Republican News · Thursday 1 August 2002

New book documents Ardoyne deaths

A commemoration project in Ardoyne in North Belfast is to launch a book commemorating those from the area who died in the course of the conflict in the Six Counties. The book, titled Ardoyne - The Untold Truth, contains tells of the lives and deaths of some 99 people from the area who were killed since 1969.

Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds will speak at the launch, which takes place in the Ardoyne Kickhams GAC, Flax Street, at 8pm on Thursday August 15 August. Also attending will be filmmaker Jimmy McGovern and Seamus Deane.

The launch date marks the 33rd anniversary of the political killings of Sammy McLarnon and Michael Lynch, both killed by the RUC in 1969.

Spokesperson Tom Holland says the Ardoyne Commemoration Project (ACP) is community based and community led. "It began four years ago after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, when the 'victims' issue was being used as a political football, particularly by anti-Agreement unionists in order to prevent and slow down the process of change that was gradually emerging," he said. "It was designed to widen the victims debate, respond to the misrepresentations being made allegedly on the victims behalf and also to commemorate all the victims in the Ardoyne area by interviewing their family members, a loved one or friends and eyewitnesses to their killings. This process formed the basis of the book."

Numerous issues were raised, said Holland, covering not only the killings themselves but also the mistreatment of the remains and of the families by the various agencies; RUC, British Army, media, Church and courts. "This book creates the space to allow the general Ardoyne community to set the record straight," said Holland.

The ACP say some of their statistical findings were remarkable, if not totally surprising. Of 26 members of the Ardoyne community killed by British State forces, not one single person was arrested, charged or convicted.

Fifty members of the Ardoyne community were killed by loyalists, and British State collusion was a major factor in many of these deaths.

Nine members of the Ardoyne community were killed by the IRA, five of these as a result of accidents during military operations, while seven people were Volunteers in the IRA or Na Fianna hÉireann who died as a result of accidents while on active service.

Three people were killed by the various factions of the INLA, one was killed by the Official IRA and three were killed in disputed circumstances in which the identity of the organisation responsible is unknown.