Images of carnage all too vivid for councillor
THE Claudy bombing has been often described as the "forgotten tragedy" of the Troubles but for Mary Hamilton the physical and emotional scars are all too raw.
"Every anniversary is a difficult time for all the people who were caught up in the bombs that day and the relatives left behind," said the Londonderry councillor who still has shrapnel in her leg from one of three bombs detonated in the quiet village.
"Although it will be 37 years since this happened, I can still see clearly and vividly the images of the destruction and carnage. When you see scenes like that, you can never forget.
"I was one of the lucky ones who escaped with my life, but many of my friends and people I knew died that day – and still it seems we are no closer to justice.
"I knew the Eakin family, and it is just so sad that on this anniversary they will not be around to remember their daughter Kathryn – but I suppose Billy and Merle are with her now.
"My only fear is that many more relatives of the victims of Claudy will also go to their graves without ever seeing anyone brought before the courts for this atrocity. It is just a very, very sad situation. A lot of the relatives feel very helpless and frustrated with the various investigations."
Speculation that a priest was involved in the bombing, which was never claimed by the IRA, had been circulating in Claudy soon after the explosions.
This was given further substance after a letter was sent seven years ago to Mrs Hamilton and the News Letter, purporting to come from a priest in England, to whom Fr James Chesney had allegedly confessed his involvement.
Although the letter was believed to have been fake, it had the effect of sparking off a new investigation in which evidence was found of a cover-up between the Government and Catholic Church leaders, with the priest's part discussed by then Secretary of State William Whitelaw and Cardinal William Conway.
The Catholic church reassigned Fr Chesney from his parish in Desertmartin to Donegal where he died of cancer in 1980.
"There are still so many unanswered questions which need answers, and while many of us have managed to carry on with our lives, we will never rest properly until we get some of those answers," said Cllr Hamilton. "We all need some closure."
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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