The Irish Times, 5 November 2005:

A quiet man known for his charity

Seamus Ludlow was a 47-year-old single man who lived with his sister, Annie Sharkey, her husband, their 10 children and his mother in a house in Thistle Cross, Dundalk, Co Louth.

According to Mr Justice Barron's report, he was described by family, friends and colleagues as "a quiet, unassuming man whose life revolved around work and home".

He was also known for charitable work, and had acted as Santa Claus for children in a Dundalk housing estate for many years.

He had worked as a labourer for various employers. At the time of his death hre was employed in a small local sawmill at Ravensdale Wood, Dundalk.

His social life consisted of regular visits to various pubs in Dundalk and occasionally to the Border Inn, Carickarnan. He preferred to drink alone, but was quite comfortable in company.

Other than a preference for the Fine Gael party, he had no known political affiliations, and nothing whatsoever to connect him to any subversive organisation, according to the Barron Report.

On Saturdays, when he finished work at lunchtime, he usually went to the Border Inn, usually arriving home between 6pm and 9pm. Otherwise, he went into Dundalk.

He was drinking in Dundalk on the evening of his death, which was a Saturday. A number of witnesses saw him thumbing a lift home that night.

The report states that it seems reasonable to suppose he as picked up around Newry bridge, outside Dundalk, some time between midnight and 12.30am on May 2nd, 1976.

His body was found the next day close to his home. He had been shot a number of times.

Carol Coulter