The Great Irish/American Independence Parade July 2
Posted by Jim on June 24, 2016
Loughinisland investigation a sorry tale of incompetence, indifference and collusion
Posted by Jim on June 23, 2016
Loughinisland investigation a sorry tale of incompetence, indifference and collusion
The RUC vowed no stone would be left unturned in the hunt for the UVF men who murdered six Catholics at The Heights Bar in 1994. But the subsequent probe became a running sore that’s remembered with anger to this day, says Alban Maginness[ former SDLP elected official]
Belfast Telegraph. Thursday, June 23, 2016.
I remember well the evening of June 18, 1994. It had been a gloriously warm day and the evening sun stretched itself with a rare generosity. We were having a small SDLP fundraiser in my home and people were in great spirits, the Irish World Cup football team were doing exceptionally well and there were definite signs that an IRA ceasefire was on its way.
However, the happy political and social atmosphere was shattered by the emerging news that six people had been killed and five others seriously wounded in a pub shooting in the quiet little village of Loughinisland in Co Down.
Instinctively, we knew that it was a Loyalist paramilitary attack on a small Catholic community, probably intended to destabilize our snail’s pace progress to peace. It was, on the face of it, a senseless outrage, but in reality it was a ruthless and calculated provocation designed to disrupt the political attempts on all sides to bring about peace.
The Irish World Cup team fans in the Heights Bar were the innocent victims of a ruthless decision by the UVF to cause an unspeakable outrage that hurt and hurts deeply – even today. No one was caught and charged with the murders. Justice was denied to the victims and their families, and that rankles deeply in the community’s memory.
The recent report by Dr Michael Maguire, the Police Ombudsman, on this outrage is a damning indictment of the RUC’s investigation.
Disturbingly, the report says that, within a relatively short period of time, the police had reliable intelligence on who committed the murders. In addition, the police recovered the getaway car, the murder weapons and the clothing believed to have been used by the killers. Yet, surprisingly, nobody was caught.
The Police Ombudsman’s report is distressing, as he comes to a number of clear and worrying conclusions. Not least, he concluded that this investigation was “constrained by a refusal of a number of key people [police] to speak to his investigators”.
Given the passage of 22 years, one would have expected, at this point in time, that former officers would have been man enough – or contrite enough – to cooperate with the Police Ombudsman.
Sadly, they did not, and this was inexcusable and is a huge disappointment to all, especially the relatives of the victims, who deserve better from ex-policemen.
It is outrageous that former officers in the RUC failed to assist in this high-profile murder investigation by the Police Ombudsman. The suspicion that they are still hiding crucial information will remain – given their uncooperative attitude to the investigation.
But perhaps the most chilling aspect of the report deals with the separate, but intimately related, smuggling of weapons by loyalist paramilitaries in 1988.
The fact is that the VZ58 rifle used in the Loughinisland incident was part of a shipment brought into Northern Ireland in 1988. Thus, there was a clear connection between the arms importation and the killings.
What is outrageous is that there were police informants engaged in the arms smuggling, but, despite this, the police failed to stop, or retrieve, all the weapons.
The Police Ombudsman says that this was a “significant intelligence failure”. I think that this conclusion is an understatement.
Surely, if the RUC knew a dangerous consignment of guns was being procured by loyalists, why did they not act decisively to prevent this happening? The police were there to uphold the law and not allow the law to be flouted, or undermined. But, as a result of their failure regarding the arms shipment, the RUC opened the way for this dreadful attack and other terrorist activity to take place.
Unbelievably, in this sorry tale, the police investigation into the murders was characterised, in too many instances, by incompetence, indifference and neglect. The failure to conduct early intelligence-led arrests was particularly significant and seriously undermined the investigation. All of this after the RUC promised that no stone would be left unturned in the hunt to find the killers. Clearly, some stones were left unturned and the killers were never found.
The Police Ombudsman also concluded, quite correctly in my opinion, that there was collusion. This was long-suspected, but is now finally confirmed.
He based this on Judge Smithwick’s broad, but not unreasonable, definition, to include omission, or failure to act, as well as the commission of an act.
Dr Maguire, therefore, not unreasonably, concluded that the protection of informants by Special Branch, through wilful acts as well as also turning a blind eye, catastrophic failures in the police investigation and the destruction of exhibits and documents, collectively amounted to collusion.
Quite frankly, a thoroughly depressing report for the victims and their families, who sought justice for those innocent people who were wilfully and cruelly put to death watching a World Cup match on TV that sunny evening of June 18, 1994.
Fr. Sean Mc Manus
Concept of live and let live is beyond the grasp of many Unionists
Posted by Jim on June 22, 2016
What will be achieved by demolishing a republican monument in Carnlough, a town with an 87 per cent Catholic population?
Brian Feeney. Irish News (Belfast). Wednesday, June 22, 2016
THERE’S a city called Cluj in western Romania.
It’s the unofficial capital of Transylvania. Cluj is the Romanian name for it.
Hungarians, who make up about 20 per cent of the 400,000 population, call it Kolozvar. Germans call it Klausenburg.
Why would Germans call it anything? Well, there was a substantial Saxon population in the Middle Ages who were imported to defend the mountain passes against the Mongols.
Cluj was part of the kingdom of Hungary from the tenth century until 1920 when the Treaty of Trianon partitioned Hungary and Transylvania was given to Romania.
Hungarians didn’t think that was a great idea. Since then relations between Romanians and Hungarians in the city and surrounding countryside have been pretty rocky.
Around twenty years ago council workers were in the city’s main square busily digging under a statue of the fifteenth century Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus, a Hungarian folk hero.
Why? Wait for it: to prove that Romanian civilisation predated Hungarian civilisation. The city council wasn’t being ironic about the word civilisation.
This piece of nonsense was part and parcel of an anti-Hungarian campaign by the city mayor, the dreadful Gheorghe Funar, currently Secretary of the Greater Romania Party.
Funar was mayor from 1992-2004. Among his wheezes he had the city’s pavements painted in the colours of the Romanian flag, red, yellow and blue. but not only the pavements, the park benches, bins, anything that didn’t move.
Anything to annoy the local Hungarians. Initially he was a populist hero for the Romanian population of the city until tourists and businesses began to avoid the place and it went into decline.
Nevertheless it took twelve years to boot him out. The voters have learnt their lesson. When he stood in 2008 he got 4 per cent of the vote.
You can see where this is going, can’t you? As a result of the reorganisation of councils here we’re going to have a number of Cluj/Kolozvar/ Klausenburgs.
As you see, it’s not just Derry that has two names. It’s not just councils in parts of Transylvania that are dominated by the shortsighted.
What will be achieved by demolishing a republican monument in Carnlough, a town with an 87 per cent Catholic population?
Very simple: an increase in support for Sinn Féin, a hardening of attitudes, a sharpening of division, retaliation by defacing a war memorial in Larne with its 68 per cent Protestant population, the rebuilding of the original republican monument and so on.
Furthermore the dunderheads in Mid & East Antrim council who are content with unauthorised loyalist memorials never think about the fate of their fellow Unionists in republican dominated councils.
Do they imagine their narrow view makes it easy for Unionists in Magherafelt to argue that the council shouldn’t ban Union Jacks from the town centre?
What argument can they make against a memorial to 1916 being erected beside one to the World Wars? “ I’ll see your monument and raise you two.”
How does the tunnel vision in Mid & East Antrim make it easy for any republican to be magnanimous in Tyrone or Fermanagh?
Unfortunately there is no leadership from either Sinn Féin or the DUP instructing their local worthies to behave themselves.
Even if they can’t convince them to behave for honourable motives, at least they might be able to show it only makes things worse for people with their own views where they’re in a minority.
Instead of criticizing the behaviour of their local worthies, there is silence, broken only by Arlene Foster in a display of pettiness entering the dispute about ‘the north’ versus Norn Irn [Northern Ireland].
Is there any danger of her telling Unionists also to use the correct name instead of ‘Ulster’ or the ‘pravince’[ province]?
The notion of diversity enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement obviously passes clear over her head.
The bad news is it took more than a decade for the counter-productive behaviour of the ultra-Romanian mayor of Cluj to register with its Romanian voters.
Having got rid of him the city is prospering again. However, it’s improbable that any Hungarian speaker calls the place anything other than Kolozvar even though it’s been officially Cluj for ninety-six years apart from 1941-5.
For some unionists the concept of live and let live remains eternally beyond their grasp.
Wake services for Joseph Murphy Marine Park Funeral Home Wednesday June 22 Thursday June 23 Both days 2-5 and 7-9 Funeral Mass Friday June 24, at 10:00 AM Good Shepard Church
Posted by Jim on June 20, 2016
Please keep Joe & his family in your Prayers.
It is with great sadness that I am posting about the passing of my Big Brother Joseph P. Murphy, once known as “The strongest kid in Brooklyn”. The below article is from when he was “Hibernian of the Year, 2004” It’s an outline of his military accomplishments and his career as a fireman. Although these are impressive events, Joe touched many lives on an individual basis. He was a humble man that loves his Family, his God, his Country, his church and had great faith in his Savior. RIP Joey, I can’t believe your gone. Prayers for his Wife Trisha and his two young daughters.
2004 Hibernian of the Year:
Joseph P. Murphy is a quiet gentleman. Joe is a former United States Marine who defended our country while serving the Marine’s Special Forces Unit. He then went to help preserve life and property in serving our city as a member of the New York City Fire Department. Joe may be best known for the music he creates with his bagpipes, a member of the FDNY Emerald Society and The Leathernecks Pipes and Drums Band. Jos also is involved since the 1980’s with “Project Children” and still keeps close ties with families and friends he has made in Northern Ireland.
Born and raised in Marine park section of Brooklyn, Joe attended Resurrection School, Gerritsen Beach and James Madison High School. He enlisted in the United Stated Marine Corps March, 1976, and was sent to Paris Island, South Carolina, for recruiting training. After boot camp and infantry training school, he was assigned a military occupational specialty of 0331/machine gunner.
He volunteered for duty with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Upon receiving orders to the 2nd Marine Division, he went through a stringent interview and physically demanding selection process, before being accepted onto recon training program. Upon graduation of the recon training platoon, he was assigned to the 6th platoon, Force Recon
His military schooling also includes: U.S. Marine Amphibious Recon School, U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Rangers School, U.S. Navy Scuba School, U.S. Special Forces H.A.L.O (high altitude low opening) school, the anti-terrorist and SWAT Course run by the F.B.I., in Quantico Virginia. He was detached to the 7th Special Forces group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for counterinsurgency and guerrilla warfare training operations. He was also detached the 82nd Airborne Division for an extended period of time. He was deployed with the 3nd Force Recon Company, to the Panama Canal Zone, for jungle operations and military observation. His military decorations include Navy/Marine Corp achievement medal, U.S. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, and a citation from the U.S. Army 7h Special Forces group.
Upon completion of his enlistment in the Marine Corps, he returned to Brooklyn. In February 1982 he was appointed to the New York City Fire Department. He is assigned to Ladder156 Brooklyn, but due to an injury he is currently working with the Fire Department Health Team.
Joe is a member of the Fire Department Emerald Society, Holy Name Society, Anchor Club, American Legion and Bandmaster for the F.D.N.Y. Emerald Society Pipes and Drums. He is also a member of Division 35 A.O.H., Columbus Council K of C, the Marine Corps League, the Marine Corps Association and the Force Recon Associations. He is the pope major of the Leather Neck Pipes and Drums, Paramus N.J. In April 1997 he was honored by the F.D.N.Y. Brooklyn/Queens Holy Name Society and in November 1997 he was the FD.N.Y Emerald Sociality Irishman of the Year. He was an Aide to the Grans Marshall Representing Irish Culture at the Brooklyn Park Slope St. Patrick’s day parade in 2002.
Joe has been to Ireland numerous occasions and has traveled extensively thought the north of Ireland. In the late 1980’s Joe was active with Project Children’s program. He continues to visit with friends on the Nationalist and Republican areas of Derry City, Joe’s family roots are in the counties of Cork and Waterford.
After the attack on the World Trade Center, The Fire Department Pipe and Drums was now called on to assist at all the line of duty funerals. On September 11, 343 of our brothers were called home. From September 15, to December 16, the Pipe and Drums performed anywhere from 10 to over 20 Funerals a per day. Due to the large number of funeral’s the FDNY Pipes and drum band needed to split up so each firefighter would have the proper funeral they deserved. The last 9/11 Fire Fighter Funeral was held in Brooklyn on September 28, 2003,up to that point the Fire Department Pipe Band had performed at over 420 9/11 line of duties funerals .As of today we are still honoring our deceased fire fighter at street naming, plaque dedications, and other memorials throughout the city.
During this trying time, Joe was engaged to be married to Patricia Stackpole. Patricia lost her brother Captain Timothy Stackpole at the Trade Center. Due to the attacks and loss of her brother they put their wedding plans on hold. On December 8, 2002 Joe and Tricia were married. They recently purchased a house and are residing in Marnie Park
Joseph P. Murphy is a quiet gentleman. Joe is a former United States Marine who defended our country while serving the Marine’s Special Forces Unit. He then went to help preserve life and property in serving our city as a member of the New York City Fire Department. Joe may be best known for the music he creates with his bagpipes, a member of the FDNY Emerald Society and The Leathernecks Pipes and Drums Band. Jos also is involved since the 1980’s with “Project Children” and still keeps close ties with families and friends he has made in Northern Ireland.
Born and raised in Marine park section of Brooklyn, Joe attended Resurrection School, Gerritsen Beach and James Madison High School. He enlisted in the United Stated Marine Corps March, 1976, and was sent to Paris Island, South Carolina, for recruiting training. After boot camp and infantry training school, he was assigned a military occupational specialty of 0331/machine gunner.
He volunteered for duty with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Upon receiving orders to the 2nd Marine Division, he went through a stringent interview and physically demanding selection process, before being accepted onto recon training program. Upon graduation of the recon training platoon, he was assigned to the 6th platoon, Force Recon
His military schooling also includes: U.S. Marine Amphibious Recon School, U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Rangers School, U.S. Navy Scuba School, U.S. Special Forces H.A.L.O (high altitude low opening) school, the anti-terrorist and SWAT Course run by the F.B.I., in Quantico Virginia. He was detached to the 7th Special Forces group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for counterinsurgency and guerrilla warfare training operations. He was also detached the 82nd Airborne Division for an extended period of time. He was deployed with the 3nd Force Recon Company, to the Panama Canal Zone, for jungle operations and military observation. His military decorations include Navy/Marine Corp achievement medal, U.S. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, and a citation from the U.S. Army 7h Special Forces group.
Upon completion of his enlistment in the Marine Corps, he returned to Brooklyn. In February 1982 he was appointed to the New York City Fire Department. He is assigned to Ladder156 Brooklyn, but due to an injury he is currently working with the Fire Department Health Team.
Joe is a member of the Fire Department Emerald Society, Holy Name Society, Anchor Club, American Legion and Bandmaster for the F.D.N.Y. Emerald Society Pipes and Drums. He is also a member of Division 35 A.O.H., Columbus Council K of C, the Marine Corps League, the Marine Corps Association and the Force Recon Associations. He is the pope major of the Leather Neck Pipes and Drums, Paramus N.J. In April 1997 he was honored by the F.D.N.Y. Brooklyn/Queens Holy Name Society and in November 1997 he was the FD.N.Y Emerald Sociality Irishman of the Year. He was an Aide to the Grans Marshall Representing Irish Culture at the Brooklyn Park Slope St. Patrick’s day parade in 2002.
Joe has been to Ireland numerous occasions and has traveled extensively thought the north of Ireland. In the late 1980’s Joe was active with Project Children’s program. He continues to visit with friends on the Nationalist and Republican areas of Derry City, Joe’s family roots are in the counties of Cork and Waterford.
After the attack on the World Trade Center, The Fire Department Pipe and Drums was now called on to assist at all the line of duty funerals. On September 11, 343 of our brothers were called home. From September 15, to December 16, the Pipe and Drums performed anywhere from 10 to over 20 Funerals a per day. Due to the large number of funeral’s the FDNY Pipes and drum band needed to split up so each firefighter would have the proper funeral they deserved. The last 9/11 Fire Fighter Funeral was held in Brooklyn on September 28, 2003,up to that point the Fire Department Pipe Band had performed at over 420 9/11 line of duties funerals .As of today we are still honoring our deceased fire fighter at street naming, plaque dedications, and other memorials throughout the city.
During this trying time, Joe was engaged to be married to Patricia Stackpole. Patricia lost her brother Captain Timothy Stackpole at the Trade Center. Due to the attacks and loss of her brother they put their wedding plans on hold. On December 8, 2002 Joe and Tricia were married. They recently purchased a house and are residing in Marnie Park
