The Border Cleansing: Unveiling Stories of Courage and Resilience during the Troubles: Event inspired by Rev Robert Bradford's widow, Norah, moves to Belfast after overwhelming demand

Her husband Robert Bradford, a former Methodist Minister, was shot dead by two IRA men while he held a constituency clinic at Finaghy Community Centre in 1981.

The Border Cleansing: Unveiling Stories of Courage and Resilience during the Troubles, was published in 2023 after the launch of her own life story, When Time is Taken, in 2021.

In the wake of her book, she and the publisher, Ballymena man Maurice Wylie, were invited to south Armagh to meet a number of victims of IRA terrorism, who asked them both to help tell their stories too.

The result book is divided into two sections - the full unedited stories of 12 border families targeted by the IRA - and a further section analysing the 500 murders carried out along the full length of the border.

It was launched at the Seagoe Hotel in Portadown in November last year.

Organisers expected about 150 to attend, but in fact 500 people turned up.

"And that's why we're going to Belfast," Mr Wyle told the News Letter. "After that there were quite a number of inquiries asking would we come to Belfast."

The latest venue, Glenmachan Church, has 800 seats, 200 of which are already booked.

"But it is always the last week when they sell out," he added.

The event will be chaired by radio presenter George Jones, who was singing in the Abercorn Restaurant when it was bombed by the IRA in 1972.

Speakers include Norah Bradford; Alan Black, sole survivor of the Kingsmill Massacre, having been shot 18 times; South Armagh man David Hearst, whose sister and father were murdered by the IRA; former Newry and Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy, who was a paper boy for nine of the ten men murdered in the Kingsmills Massacre, and Edith Kenny and her daughter, who survived the INLA Darkely Massacre in 1983.

Mr Wylie believes that some of the speakers will reveal information or make statements which are being made public for the first time.

"The main theme is to give a platform to people who never told their stories before publicly, and who want the truth about what happened to be told in full before they pass away."

The event will also see the official announcement of Mr Wylie's next book, 'Blackened but not burnt' which he says is an account of the UDR serving along the border and which he says will detail Irish state collusion with the IRA in that area.

Music and songs from the era will be played during the evening by the Heart & Soul band.

Saturday 18 May 7:30pm at Glenmachan Church, Glenmachan Road, BT4 2NN

Reserve a seat, £10 each at www.truthrevealedseries.com/events

For further information email [email protected].