Maura
McKeever, whose father Jack Rooney was one of the two bomb victims,
was joined by Margaret Watters, daughter of Hugh Watters, for the
meeting which lasted for over an hour.
Bomb
victims families meet Judge Barron
Families
of those who died or were injured in the 1975 Dundalk Bombing met
with Justice Henry Barron this week to discuss his ongoing
investigations into the tragedy.
The
bombing at Kay's Tavern on Crowe Street on December 19 of that year,
claimed the lives of Jack Rooney and Hugh Watters.
Mr
Watters died instantly and Mr Rooney died a few days later from his
injuries.
This
week Maura McKeever a daughter of Jack Rooney said she was
"cautiously pleased" with the meeting with Judge Barron.
The
meeting which lasted over an hour and included Maura, along with
Margaret English, a daughter of Hugh Watters, and Peter O'Connor,
who was injured in the blast.
"It
was difficult this time around to get everyone to attend as many
were on holidays, but that's the way things go", Maura said.
This
was the group's second meeting with Judge Baron and Maura said he
was being more open this time around.
"He
did say he was going to follow up a few things that we highlighted,
and he also gave us some information that we weren't aware of, but
he asked that we keep the information to ourselves until he
published his report."
Judge
Barron used the term "amnesia" to describe the
difficulties he was having in interviewing some of the people
involved in the 1975 investigations.
Maura
said: "He did say that many of the people were replying to his
questions with 'I don't know' or 'I can't remember'."
After
almost 29 years fighting for justice, Maura said the families remain
ever hopeful of some progress.
"I
did feel better about this latest meeting with Judge Barron and we
will be meeting him in in October.
"We
have been told his report won't be completed until Christmas at the
earliest, but we have waited this long and we'll wait a bit longer.
"After
all these years, it's really a case of we'll believe it when we see
it."
Maura
also said that her family would like to see a new inquest held into
her father's death.
She
explained; "My father died, was buried, and an inquest opened
and closed within two weeks.
"There
is no way that the full information would have been available at the
inquest.
"It's
not like nowadays. Things would have been taken away for Forensic
examination elsewhere and it would have taken some time to get the
results back. Remember, there were no mobile phones or computers.
"How
would an inquest held so soon after the bombing have all the
relevant details."
Maura
said she would like to see an inquest being held similar to the
second Seamus Ludlow inquest due to get underway in the next few
months.
She
said: "We live in hope, in fact it is the constant hope that
has kept us going all these years."