Dublin/Monaghan bombings - families seek justice
BY CONOR MARSHALL
The families of the victims of the greatest mass murder in the
history of Ireland, the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of May 1974
have been delayed in their campaign for justice, as High Court
Judge Mary Lavoy will not pass judgement until 27 August. The
families want the court to compel gardai to release documents in
their possession relating to the bombings in which 33 people were
murdered, and 240 were injured.
For the past year, the victims' relatives are seeking to take the
RUC to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, for
breach of article two of the convention, which states that the
``police must protect life, or conduct a proper investigation in
the event of loss of life''. The solicitor for the families, Greg
O'Neill, put it to Justice Lavoy that the gardai had sent a
document to the RUC, stating that they had eight suspects for the
bombings, all residing in the Six Counties, and had requested
that they be interviewed by the Gardai. Their request was
refused.
O'Neill also stated that the gardai had ``expressed their
frustration at the failure of the RUC to investigate properly.''
In a letter to the then Chief Constable to determine this,
O'Neill asked had any houses been raided, had a file been sent to
the DPP, or had an identification lineup been conducted. The
RUC's curt reply stated that ``Your application/enquiry to the
Eurocourt is a matter for the Government, and not the Chief
Constable.''
``It would appear that the RUC didn't instigate a proper
investigation,'' said a source close to the families. Frank
Massey, who lost his daughter to the atrocity was asked if he was
confident of the case going to Europe. ``I hope so, I surely do,''
he replied. ``After such a long time, I expect a positive
outcome. We just don't know.'' ``It would only be justice to have
such an outcome,'' added a spokesperson for the families.
MIchelle Byrne, who was only 10 years old when her father was
murdered in the bombings expressed hope that the Garda documents,
requesting the RUC to conduct an investigation will be released.
``We've been led up the garden path for the past 23 years, and I
wouldn't say we're grasping at straws, but we're trying to do
everything in our power that the government, our government
should have done 23 years ago. I was 10 when I lost my father.
I'm in my 30's now and never thought it would take this long.''
Justice Mary Lavoy will pass judgement on the validity of the
case for the European Court of Human Rights on 27 August.
Fianna Fail, at their 1997 Ard Fheis, unanimously voted to see to
it that the Garda and Government documents relating to the
bombings were passed on to the families. Sinn Féin members of
Monaghan Urban District Council, Caomhghín ó Caoláin TD, Owen
Smyth and Pádrigín Uí Mhurchadadh called on the Government to
honour this promise and to immediatly provide the families with
all the relevant files of the Depts. of Justice and Defence and
the Garda Siochana.
Owen Smyth said that the motion had been placed on the agenda of
the July meeting of the council at the request of the families.
Pádrigín Uí Mhurcadadh stated that the families had been
encouraged by the FF Ard Fheis statement.
``The relatives have been neglected and should be brought in from
the cold,'' she added.
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