The Murder of Seamus Ludlow in County Louth, May 1976. Towards a public inquiry?
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The Murder of Seamus Ludlow in County Louth, May 1976. Towards a public inquiry? |
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Latest: Revised: June 03, 2006. I Top I 31 January 2006: This was the second day of open hearings before the Oireachtas sub-committee inquiring into the Barron Report on the murder of Seamus Ludlow. The sub-committee heard conflicting evidence from retired detective John Courtney and retired garda commissioner Larry Wren - centering on the report's conclusion that it was probably Mr Wren who ordered that the murder inquiry should not proceed in 1979. The hearing was unable to resolve the differences. Former garda detective Terry Hynes revealed, contrary to information given to Mr Justice Barron, that he often travelled to the North to question suspects, and that RUC came South as well. Detective Hynes, and other officers, admitted that they knew nothing of an alleged garda directive that would have prevented their travelling out of the jurisdiction to question suspects. This all brings into question the explanation given to Justice Barron for the failure of the garda to go North in 1979 to question the four suspects in the Seamus Ludlow killing. It would seem that there was no major worry about granting reciprocal rights to the RUC at all! Former Louth TD Brendan McGahon was quizzed about statements he made on radio some years ago when he said he knew that the IRA killed Seamus Ludlow. He admitted he received this false information from a Garda source, which, he said, he was unable to identify (?), and he now accepts that he was wrong. The outspoken former TD has had an uneasy relationship since he was challenged by Kevin Ludlow in 1998 about the false information he was peddling about Kevin's murdered brother Seamus. On that occasion Mr McGahon angrily ordered Mr Ludlow out of his office and he refused to talk about the source of his information. On another occasion in 1999 Mr McGahon gatecrashed a press conference organised by the Ludlow family in Dublin and provoked an unseemly public scene between himself and Mr Ludlow. Sadly, in his admission to the Oireachtas sub-committee Mr McGahon revealed he knew nothing of the loyalist murder attacks on Dundalk and Silverbridge which left five people dead on the evening of 19 January 1975! He was certain that only the IRA operated in the border area! Sadly also, among those present at the oireachtas hearing was Maura McKeever, whose late father, Mr Jack Rooney, was one of the two innocent victims of the loyalist bombing at Kay's Tavern in Dundalk, just six months before the murder of Seamus Ludlow. Maura had travelled to Dublin with members of the Ludlow family. It seemed incredible that a former TD for County Louth could be so dismissive of the victims of loyalist/British terrorism in Dundalk! See the full text of a statement from Arthur Morgan TD, which concludes: “More disturbing however was Brendan McGahon's suggestion at today’s meeting that loyalists couldn’t have been suspected of the killing at the time because he says they weren’t active in the area at the time. This is an incredible statement given the fact that loyalists had been involved in the bombing of Dundalk in December 1975, Castleblayney in March 1976 and in other bombings in Counties Monaghan and Cavan in the preceding years. The reality is that Brendan McGahon tried to use the killing of Seamus Ludlow to advance his own particular anti-republican agenda regardless of the hurt and pain it caused the Ludlow family.”
See also these press reports of the second day of the Oireachtas Justice sub-committee hearings into the murder of Seamus Ludlow: RTE News online, 31 January 2006 12:53 Former Commissioner giving Ludlow evidence RTE News online, 31 January 2006 16:17 Former Commissioner gives Ludlow evidence The Newry Democrat, 31 January 2006: Ludlow family insist on full public inquiry ireland online, 31 January 2006 17:25:56: Hearings on Ludlow murder told of border fear sinnfein.ie/news 31 January 2006: Former Fine Gael TD finally admits he was wrong on Ludlow killing The Dundalk Democrat, 1 February 2006: Senior gardai failed to act on tip off The Argus (Dundalk), 1 February 2006: Family repeat calls for public enquiry The Argus, (Dundalk), 8 February 2006: Former TD admits IRA not to blame The Irish Times, 1 February 2006: Wren says decision on Ludlow suspects not his Daily Ireland, 1 February 2006: Fear on Border recalled at Barron hearing The Irish Examiner, 1 February 2006: ‘Bodies dumped on Border roadsides’ The Irish News, 1 February 2006: Hearing told of 'fear all around the border' The Dundalk Democrat, 8 February 2006: Ludlow family call for public apology from gardai The Dundalk Democrat, 8 February 2006: Explosive evidence at hearing Gardai were able to cross the border The Dundalk Democrat, 8 February 2006: Former TD accused of reducing hearing to a circus
I Top I 31 January 2006: From the latest Monthly Report of British Irish Rights Watch, London, and compiled by its esteemed Director Jane Winter, who made a valuable submission to the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on 24 January: seamus ludlow BIRW has made a submission to the Sub-Committee on the Baron Report of the Murder of Seamus Ludlow of the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women’s Rights. We have three primary concerns about the murder of Seamus Ludlow. First, no-one has been made amenable for his murder although the identities of the alleged perpetrators have been known since at least 1977. Secondly, although ascribed to the loyalist paramilitary organisation the Red Hand Commando, two of the alleged perpetrators, were serving members of the Ulster Defence Regiment. Thirdly, the murder involved a serious cross-border incursion which does not appear to have been investigated or acted upon. On 24th January I travelled to Dublin to testify before the Sub-Committee. I asked them to recommend a public inquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act 1921 (which still exists in Ireland), as the only mechanism capable of involving the family, who have consistently been left in the dark and lied to in the past, and of providing an effective investigation which is complaint with the European Convention on Human Rights. I also asked them not to recommend a Commission of Investigation, as they did in the case of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, because it would prevent any participation on the part of the family and would not be human rights compliant.
I Top I 31 January 2006: See the following report from local LMFM Radio: Hearing on Barron Report into Ludlow murder resumes today The Oireachtas Justice Committee hearings into the Barron Report on the murder of Louth man Seamus Ludlow resume today. He was shot dead by a loyalist gang, near his home at Thistle Cross, in May 1976. A number of high profile public figures at the time of Seamus Ludlow's killing including the then Minster for Justice Gerry Collins and former Garda Commissioner Larry Wren will address today's hearings. Former Louth Fine Gael T.D Brendan McGahon is also due before the committee this afternoon. Last week the Ludlow family called for a full public inquiry into the murder while a spokesperson for British Irish Rights Watch claimed the British and Irish Governments had violated the family's human rights by not carrying out a full and proper investigation. I Top I 24 January 2004: Several members of the Ludlow family circle, including Seamus Ludlow's only surviving brother Kevin, and two of his three sisters, Mrs Nan Sharkey and Mrs Eileen Fox, travelled to Dublin to make submissions before the Joint Oireachtas Justice sub-committee. A third sister, Kathleen Donegan, was unable to travel. Regrettably, this first open session of the oireachtas sub-committee's examination of the Barron Report was not broadcast on live TV, though every minute of it was filmed. The Ludlow relatives accused the gardai of mounting a thirty-year cover-up following the murder of Seamus on 2 May 1976, by a four-man loyalist death squad. They renewed their calls for a public inquiry into the murder and the subsequent failure of the gardai to go after the killers. The late Seamus Ludlow's nephew Jimmy Sharkey told the oireachtas sub-committee: "The Barron Report left a lot of unanswered questions. The forum for these to be addressed is an independent public inquiry. It is the bottom line for us. Nothing less, Nothing more." Kevin Ludlow said the family had still not received an apology from the gardai who lied to the family repeatedly over many years; falsely claiming that his late brother Seamus had been killed by the IRA - and by implication that he was an informer. They had also smeared a member of the Ludlow family as being involved in this brutal murder. "It's a shame to think of the way the gardai acted. We were treated very badly. Nothing only lies from the gardai." He continued: "We shouldn't have to go through all of this for 30 years. . .It wasn't fair what was done to us. They were covering up the whole thing all the time." The open sessions of the oireachtas sub-committee continued in the afternoon with further submissions from Justice for the Forgotten and from Jane Winter, Director of the London-based human rights body British Irish Rights Watch. A transcript of this first open hearing of the Justice sub-committee can be downloaded in Word file format from the Oireachtas website at: http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/committees29thdail/jcjedwr/first-Ludlow-debates.doc
Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights Sub-Committee on the Barron Report on the Murder of Seamus Ludlow Hearings schedule24 January 2006
31 January 2006
1 February 2006
See these related press reports: The Irish News, 24 January 2006: Ludlow family still seek justice three decades after murder ireland online, 24 January 2006 11:46:15, Gardaí accused of continually lying about Ludlow murder RTE News online, 24 January 2006 11:42: Hearing on Ludlow report begins The Irish Times, 24 January 2006: Ludlow murder inquiry to begin UTV News online , Tuesday, 24 January 2006 08:01:52: Hearing on Ludlow killing The Argus (Dundalk), 25 January 2006: Public enquiry nothing more nothing less The Irish News, 25 January 2006: Ludlows stand by inquiry demand The Irish Sun, 25 January 2006: Now give us justice Public inquiry call as family rap loyalist murder cover-up The Irish Examiner, 25 January 2006: Family seeks independent inquiry into man’s murder The Newry Democrat, 25 January 2006: Bereaved families welcome investigation team The Dundalk Democrat, 25 January 2006: Seamus Ludlow Oireachtas hearings Emotional scenes on first day of hearing The Dundalk Democrat, 25 January 2006: Moloney set to give evidence Daily Ireland, 25 January 2006: Cover-up at 'cabinet level' By Ciarán Barnes Loyalist murder victim Séamus Ludlow's nephew says senior officials hid the truth Public inquiry called for in Ludlow murder case The Irish Times, 25 January 2006: Family Of Murdered Louth Man Claims Gardaí Treated Them Badly The Irish Times, 25 January 2006: Collusion Claimed At Core Of Case The Belfast Telegraph, 26 January 2006: Call to set up special police team in Republic to probe terrorist killings
I Top I 22 January 2006: Read Northern Editor Suzanne Breen's article Family wants full inquiry into 1976 murder 'cover-up' from today's issue of The Sunday Tribune. Writing about the Oireachtas Committee hearings, set to open on Tuesday 24 January, Suzanne notes: One witness will be a west Belfast man who contacted the Sunday Tribune two months ago about the case. It was believed that gardai didn't travel north to question the suspects because they didn't want the same rights reciprocated to the RUC. However, Pat Livingstone told the Sunday Tribune he was questioned by RUC officers in Dundalk garda station in 1975. . . To read the whole of this Sunday Tribune report go here>>>. I Top I 18 January 2006: See article Examination into Ludlow case in Dail in this week's issue of The Argus newspaper, published in Dundalk. The Argus refers to the Joint Oireachtas hearings into the Barron Report on the murder of Seamus Ludlow, which will begin next week (24 January). Hearings will be televised live by TG4. I Top I 4 January 2006: The following message from Derry's Pat Finucane Centre, and an article from today's Belfast Telegraph, on this the 30th anniversary of the shocking Reavy and O'Dowd family massacres, reveal strong links between serving members of the RUC and loyalist guns used in vicious sectarian murders along the border during the 1970s. Please use the link below to read the Belfast Telegraph article: To PFC subscribers Today, January 4, marks the 30th anniversary of two co-ordinated gun attacks on the Reavey family of Whitecross, Co Armagh, and the O'Dowd family of Ballyduggan, Co Down. In all three members of each family died in the attacks which were carried out by loyalist paramilitaries and members of the security forces. On the following day republicans murdered 10 Protestant workmen at nearby Kingsmills. Less than two weeks earlier, on December 19th, the same Glenanne based loyalist gang carried out a gun and bomb attack on Donnellys Bar in Silverbridge and left a car bomb outside Kays Tavern in Dundalk. Five people in all died including Trevor Brecknell whose son Alan now works for the PFC. Permutations of the same gang were responsible for over 120 deaths in the Murder Triangle and beyond in the 1970s. For some time the PFC has carried out research into the activities of this gang in a project called the Recovery of Living Memory Archive or ROLMA. Some of this research is included in the article below which was published today in the Belfast Telegraph.
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3 January 2006: In a letter to the Ludlow family, Ray Treacy, Clerk to the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on the Barron Report on the murder of Seamus Ludlow, announced that a series of public hearings would be held, over a period of days, commencing on Tuesday, 24th January, 2006.
As part of the Sub-Committee's evaluation of the Barron Report, invitations have been given to the Ludlow family and other interested parties and bodies, and some of those persons named in the Barron Report, to make submissions and to participate in discussions on the Report. The Sub-Committee will in due course, submit a report to the Joint Committee, which will report back to the Oireachtas by 31 March 2006.
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19 December 2005: The Rooney and Watters families, together with other survivors of the Dundalk bombing of 19 December 1975, and their supporters, gathered at Dundalk Town Hall for a commemoration marking the 30th anniversary of the loyalist no-warning car-bomb atrocity that took the lives of Jack Rooney and Hugh Watters.
For further information about this other major Dundalk atrocity, and the victims' demand for justice, see The Dundalk Bombing campaign webbsite.
See also articles in the Dundalk Democrat, 21 December 2005; and The Argus, 23 December 2005.
I Top I 19 December 2005: The 30th anniversary of the atrocity that took the lives of Jack Rooney and Hugh Watters. The following brief report comes from the local LMFM radio station. 30th anniversary of 1975 Dundalk bombing Today is the 30th anniversary of the 1975 Dundalk bombing. Two local men – John Rooney and Hughie Watters – were killed when a car bomb exploded outside Kay’s Tavern on Crowe Street on December 19th 1975. Although no one has even been brought to justice it’s believed the Loyalist paramilitary group The Red Hand Commandos were responsible for the attack and in recent years it has emerged that the bombers identities are known. The atrocity has been included in Justice Henry Barron’s investigation into a number of unsolved killings during the Troubles. It’s due to be presented to the Government in the New Year I Top I 14 December 2005: With 2005 drawing to a close, the 30th anniversary of this appalling tragedy is now approaching and with it, also, the expected publication of the long-awated private Barron Inquiry report into the Dundalk bombing. Here, the local Dundalk Democrat reports that the Barron Report will be published during January 2006: The Dundalk Democrat, 14 December 2005: 30 years since Dundalk hit by bombers The 30th anniversary of the Dundalk bombing will be commemorated on Monday with a ceremony at the Town Hall, Dundalk, commencing at 6.30pm. The anniversary takes place against the backdrop of the forthcoming publication of the Barron report into the atrocity, which is due to be published next month. The office of An Taoiseach, which has responsibility for the Barron Inquiry, confirmed to The Dundalk Democrat yesterday that the report will be published in January. A spokesman for the Taoiseach's office said: "It is due to be published in January, and we will know nearer the time what the exact date will be". Relatives of tailor Hughie Watters and former fireman turned council lorry driver, Jack Rooney, will gather on Monday to remember the men who were killed when a no warning Loyalist bomb exploded outside Kay's Tavern. . . The full text of this Dundalk Democrat report can be found on the Dundalk Bombing canpaign website: >>>
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6 December 2005: The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights and its Sub-Committee on the Barron Report on the Murder of Seamus Ludlow published a Request for Submissions in today's Irish News and Irish Independent newspapers.
According to the press announcement, the Joint Committee has decided:
In order to assist the Sub-Committee in the hearings process, submissions are sought from interested parties and bodies and from members of the general public. Submissions should be made in writing only to: Clerk to the Sub-Committee on the Barron Report on the Murder of Seamus Ludlow, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Or by e-mail at: barronreportludlow@oireachtas.ie If possible, submissions should be sent electronically. The closing date for submissions is Friday 6 January, 5.30pm.
This submission process will give anyone who has any information that will assist this inquiry the opportunity to have their say.
To read the oireachtas announcement go here>>>.
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4 December 2005: Today's Sunday World reveals evidence that the gardai may have misled Mr Justice Barron about their reluctance to travel North during the 1970s to question the suspects about Seamus Ludlow's murder.
The Sunday World reveals that Belfast man Pat Livingstone was questioned at Dundalk Garda Station by RUC Special Branch in 1975 - and that gardai travelled North to give revidence at his trial!
None of this supports the explanation given to Mr Justice Barron for the gardai's inaction following the murder of Seamus Ludlow in 1976 or in 1979!
To read the Sunday World article go here.>>>
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2 December 2005: Just added to this site is an exclusive Sunday World article from 9 May 1976, featuring an interview with Supt. Dan Murphy who headed the original murder investigation. The interview reports the gadai having an open mind as to the reason for Seamus Ludlow's murder.
That was the public view! Meanwhile, members of Mr Murphy's investigation team were already lying to the Ludlow family, and their colleagues were still lying more than 20 years later when the truth of the cover-up began to emerge!
To view the Sunday World article go here.>>>
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30 November 2005: See interview with Ludlow family member Jimmy Sharkey in the Dundalk Democrat, Jimmy fights system to get justice for uncle
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30 November 2005: In her monthly Director's Report, Jane Winter, of British Irish Rights Watch, London, made the following comment on the recent publication of the Baron Report into the murder of Seamus Ludlow:
barron report on seamus ludlow finally published The Irish government has finally published the report by Mr Justice Barron into the murder in 1976 of Seamus Ludlow by loyalists, some of whom were serving soldiers, who came over the border from Northern Ireland. We have written to the Taioseach, Bertie Ahern TD, and other government ministers, calling for a full public inquiry into this unforgivable crime, rather than the secret Commission of Investigation imposed on the victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, also investigated by Judge Barron. Seamus Ludlow’s family have had no opportunity to scrutinise the evidence seen by Judge Barron, and the public interest demands an answer to the question of why, as Judge Barron found, the Irish police failed to act when the RUC gave them the names of the alleged perpetrators I Top I
30 November 2005: In an important press release issued by the Pat Finucane Centre, Derry, in association with Relatives For Justice and Justice for the Forgotten, there is comment on the latest attempt by the British government to grant indemnity from prosecution to all its murderous soldiers, police and loyalist agents who have been responsible for many hundreds of murders, through shootings and bombings, on both sides of the border, throughout the past 35 years in Ireland.
The latest move, disgracefully sneaked into a bill, ostensibly to permit those 'on-the-run' to return safely to their former homes in the Six Counties, merely attempts to formalise a situation that has always existed throughout the recent period of conflict.
British soldiers, police and their agents within the loyalist murder gangs have always been protected by the British authorities, no matter what they do or how many they kill! The murderers of Seamus Ludlow and the perpetrators of Bloody Sunday, the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, the bombing of Dundalk and many other atrocities will no doubt welcome the further legal protection their political masters have in store for them!
As ever, the British government cares nothing for the victims of its state killers in Ireland!
The press release from The Pat Finucane Centre reads: A number of groups which support victims and survivors have spoken out against the proposed NI (Offences) Bill. Relatives For Justice, the Pat Finucane Centre and Justice for the Forgotten* have called on the Secretary of State “to go back to the drawing board and drastically rethink these proposals which show no consideration whatsoever for the rights and needs of families who have lost loved ones. This proposal is a complete non-starter. ” The groups listed a number of concerns with the legislation which is intended to make special provisions for all those accused of having committed serious crimes before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
To read the complete text of this press release go here.>>>
SUPPORT THE SEAMUS LUDLOW APPEAL FUND Bank of Ireland 78 Clanbrassil Street Dundalk County Louth IrelandAccount No. 70037984
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