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The Argus (Dundalk), 29 November 2006:

Final Joint Oireachtas Committee report out today

 

A high level of collusion found in Dundalk bombing

 

"What is to happen now?,"  ask the families


Margaret English's father, the late Hugh Watters, victim of the Dundalk bombing.A high level of collusion existed between the British government and loyalist paramilitaries responsible for the 1975 Dundalk bombing, an Oireachtas report set to be published today (Wednesday) has found.

This is the final report from the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Womens' Rights, which investigated the Dundalk bombing, and is expected to confirm what the families of the Dundalk men who were killed in that bombing, had long suspected.

Margaret English, whose father Hugh Watters was killed in the blast, said that although this was certainly a breakthrough in their campaign for the truth to be told about the bombing at Kay’s Tavern on Crowe Street, the families were asking ‘What is going to be done now?”

She also expressed her shock at hearing the findings of the report on the news on Monday morning, and having to make her own enquiries about its publication.

“I only heard about the report on the 10’o clock news on Monday morning. I felt sick. I couldn’t believe it,” said Margaret adding that an invitation to the launch of the report was only given to her solicitor later that morning.

Although the families of both bombing victims will only have the opportunity to look at the report after it is published on Wednesday afternoon, Margaret added that she was aware that it is set to confirm collusion between the British authorities and loyalist paramilitaries.

“I think it is still very hard to believe. I was always the sort of person who trusted authorities, and this just makes me sick to my stomach. But what is going to be done about it now? We need a full public enquiry into the matter to investigate how this could have happened.”

Margaret added that she is still angry about the treatment her mother, also Margaret, had been given by the state after her father was killed.

“My father was self employed and was our only source of income at the time. He handed his earnings at the end of each day to my mother, but after his death she was left with no husband and no income,” Margaret recalled.

In order to survive, Mrs. Watters applied for a non-contributory pension as her husband, being self employed, had no stamps.

“She was tortured by social welfare officials after my father’s death and it was all unbelievably hard for my mother after losing my father in a bombing and my only regret is that we didn’t speak out against this kind of treatment at the time, but we knew no better and were told to stay silent.”

Margaret added that she had spent two days giving evidence to the Oireachtas Committee and was also present when PSNI Chief Hugh Orde, the first ever Northern Chief of Police to be questioned at an Oireachtas Committee, attended to answer questions about collusion.

She pointed out that she wished she had been given an opportunity to ask questions herself when Mr. Orde appeared before the Committee.

“I remember he said that these incidents were always caused by either one side or the other, and I wanted to tell him that I thought so too, until 1998, when I first learned which gang were involved in the Dundalk bombing.”

She concluded that although the conclusion being made public was a huge step, the families of those killed in the bomb would continue to fight for justice.

“ I go out to Daddy’s grave and I say to him ‘I’m still at it’.”

 

See Also: "Christmas spoiled forever" for Maura

Download the Oireachtas Report on the Dundalk bombing and other collusion attacks

Download the Barron Report on the Dundalk bombing from the Oireachtas website.

This document is in Adobe PDF format and can be downloaded from the link below.

Interim Report on the Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Bombing of Kay's Tavern, Dundalk.

Houses of the Oireachtas, Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights.

Download the free reader software for Adobe PDF format

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See  early media reports from the http://www.breakingnews.ie/ dated 29 November 2006:

Britain 'Colluded Over Murders In Republic' 

and British security forces 'colluded in international terrorism'

See also the following report from ireland.com: Barron finds British collusion in attacks

The Daily Telegraph, 29 November 2006: Ahern call for ‘collusion’ inquiry

Ulster Television News online, 29 November 2006:Green Party demand public inquiry

The Irish Examiner, 30 November 2006: Government backs report on collusion in North

The Irish Examiner, 30 November 2006: The nine attacks — a litany of terror and death

The Irish Examiner, 30 November 2006: ‘What we have heard today are things we have known for years’

The Irish Independent, 30 November 2006: British colluded in 'butchery'

The Irish Times, 30 November 2006: London must co-operate on collusion inquiries - Ahern

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Here is media coverage of the fourth Barron Report:

The Irish News, 5 July 2006: "Relatives 'furious' over Barron report blunder

See also The Irish News online breaking news, 5 July 2006: Pub bombers 'treated better than victims' families'

See also: Oireachtas press release of 5 July 2006.

Daily Ireland, 6 July 2006: Blast victim’s relative hits out

The Irish Examiner, 6 July 2006: Loyalists had licence to kill Catholics, finds inquiry

The Irish Independent, 6 July 2006: Bombers 'treated better than victims'

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Relatives want 1975 bombing inquiry

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Horror lives on for bar owner

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Report points to RUC reservist's farm as base for UVF operations

The Irish News, 6 July 2006: Hope that collusion theories may be brought to surface

The Irish Times, 6 July 2006: 1970s bombing victims complain of official neglect

LMFM Radio online news report, 6 July 2006: Hearings into report on Dundalk bombing to begin in September

TOM News, 6 July 2006: Latest Barron Report Highlights Need for Ahern-Blair Summit on Collusion

Daily Ireland, 7 July 2006: Taoiseach urged to call summit

Daily Ireland, 7 July 2006: Barron inquiry typically leaves more questions than answers Conclusion of report into collusion allegations between loyalists and the British government is 'unsatisfactory'

Daily Ireland, 7 July 2006: Families to discuss Barron report

Daily Ireland, 7 July 2006: Garda probe questions raised

The Irish News of the World, 9 July 2006: Showband massacre: shocking new report Former cop behind plot

The Newry Democrat, 11 July 2006: Collusion summit call

The Dundalk Democrat, 12 July 2006: Gardai expected bomb at Imperial

The Dundalk Democrat, 12 July 2006: Barron Report is a step closer to the truth

The Dundalk Democrat, 12 July 2006: Families will continue their campaign for justice

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006: Inquiry lists 19 suspects

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006: Members of RUC and UDR probably knew about plan to bomb Dundalk

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006: Guide to names listed by inquiry

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006: My father and family have been let down by the government

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006: Authorities reluctance to admit mistakes cost families heartache

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006:Joint Committee likely to hold series of hearings in autumn

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006: Sharp differences over fingermarks evidence

The Argus (Dundalk), 12 July 2006:Questions that still need answers

Daily Ireland, 13 July 2006: Justice Group seeks advice

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Produced in association with the Ludlow Family.

Last edited: 04 December 2006 14:54:17

 Visit the Ludlow family's websiteVisit Justice for the Forgotten  Statement by John Oliver Weir

Download the Barron Inquiry Report into the 17 May 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings, (pdf file)

Barron Report: on the Dublin Bombings of 1972 and 1973, can also be downloaded in pdf form

Download the Barron Report into the murder of Seamus Ludlow from the Oireachtas website (pdf file)

Copyright © 2006 the Rooney, Watters and Ludlow families. 

All rights reserved. Revised: December 04, 2006 .