Should Eamon Gilmore be questioned about the activities of the OIRA?

national | crime and justice | opinion/analysis Monday May 05, 2014 15:12 by Justice

Indeed Should Gilmore, Lynch and Rabbbitte be questioned about the crimes committed by the Official IRA> I'm not suggesting that they were members of the OIRA, I have no evidence of that.

One thing is certain: Gilmore, Lynch and Rabbitte could not have been unaware of the activities of the OIRA. When they were members of OSF/SFWP/WP the party paper The United Irishman carried War News of the OIRAs actions.

These actions included the murder of five cleaning women, a priest and a gardener in a no warning car bombing on 22 Febrauary 1972. The OIRA killed 24 year old mother on 12 March 1972; she got in the way when they were sniping at the British Army. Remember Desmond Mackin, murdered by the OIRA because he got involved in a pub brawl with an OIRA member. David Walker a 16 year old Protestant murdered by the OIRA on 21 June 1973. Killed for being a Protestant.

Kathleen Lynch was a member of OSF/SFWP/WP when those (and many more) murders were carried out by the OIRA. There is no contemporary record of her condemning these killings. Actually I can't find any record of her condemning them.

Cecilia Byrne, a 53 year old mother of five, was a civilian worker at a BA base. The OIRA put a bomb under her car on 11 January 1974 and blew her into pieces. John Dunne, 46, a father of four was also in the car that day, he too was blown to pieces. William Elliott was an inspector in the RUC, the OIRA murdered him during a bank robbery on 6 September 1974.

Larry White was murdered by the OIRA on 10 June 1975. Sean MacNamee was murdered by the OIRA during a payroll robbery on 10 October 1975. Eileen Kelly aged six, murdered by the OIRA on 30 October 1975 (her father was the intended target). Owen McVeigh murdered by OIRA on 11 November 1975, mistaken identity. Michael Duggan, chair of Falls Road Taxis, murdered on 12 November 2005.

Kathleen Lynch and Eamon Gilmore were membesr of OSF/SFWP/WP when those (and many more) murders were carried out by the OIRA. There is no contemporary record of them condemning these killings. Actually I can't find any record of them condemning the killings.

James Foots was murdered by the OIRA on 27 July 1977, his brother was a member of SF. Daniel Crown, also murdered by the OIRA on 27 July 1977, the previous occupier of his house had been a member of SF. Seamus Costello murdered by OIRA on 5 October 1977. Huggh O'Halloran, kicked to death by OIRA members after he had been involved in a row with one of them, 10 September 1979.

Kathleen Lynch, Pat Rabbitte and Eamon Gilmore were membesr of OSF/SFWP/WP when those (and many more) murders were carried out by the OIRA. There is no contemporary record of them condemning these killings. Actually I can't find any record of them condemning the killings.

I reiterate that there is no evidence that Gilmore, Rabbitte and Lynch were members of the OIRA. But they could not be unaware of its existence given the reports of activities in The United Irishman. It is possible that they heard loose talk within OSF/SFWP/WP about the activities of Group B (OIRA), of the many bank robberies and protection rackets that raised funds which helped to elect party members to councils and the Dail.

Should Gilmore, Rabbitte and Lynch make themselves available for interview by the Garda and PSNI?