The Murder of Seamus Ludlow in County Louth, May 1976. Towards a public inquiry?
The Murder of Seamus Ludlow in County Louth, May 1976. Towards a public inquiry?
|
|
Introduction to the murder of Seamus Ludlow and the official cover-up. Michael Cunningham investigation - 1978 The recent Campaign for Truth and Justice. Irish Victims Commission Report. Ludlow family's questions for the RUC (now the PSNI). Jim J. Kane's letter to the N I Human Rights Commission. Jim J. Kane's letter to the RUC Ludlow Family Letter to Bertie Ahern View messages from our original Guestbook Other Ludlow Family Sites.
|
The Dundalk Democrat, 2 March 2002: Ludlow murder: Relatives draw a blank in meeting with McDowell By Anne-Marie Eaton There will be no enquiry into the 1976 murder of Seamus Ludlow. This was the news that greeted members of the Mountpleasant man's family on Thursday last when they along with solicitor James MacGuill and Jane Winter of British Irish Rights Watch, met with Attorney General, Michael McDowell, SC. Speaking to the "Democrat" this week, Seamus' nephew, Jimmy Sharkey described the Attorney General as being the "bearer of bad news", although he said "It was a good meeting from the point of view that he made the family feel welcome, which was different from the O'Donoghue meeting. Jimmy said: "There will be no enquiry at all. The Government seem to have taken a harder stance since the Weston Park talks which was to look into cases in Northern Ireland. It seems that Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair have closed ranks on the mater. They want to go on with the Barron enquiry. Jimmy said that the family pointed the problem was not with Henry Barron. "We said he was doing an excellent job, going beyond his remit. Perhaps he is doing a better job than was intended. But with the supreme court ruling pending on Abbeylara, even if the joint oireachtas committee said there should be a public enquiry, the Government could still say no. Why go through Barron if that is the case? It couldn't be explained to us what was to be gained by joining in the Barron enquiry. "This broadens our suspicions of cross border collusion surrounding the murder of Seamus". Although Jimmy says the Government have repeatedly said there was nothing to hide, the family feel differently. "John O'Donoghue and Dermot Ahern have said in public and in private that the Government has nothing to hide, but after this meeting we're not so sure. "Our problem is not with Henry Barron, it is with the secrecy". The Attorney General said he would not be in the post after the General Election and what he had explained was not his policy, but was only conveying the messages. Jimmy was quick to point out that Seamus' family were not seeking preferential treatment from any of the bombing enquiries, but emphasised that his uncle's murder fell into a different category. "We are not looking for different treatment from the Dublin/Monaghan or Dundalk bombing families; our case is totally different. We have four prime suspects. The Gardai and the then RUC told the family they were not looking for anyone else. "We were promised access to files of the last garda report and then were refused. This has led us to be deeply suspicious and has strengthened our beliefs of collusion even further. "We always felt there was collusion but at what level we weren't sure of. We feel now it may go right to the top!. The news that no enquiry will be held did not come as a shock to the family: "We are not disappointed, we are not surprised. The Government keeps moving the goalposts in their favour. "What we understand now is that the talks at Weston Park holds severe implications for other cases in the north and south, not just ours.". Jane Winter, British Irish Rights Watch was also present and she said to the Ludlow relatives that she could not believe what was going on. She believes the BIRW report will criticize the Government actions.
I Homepage I I Top I I Press Coverage I |
