Summary of the 40th Anniversary Dublin and Monaghan events for the Dublin & Monaghan bombings of 17th May 1974
June 2014
Dublin Events
Wreath-laying ceremony
Pat Fay, son of Patrick Fay (killed in Parnell Street) was Master of Ceremonies.
Survivor, Marie Sherry, read the victims' names and a minute's silence was observed.
Wreaths were laid by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD; Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Henry Upton; Mayor of County Monaghan, Seán Conlon; Iris Hall (whose father, Archie Harper, was killed in Monaghan and Tomassino Magliocco (whose father, Antonio Magliocco, was killed in Parnell Street) on behalf of Justice for the Forgotten.
Speech by the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D in Talbot Street Saturday 17 May 2014
"It was almost the Summer. The month of May signalled by First Communions. Children going to school with the first flowers for the May altars the stems hot in their small hands in tinfoil or brown paper.
In the shops in Talbot Street and Parnell Street checked shirts and sandals were appearing in the windows. After school young teens were hunting for gold paint platform boots in honour of Eurovision winners ABBA.
In Dublin people were shopping others heading for the parks. For workers it was almost going home time. It was Friday, the best evening of the week.
But unknown to them unknown individuals were planting Death ........ beloved of Hatred, here in our capital city and in a border town. When they were done four bombs exploded to be heard across Dublin across the island of Ireland and across the world. The impact would be felt across the generations memory the history of our country. In the litter of conflict 34 people lay dead or dying.
Among them Anne Marie O'Brien aged four months. Her big sister Jacqueline aged 16 months. Their parents Anne and John in their early 20s.
Colette Doherty was 21 she was nine months pregnant and died along with her unborn baby. There was a young Frenchwoman Simone Chetrit. There was an Italian - Antonio Magliocco father of three.
Around these innocent dead 100 more lay injured.
In the pre-history of Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter, we watched the news, we listened to the radio we read the papers, mesmerised, horrified. In the case of others many of them with us here today they didn't need to turn a dial or a page to absorb the news. In four separate seconds mass murder entered their lives installing itself through the generations. Its sudden Presence signalling eternal Absence.
Absence of a wife, a husband, a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, a neighbour, a friend.
Today, on behalf of the Government and the Irish people, I say to each and every one of you - that those you loved and who died on that day will never be 'Forgotten'. We will do all we can to make sure they will have the 'Justice' that is their right and that you demand for them.
Dignified, detailed and painstaking as the Barron Inquiry was, I know that no such inquiry, no publication, no hearings by an Oireachtas Committee can ever make up for the horror inflicted on your people, your families, your lives on this day 40 years ago.
And as we commemorate the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings this Government continues to urge the British Government to allow access to documents relating to these murders. As Taoiseach I have been raising the issue with the British Prime Minister David Cameron.
The Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore, has also raised the matter with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Certainly dealing with the past, dealing with the legacy of hatred on this island is difficult.
But for all its difficulty it must be done.
For sure there is no simple formula of words or actions that will make things right. Such a formula does not exist you never expected that it would. But this Government is committed to working with the British government and our colleagues in the Northern Executive to find ways to deal with the damage and the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Today as we honour the dead and injured of the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings we commit ourselves again to creating the kind of changed society as emulated in the Good Friday Agreement, North and South.
On this special day of commemoration I want to pay a warm, national tribute to everyone involved in Justice for the Forgotten. You have done magnificent work campaigning on behalf of the victims and their families. You have been steadfast in your commitment you have been an outstanding support for families in the last almost 20 years.
Last Summer I met with some of you and indeed with members of the families. You gave a voice not alone to the dead and injured but to the relatives the friends for whom life was never the same physically, emotionally and psychologically.
Today then as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings as we honour and remember the lives lost, it is right that the names of the Dead be heard again in the streets of our their capital city, and Marie has read them aloud here today.
It is for their sake and for the sake of all those who died or were otherwise devastated by the conflict on this island that we can and will never return to the dark to being derelict of understanding, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness.
In the 40 years since 1974 the dialogues have changed and multiplied on this island.
We cannot and should not forget the past but it behoves us each of us particularly the politicians the activists to commit ourselves fully and completely to a peace that will bring prosperity in all its forms to all the peoples all the communities of our island.
For the sake of the dead we commemorate here today and of all those who survive them - we can do no less."
An address was also given by the Mayor of County Monaghan, Seán Conlon.
An inspirational oration was delivered by author and historian, Tim Pat Coogan.
Music and song was provided by whistle-player, Cormac Breatnach; Emer Fox; Ciarán Warfield and the Ceól Clan.
Survivor, Noel Hegarty, read his own poem: A Nation's Truth; Margaret Urwin read Paula Meehan's poem: Baby Doherty.
The Prayer Service was led by Justice for the Forgotten's chaplain, Rev. Fr. Tom Clowe.
Justice for the Forgotten deeply appreciates their participation on this very significant and poignant occasion. They also wish to thank the hundreds of their fellow citizens who attended and, most especially, the families and survivors who travelled from as far away as New Zealand, to be present.
40th Anniversary Mass in St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral
A concelebrated Mass was held, the Chief Celebrant being Archbishop Diarmaid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. The other celebrants were Rev. Fr. Damian O'Reilly, Administrator of St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral; Rev. Fr. Tom Clowe and Rev. Fr. Damian McNeice.
Archbishop Martin delivered a very powerful homily about the importance of truth.
Music and singing was provided by Pro-Nuova Music Group. Pat Phelan (brother of Talbot Street victim, Marie Phelan) sang There is a Place by Fr. Liam Lawton.
Readings were by Marie Coyle (whose mother, Peggy White, was killed in Monaghan) and Catherine O'Loughlin (whose mother-in-law, Christina O'Loughlin, was killed in South Leinster Street).
Monaghan Event
Wreath-laying ceremony
Marie Deighan, Town Clerk of Monaghan Town Council, was Master of Ceremonies.
The victims' names were read by Elaine Coyle (whose grand-mother, Peggy White, was killed in Monaghan) and a minute's silence was observed.
Wreaths were laid by the Cathaoirleach of Monaghan Town Council, Paul McGeown; Mayor of County Monaghan, Seán Conlon; Paddy Askin and Jimmy Croarkin (whose father and uncle, respectively, were killed in Monaghan) on behalf of Justice for the Forgotten.
Author, Evelyn Conlon, delivered a compelling and moving address.
Music and song was provided by Éamonn Curran, uilleann-piper; Emer Fox and Ciarán Warfield.
Noel Hegarty read his poem, A Nation's Truth; Gillian Law (grand-daughter of Archie Harper, killed in Monaghan) read her mother's poem, Would you know him and Joseph Kelly (student of the Monaghan Bombing Project, under the tutelage of Brian Clerkin) read a poem composed by the students.
An Interdenominational Prayer Service was led by Rev. David Nesbitt, Canon Ian Berry and Rev. Fr. Patrick McGinn.
Justice for the Forgotten deeply appreciates their participation on this very special occasion. They also wish to thank the people of Monaghan who turned out in large numbers to support the families and, most of all, the families themselves.
President Michael D. Higgins Marks The 40th Anniversary Of The Dublin And Monaghan Bombings
President Michael D. Higgins and Mrs. Sabina Higgins hosted a reception for the bereaved families and survivors of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in áras an Uachtaráin on Thursday, 22 May. Family members travelled from all over the country to be present. Also in attendance were the families of those killed in the Dublin bombings of 1972/73 and the Belturbet, Dundalk and Castleblayney bombings.
All those present were welcomed individually by President and Mrs. Higgins. The President then addressed the gathering. The families were very encouraged by his consoling and comforting words and also by his call to the British Government to make the undisclosed documents available for assessment.
Kevin O'Loughlin responded on behalf of the families, thanking the President and Mrs. Higgins for inviting us and for their courtesy and hospitality towards us. He presented the President with a copy of Anne Cadwallader's best-selling book, Lethal Allies.
Kevin O'Loughlins Address to President Higgins 22 May 2014
"A Uachtaráin uasail,
Is mise Caoimhín O'Lochlainn.
Cailleadh mo Mhathair Christina ins na buamai a bhi pleascaithe in mBaile átha Cliath i mi Bhealtaine 1974, daichead bliain ó shoin.
Thar ceann na daoine agus na teaghlaigh go leir atá cruinnithe anseo inniu, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabhail leatsa agus le Bean Uí Uigínn as ucht an cuireadh a thug sibh dúinn teacht anseo, agus an fáilte ata curtha agaibh rómhainn go léir.
Is ocáid stairiúil dúinn uile bheith i láthair san áras cáiliuil seo inniu.
Is deis mor é dúinn bheith in ann dul i gcomhluadar leatsa mar príomh saoranach agus Uachtaráin na héireann.
President and Mrs. Higgins,
On behalf of the families and individuals who are gathered today I want to express the appreciation of everyone for your invitation to us and your warm welcoming of us to Aras an Uachtarain.
We really are delighted at being recognised and honoured by the first citizen of our country.
Of course by inviting us here you not only have honoured us but more importantly you have honoured all those who lost their lives and were injured and traumatised in the cross border bombings of the 1970's.
I would like to present you with a copy of the recently published book “Lethal Allies” written by Anne Cadwallader who is here with us today.
The book deals with about 120 loyalist murders carried out in the 1970's on both sides of the border. Of course many of these murderous attacks were carried out in this jurisdiction and have changed forever the lives of the people gathered here today.
Collusion by British state agents in these attacks has been painstakingly researched and is detailed in Anne's book.
Naturally all of us here want to foster and encourage harmonious relations with our neighbours in Britain. We support the efforts you are making to bring the peoples of Ireland and Britain to a better understanding of each others history and their way of seeing the world.
But the families here feel very strongly that seeking harmony and mutual understanding should not mean that we forget the past.
The families want to continue seeking the full truth about what happened in those dark days of the 1970's.
We feel that we owe this to the dead and also to the living who were affected by all of these events.
So in conclusion President Higgins, all of us here thank you most sincerely for your warm welcome and for the recognition you have given to us today.
We wish you well in your presidency and in your work in fostering healing and good relations throughout all of Ireland and Britain,
Go raibh maith agus rath Dé oraibh."
It is a day that all those family members present will treasure for many years to come.
