and the chance to prevent tragedy was missed. The UDA attack went ahead on 29 November 1975 -  injuring nine people and killing father of three John Hayes.

Mr Livingstone recently emerged to reveal that he had been interrogated by RUC detectives at Dundalk Garda station in 1975. 

This was in stark conflict with information given to Mr Justice Henry Barron, when he was inquiring into the murder of Seamus Ludlow in May 1976 and the failure of gardai to go north to question four loyalist suspects in 1979. The event described by Mr Livingstone could never have occurred, according to information given to Justice Barron.

Gardai told Justice Barron that officers could not go north to question suspects in 1979 because this would set a precedent and lead to RUC requests to come south! 

The RUC interrogation of Mr Livingstone in 1975 was later confirmed by the Garda, following a request by the Oireachtas Committee hearing on the murder of Seamus Ludlow.

Click here to read Mr Livingstone's latest revelations in Daily Ireland of the Garda failure to combat loyalist murder gangs during the 1970s>>>.

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5 April 2006: For a detailed overview of the publication of the Oireachtas Justice Sub-Committee's Report on the murder of Seamus Ludlow, and an excellent account of evidence heard at its seven public hearings, read these reports from the weekly Dundalk nespaper The Argus:

Ludlow family still seek a public inquiry into Seamus' murder

Senior officer to re-examine files in the case

The sub-committee had the gravest of concerns about thre role collusion played

Credit given to the family for their continued search for justice over 30 years

Former detective said they kept an open mind

 New evidence emerged that Gardai went north to interview suspects

 Committee's deep concern over missing documents

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4 April 2006: See these reports from The Irish Daily Mail: Ludlow was tragic victim of a loyalist gang's blunder; and The Irish Sun: 30-year murder mystery:

These reports cite an unidentified senior garda source and claim that Seamus Ludlow was a victim of mistaken identity - that he was mistaken for an IRA man whom the loyalist death squad wanted to kill. 

It is also claimed that the RUC knew of the killers' identities within days of the murder being committed. If this is true, then the RUC/PSNI has serious questions to answer! Why did the RUC hold onto this information until 1979 before handing it over the the Garda? Why did the RUC allow this gang to remain free and at liberty to kill again? It is believed that members of this gang were involved in at least two further killings in the months following the murder of Seamus Ludlow.

The claim that Seamus Ludlow was a victim of mistaken identity is nothing new! This claim has been in circulatuion in the Dundalk area for many years. Even while the Garda were telling members of the Ludlow family that the IRA were responsible for this foul murder, they were also telling a known republican in Dundalk that he was the real target of SAS or loyalist killers on the night in question! The supposed intended victim, now deceased, came to believe what the Garda told him. 

However, the Ludlow family is now aware that the loyalist death squad was searching for another republican target! This real intended victim is now also deceased.

It now appears that the Garda are trying to put life into an old rumour that proved to be false, at least in terms of the identity of the target!

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31 March 2006: Jane Winter, Director of the eminent human rights group British Irish Rights Watch, London, commented on recent developments in the Seamus Ludlow case in her monthly Director's Report:

no public inquiry for seamus ludlow

The Joint Committee of the Oireachtas on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women’s Rights published its final report on the murder in 1976 of Seamus Ludlow on 28^th March 2006.  Disappointingly, though entirely predictably, the Joint Committee has not recommended a public inquiry into this case, in which serving soldiers from Northern Ireland came over the border and murdered a wholly innocent man, but a Commission of Investigation, which will take pace behind closed doors and will not involve the family, who have campaigned for justice for so long.  The Committee has also recommended a complete re-investigation of the murder by An Garda Síochána, the Irish police, and that a Historical Enquiries Team be established in Ireland to mirror its northern counterpart

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30 March 2006: Reacting quickly to recommendations in the Oireachtas report on the murder of Seamus Ludlow, Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy appointed an as yet unnamed officer to mount a new investigation into the murder of Seamus Ludlow. The new investigation will  re-examine all of the investigation files held by the Garda.

In a brief statement, the Garda said the unnamed officer would "reinvestigate where appropriate all avenues of inquiry, with a view to bringing those responsible for this outragreous crime to justice".

The Garda officer leading the investigation will report to Assistant Commissioner, National Support Services, Martin Callinan. The investigation will require cooperation from the PSNI.

See the following press reports of this new development:

The Irish Daily Mail, 31 March 2006: Probe into shooting of forest worker 30 years ago

The Irish News, 31 March 2006: Ludlow murder appointment

The Irish Times, 31 March 2006: Senior garda to reopen 1976 Ludlow murder case

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29 March 2006: The editor of the local Dundalk El Paso Times website commented on the outcome of the Oireachtas Committee's report on the murder of Seamus Ludlow:

The headline above is an accurate assessment of the latest development.

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29 March 2006: The Final Report of the Oireachtas sub-committee on the Barron Report into the murder of Seamus Ludlow has been published in Dublin by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights.

The Ludlow family had hoped that the oireachtas joint sub-committee would call for a public inquiry, but such hopes were dashed by a report that instead called for a"commission of inquiry" pursuaint to the Commissions of Investigations Act 2004. 

Another private inquiry, albeit one with powers to compel attendance of witnesses, powers of entry, and powers to order the discovery and/or the inspection of documents. 

Although it can conduct its investigation in public, where it coinsiders it proper to do so, this is still a private inquiry where the Ludlow family will be denied an active role in aiding the inquiry. The Ludlow family will have no oversight or access to the evidence and witnesses seen by the inquiry. See the Ludlow family press release issued in response to this disturbing outcome of the Joint Oireachtas Committee hearings.

In summary, the Report's recommendations include:

1. That it should be the express policy of the Sate that, no matter how turbulent the times, the investigation into the murder of a citizen of the State should never be sacrificed for any reason.

2. That all murder investigations should be conducted with the utmost vigour and that every avenue of investigation is pursued.

On the conduct of the investigation, the Gardai are to put in place specific measures, in line with the Criminal Justice Bill 2004, to ensure that relevant material collected at crime scenes is preserved and documented and that there is an appropriate auditing and oversight mechanism. 

These recommendations, though welcome, come thirty years too late for the family of Seamus Ludlow who must accept that vital physical evidence: the murdered man's clothing, two of the fatal bullets and some alleged finger-print evidence has been lost or destroyed! These recommendation can only now be helpful to future cases and, if acted upon, should ensure that never again should a murdered person's family have to experience the shameful treatment that was the lot of the Ludlow family!

A commission of investigation (not a public inquiry) be established to investigate the following:

1. Whether the evidence collected at the scene of the murder of Seamus Ludlow in 1976 was available in 1979 and if not, why not?

2. Why were credible leads given to the Gardai by the RUC not followed up?

3. Why were the four named suspects not interviewed?

4. Was there a policy in existence not to interview suspects in the North for crimes committed in the Republic of Ireland?

5. Was a decision taken not to actively pursue the investigation of the murder of Seamus Ludlow and if so, who took that decision and why?

Regarding the possibility of reopening the murder investigation, the Oireachtas sub-committee' Report further recommends:

1. That all mechanisms be fully utilised by the Gardai to liaise with the PSNI in respect of the investigation into the murder of Seamus Ludlow.

2. That the Garda Commissioner appoint a dedicated team of Gardai to re-examine the case in a pro-active manner, to see if there is any possibility of bringing any or all of the four suspectds to justice.

3. That the authorities make full use of all statutory mutual assistance mechanisms and protocols available so that what occurred in the Seamus Ludlow investigation will never happen again.

4. That a Historical Enquiries Team be established in the Republic of Ireland to investigate unresolved crimes connected with the Troubles and that it have a particular remit to liaise with its counterpart in Northern Ireland.

With regard to the disturbing elements of missing documents or of relevant garda files never brought into existence the Report goes on to recommend a commission of investigation (not a public inquiry) be established to investigate the following:

1. What documents were created or maintained by An Garda Siochana including security intelligence C3 section in relation to the murder of Seamus Ludlow?

2. Where are those documents?

3. If those documents are not available for inspection what is the reason for this?

4. What documents were created or maintained by the Department of Jusatice (and Departments of An Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and Defence, in respect of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Security), in relation to the murder of Seamus Ludlow?

5. Where are those documents?

6. If those documents are not available for inspection what is the reason for this?

On the important issue of collusion the sub-committee commented that it felt the following issues are important:

1. How and in what circumstances did the Northern Ireland Authorities receive early information on the suspects in the Ludlow murder?

2. Why did the RUC not expeditiously pass on relevant information regarding suspects in relation to the murder of Seamus Ludlow?

3. Why and in what circumstances was Kevin Donegan (brother-in-law of Seamus Ludlow) interviewed by the British Army on the day following the funeral?

These recommendations appear to miss the important point that this sorry case indicates evidence also of collusion between the Garda and the Irish State with the loyalist/UDR killers of Seamus Ludlow.

See these press reports:

The Irish Independent: Family slate 'hypocrisy' over inquiry into killing

The Irish Times, 30 March 2006: Committee calls for Ludlow killing inquiry

The Irish Times, 30 March 2006: More questions than answers in Ludlow killing

The Irish Times, 30 March 2006:  Oireachtas inquiry: findings

Daily Ireland, 31 March 2006: Garda/RUC ‘co-operation on cover-up’

The Irish News, 31 March 2006: Ludlow murder appointment

Daily Ireland, 31 March 2006: Garda/RUC ‘co-operation on cover-up’

Daily Ireland, 'Letters To The Editor', 3 April 2006: RUC/Garda co-operation ensured partition

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24 February 2006: See today's Belfast Telegraph for report of interview with Jimmy Sharkey regarding proposed contact with the DPP in Dublin: Ludlow family seek answers over dropping of charges

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22 February 2006:  See today's issue of The Argus (Dundalk) for article headlined: Publication of Barron Report delayed to try and give names where it is claimed there will be a further delay in the publication of the fourth Barron Report into the murderous Dundalk bombing of 19 December 1975. 

The families of the late Jack Rooney and Hugh Watters, who were killed by the no-warning loyalist car bombing of Kay's Tavern public house in Crowe Street, Dundalk, have been waiting for three years for publication of this Barron Report. 

According to The Argus, publication is being delayed because Mr Justice Barron is seeking authority to include the names of the alleged perpetrators of this attack on the people of Dundalk.

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21 February 2006: Today was the final day of open hearings before the Oireachtas sub-committee on Justice, inquiring into the murder of Seamus Ludlow. Several members of the extended Ludlow family - including some who had travelled to Dublin for every session - were in attendance as the family's legal representatives solicitor James McGuill and barristers Deirdre Murphy and Eamon Coffey, made final submissions to the sub-committee.

Also present was Maura McKeever, whose late father Mr Jack Rooney was one of two victims of the Dundalk bombing of 19 December 1975.

Addressing the sub-committee, barrister Deirdre Murphy said it was unlikely that those who were behind the murder of Seamus Ludlow would ever be brought to justice.

She said: "They (the family) know that it is highly unlikely that anybody would ever be brought to justice. The justice system will not be able to deal with the perpetrators of this murder and it is because of the actions of the authorities in this state in relation to the investigations."

Also, barrister Eamon Coffey said: "We reluctantly accept that the prospects of even bringing a prosecution, let alone a successful one, are extremely remote." 

Mr Coffey added that the Ludlow family wanted a full public inquiry to discover why gardai had never been given permission to travel across the border to interview the suspects.

"Otherwise the Ludlow family and the wider public are left with the grounds of believing that this state was an accessory after the fact in the murder of Seamus Ludlow and being complicit in his murder,"

Mr Coffey said the Ludlow family had been steadfast in their pursuit of the truth for 30 years, which has seen them endure two inquests, two internal garda investigations and Judge Barron's inquiry. He added, that the Ludlow family were entitled to consistency from the Irish government, which supported campaigns for public inquiries into Bloody Sunday and the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

See also:

The Newry Democrat, 21 February 2006: Ludlow family in Dail

The Belfast Telegraph, 22 February 2006: Killer gang will evade justice: relatives Inquiry call into Garda failure

Daily Ireland, 22 February 2006: Ludlow relatives say Taoiseach displays 'double standards' Family of loyalist victim say they are 'no use' to Bertie Ahern

The Irish Daily Mail, 22 February 2006: Ludlow killers will never face justice, admit family

The Irish Examiner, 22 February 2006: Slain man’s family accepts killers will not be caught

The Irish News, 22 February 2006: Ludlow family give up hope for justice

The Irish Sun, 22 February 2006: 'Seamus killers are scot free'

The Irish Times, 22 February 2006: Ludlow family want new inquiry

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18 February 2006: Jimmy Sharkey, interviewed by The Irish News reveals that he believes some gardai involved in the original murder investigation in 1976, and who were not interviewed by the Oireachtas sub-committee on justice, now want the full facts of Seamus Ludlow's murder revealed. 

Jimmy believes that such officers would cooperate with a public inquiry into the murder of his late uncle Seamus Ludlow.

See this report by Valerie Robinson, Southern Correspondent: Relative believes gardai willing to give evidence

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16 February 2006: Speaking before the sixth open session of the Oireachtas sub-committee inquiring into the murder of Seamus Ludlow, Mr Justice Henry Barron said that the garda decision not to go after the four loyalist suspects in 1979 was "probably political"!

This, of course, echoes what the suspect Paul Hosking says he was told by the RUC Special Branch in 1987, after he was questioned about his role in the killing of Seamus Ludlow. On that occasion, he says, he was told to "forget it, it's political"

Here is what Michael Brennan reports in The Irish Examiner (17 February):

At the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Judge Henry Barron was asked if this decision had been taken because of the volatile situation at the time. “I think the reality is that it was probably political,” he replied.

Committee member Senator Jim Walsh suggested that, while he did not agree with it, one possibility was that the Government did not want the loyalist suspects interviewed because it might inflame republican sympathies.

In his report into Mr Ludlow’s death, Judge Barron said it was most probable the decision not to carry out the interviews with the Northern Ireland-based suspects was made by former Garda Commissioner Laurence Wren, then head of the Garda C3 security section.

The two garda detectives who received the information from the RUC in 1979 never received authorisation from C3 to travel across the border to follow it up, despite the fact that two of the suspects were in prison and readily available for interview.

Judge Barron told the committee he stood over his report’s conclusion, despite strong denials from Mr Wren that he had any involvement in the decision. “It must have been made by the most senior member and that was Mr Wren,” he said. . . .

See also:

The Dundalk Democrat, 22 February 2006: Gardai knew of loyalist killer File on loyalist went missing after Ludlow murder

Daily Ireland, 17 February 2006: Ex-gardaí under fire

The Irish Examiner, 17 February 2006: Decision not to interview murder suspects ‘political’

The Irish News,  17 February 2006: Failure to interview Ludlow suspects may be 'political'

The Irish Times, 17 February 2006: Barron curious about RUC files on Ludlow murder

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15 February 2006: Reported today by LMFM Radio:

Judge to appear before Committee tomorrow

The man appointed to investigate the murder of Louth man Seamus Ludlow is due to appear before the Oireachtas Justice Committee tomorrow. Justice Henry Barron will appear before the committee to answer questions about his report into the killing almost 30 years ago. The Oireachtas hearings – which began a number of weeks ago have heard conflicting statements regarding the Garda handling of the investigation and the level of co-operation between the Gardai and the RUC prior to and following the killing.

See also:

The Argus (Dundalk), 15 February 2006: Family adamant on public inquiry

The Argus (Dundalk), 15 February 2006: Minister for Justice apologises to family but no public inquiry

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15 February 2006: See this week's issue of The Dundalk Democrat, for Easy to forget the man; with the text of the poem 'Seamus', written some years ago by the late County Louth poet Jim Craven and dedicated to his friend Seamus Ludlow.

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14 February 2006: The Ludlow family appreciates the efforts of Mr Arthur Morgan, TD for County Louth, for the following Standing Order 31 Request to the Ceann Comhairle at Leinster House, in Dublin:

I seek leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the Dail under Standing Order 31 to discuss the following matter of urgent public concern, namely:

To afford the Taoiseach an opportunity to explain to the House his reasons for refusing to meet with the family of British murder-squad victim, Seamus Ludlow, an explanation which the family urgently need and deserve, given that he has met with the McCartneys, Billy Wright's family and others; and to enable members of this House to impress upon the Taoiseach the necessity for him to meet with the Ludlow family.

Arthur Morgan TD

As the Ludlow family understands, no response from the Taoiseach has been forthcoming.

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14 February 2006: The fifth public session of Oireachtas Justice sub-committee hearings into the murder of Seamus Ludlow was held today. Addressing the sub-committee were Dr Brian Farrell, the Dublin City Coroner, and former Garda detective sergeant Owen Corrigan.

The Dublin City Coroner called for a change in the law to ensure that families were notified of inquests. Apparently, there is currently no legal requirement in Ireland for such families to be notified in advance, although most coroners observe a practice of adjourning inquests if relatives are not present.  Sadly, for the Ludlow family, this practice was not followed at Seamus Ludlow's first inquest on 19 August 1976.

Dr Farrell said the requirement should be made part of forthcoming legislation to replace the 1962 Coroner's Act. Dr Farrell's evidence was reported in Daily Ireland, 15 February:

“I would welcome statutory provisions making it mandatory that adequate and timely notice be given to families,” he said.

Dr Farrell was giving evidence to the Oireachtas sub-committee on justice, which is examining the murder of forestry worker Seamus Ludlow, in Dundalk, in 1976.

Judge Henry Barron found in his report that the Ludlow family were only contacted by gardaí about the holding of the inquest into their brother’s death 45 minutes before it was due to begin and, as a result, none of them were able to attend.

“Clearly under our practice, that simply would not pass muster.

“If the family were not there, we would say the inquest should be adjourned,” said Dr Farrell.

The families are usually contacted on behalf of the coroner by the gardaí investigating the death.

In Britain, this task is performed by officials from the coroner’s service.
“In an ideal world, having our own coroner’s officers would be the best solution and that’s not denigrating the role of the gardaí at all,” said Dr Farrell.

He said there were situations where some relatives didn’t attend an inquest because of a split in the family but added that, in general, there was a high level of attendance.

“The families invariably attend so it’s always a surprise when they’re not there.”

Former detective sergeant Corrigan, who was a key figure in the original Seamus Ludlow murder investigation in 1976. He was also the officer who accompanied Superintendent John Courtney to Belfast when he received a file from the RUC naming four loyalist suspects.

Again, according to Daily Ireland, 15 February:

He said he had travelled to Belfast in 1979 to meet officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) about a bombing in Dundalk. He was disappointed by their lack of co-operation but was very excited when they passed on the identities of four loyalist paramilitaries suspected of carrying out the Ludlow murder in January 1979.

“Taking everything into account, I felt this was very important information in relation to the investigation of our crime,” he said.

Mr Corrigan said he was absolutely devastated when he did not receive authorisation from C3, the Garda security section, to travel across the border again to follow up the information.

“I fully expected myself and Superintendent (John) Courtney to be going,” he said.

He was told by Superintendent Courtney that former Commissioner Larry Wren, then in charge of C3, did not want them to travel to interview the four suspects because the RUC would demand the extradition of four IRA suspects in return.

For more about the evidence of Dr Farrell and Mr Corrigan, see the above quoted report from Daily Ireland, 15 February 2006, headlined: Coroner calls for inquest law change in Daily Ireland.

See also: The Irish Times, 15 February 2006: Ludlow case shows need for inquest notice

The Irish News, 15 February 2006: Coroner seeks new law to notify families of inquests

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10 February 2006: See article in today's Daily Ireland newspaper featuring an interview with Jimmy Sharkey, where he slams the Dublin government for refusing to meet with the Ludlow family.

Jimmy was speaking in the wake of Justice minister Michael McDowell's apology to the Ludlow family and his warning against a public inquiry at the latest oireachtas Justice sub-committee hearing. In the course of his remarks Jimmy said things that, perhaps, needed to be said.  

Jimmy told a Daily Ireland reporter that:

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, his foreign affairs minister Dermot Ahern and the Irish government continue to let his family down.

“We have written to the Taoiseach five times requesting a meeting and he has refused to meet us. When I say refused I mean he hasn’t replied. It’s simple, the government don’t want to know about us but they have met the Omagh families and Billy Wright’s father. We have no problem with that.

“The government has also called for inquiries into Pat Finucane’s murder and Billy Wright’s murder but they won’t entertain us. They are applying double standards here. These atrocities are similar but the government won’t deal with the one that took place in their own back yard.

“We have a minister here in Co Louth, Dermot Ahern. He won’t arrange a meeting with us and that is hurtful to people like my mother.

“The Irish government were behind organising the visas for the McCartney family to travel to America, but our family has had to fight this campaign on their own. People like Seamus Kirk and Arthur Morgan and a few others have been good to us.

It was hardly surprising that when Daily Ireland made further inquiries no-one from the Department of Foreign Affairs, in Dublin, was available for comment

What is not reported here is, despite his failure to even acknowledge Ludlow family requests made in writing for a meeting with him over several years, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has made several public claims that he has met with the Ludlow family. He has spoken on the floor of Leinster House and he has made similar false claims in written answers to TD's questions. He has similarly misled journalists about meeting the Ludlow family!

Some years ago, Mr Ahern and his cabinet met at Ballymascanlan Hotel, north of Dundalk, and just a few hundred metres from the spot where Seamus Ludlow was murdered in May 1976. On that occasion too Mr Ahern refused to meet with the Ludlow family who had gathered outside and requested a meeting with him.

There can be no doubt that the Ludlow family continues to be treated in an appalling and shameful manner by Dublin politicians.

To read the Daily Ireland article, use this link>>>.

See also: 

The Newry Democrat, 14 February 2006: McDowell's 'slap in face' for Ludlows

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8 February 2206: In another dramatic day of evidence before the Joint Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Justice, members of the Ludlow family present heard Mr Michael McDowell, Minister for Justice, deliver a public apology to the Ludlow family for the State's handling of the murder investigation. 

Mr McDowell said it was a matter of "profound regret" that gardai had failed to conduct a proper investigation into the murder of Seamus Ludlow. Mr McDowell said: 

"On the basis of the findings of the Barron report, the Ludlow family undoubtedly has a sound basis for feeling aggrieved at a number of events surrounding the murder, including events relating to the interview of suspects and the original coroner's inquest."

While his apology was welcomed by the Ludlow family, his claim that there would be "constitutional issues" in holding a public inquiry in this case was alarming! This was seen as a warning to the sub-committee not to go down the path of a public inquiry. Of course, the minister's unwelcome statement will in no way force the Ludlow family to abandon its determined demand for a public inquiry!

Mr McDowell said that the sub-committee would have to consider whether it was appropriate to set up the public inquiry being demanded by the Ludlow family. He continued: "There are serious constitutional issues directed at whether someone did or did not commit a crime five, ten or 30 years ago."

He continued: "If the committee came to the conclusion that this (the Garda investigation) was an unsatisfactory investigation, it still doesn't follow that it would be lawful for the state to establish an inquiry."

He argued that the fact that the Northern Ireland DPP had directed that nobody be charged in connection with Seamus Ludlow's murder added to the "constitutional issues" which the tribunal would have to contend with.

Of course Mr McDowell misses the whole point of the Ludlow family's demand for a public inquiry. The Ludlow family has never asked for such an inquiry to function as if it were a criminal trial. The Ludlow family has only asked for the truth, nothing more, nothing less.

Also speaking before the sub-committee was the former Sunday Tribune Northern Editor, Mr Ed Moloney, who dramatically called for a public inquiry. Mr Moloney wrote the first of several articles on this Seamus Ludlow case back in March 1998, when he met and interviewed the loyalist suspect and murder witness Paul Hosking.

Mr Moloney disagreed with the Minister's view and called for a public inquiry, saying Mr McDowell's statement flies in the face of his own Government's  policy to support the Bloody Sunday inquiry, which inquires into an event of more than thirty years earlier. Mr Moloney added it was not the job of a public inquiry to try the suspects, but to inquire into whether the State fell down in its duty in investigating the murder of Seamus Ludlow.

Mr Moloney called for a panel of international experts to be set up to conduct a public inquiry. Describing the circumstsances of the murder of Seamus Ludlow as "scandalous", Mr Moloney said questions that could be addressed by a public inquiry include why gardai failed to interview the suspects despite their details being passed on by the RUC in 1979 and why vital garda files relating to the investigation were lost.

Mr Moloney continued:

"I firmly believe that an outside police force, not the gardai, should have been put in charge of the (re)investigation of the killing.

"An international judge shouuld have performed the work (of Henry Barron).

"A public inquiry should include independent European members. We have nothing to lose but everything to gain."

Mr Moloney added that the Ludlow family had been treated in the "most abominable way" because they  were not in a position to influence people.

See also:

The Belfast Telegraph, 9 February 2006: Call for Ludlow murder inquiry International experts should be used, says journalist

El Paso Times (Dundalk website), Wednesday, February 08, 2006: GARDA COVER UP ?

The Irish Daily Mail, 9 February 2006: Call for inquiry into 'cover-up' over Ludlow's loyalist killers

The Dundalk Democrat, 15 February 2006: Seamus Ludlow Oireachtas Hearings Moloney joins call for full public inquiry

The Dundalk Democrat, 15 February 2006: Seamus Ludlow Oireachtas Hearings No inquiry but Minister apologises "Family treated badly"

The Newry Democrat, 14 February 2006: McDowell's 'slap in face' for Ludlows

The Irish Times, 9 February 2006: McDowell reluctant to inquire into Ludlow shooting

The Argus (Dundalk), 15 February 2006: Minister for Justice apologises to family but no public inquiry

The Irish Independent, 9 February 2006: McDowell apology to Ludlow family over State's role

The Irish Examiner, 9 February 2006: McDowell apologises to Ludlow family

Daily Ireland, 9 February 2006: McDowell spurns Ludlow inquiry

The Irish News, 9 February 2006: Ludlow family accept apology

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2 February 2006: See these press reports of the third day of Oireachtas Justice sub-committee hearings into the Barron Report into the 1976 murder of Seamus Ludlow. Former Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne and the present Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy were both questioned by the Sub-Committee on Justice.

In the course of his evidence Mr Conroy apologised to the Ludlow family. Mr Conroy expressed his regret that the murder investigation had not been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. At the end of the public hearing Commissioner Conroy met with members of the Ludlow family privately.

The Belfast Telegraph, 2 February 2006: Gardai will ask PSNI to re-open death case

The Irish Times, 2 February 2006: Conroy would consult PSNI over reopening Ludlow case

The Irish Independent, 2 February 2006: Force failed Ludlow family, admits Garda

The Argus (Dundalk), 8 February 2006: Garda Commissioner apologises to family of late Seamus Ludlow

The Argus, (Dundalk), 8 February 2006: Former TD admits IRA not to blame

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Copyright © 2006 the Ludlow family. All rights reserved.
Revised: June 03, 2006