Member's statement: Loughinisland Massacre
Member's statement by Mrs Cathy Mason on .
- MLA
- Mrs Cathy Mason
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 18 June 2024
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Loughinisland Massacre
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4496852
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Thirty years ago today, the village of Loughinisland was shaken to its very core. As locals watched Ireland playing Italy in the World Cup, members of the UVF entered the Heights Bar in the small south Down village and opened fire. The men sprayed the room with more than 60 bullets. Six men were killed outright, and five other people were wounded. As families eagerly awaited the results of the World Cup match, their lives were shattered by an act of unimaginable violence. Today, three decades on, we honour the memories of Adrian Rogan, Malcolm Jenkinson, Barney Green, Eamon Byrne, Daniel McCreanor and Patrick O'Hare. We remember them today as fathers, sons, brothers, uncles and friends whose lives were cruelly cut short. We extend our deepest sympathies and eternal solidarity to their families, who have borne the unimaginable burden of their loss with grace and dignity. Their strength continues to inspire us all. The morning after the attack, the getaway car was found abandoned in a field near Crossgar. Almost two months later, the assault rifle used in the attack was found hidden at a bridge near Saintfield, along with a holdall containing boiler suits, balaclavas, gloves, handguns and ammunition. Despite various investigations, no one has ever been convicted for the Loughinisland massacre. The pain of that night has been compounded by years of unanswered questions and significant allegations of collusion. While the 2016 report by the Police Ombudsman provided some answers, the pursuit of full accountability remains. Heartbroken families have been fighting for years, determined to get truth and justice for their loved ones. The pain of that night still reverberates through Loughinisland, yet it also serves as a testament to our community's resilience and unwavering pursuit of a better future. We stand, three decades later, not only to remember those whom we lost but to honour their memory by reaffirming our commitment to peace, accountability and reconciliation.
319 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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