Memorial event to UDR Private Thomas Irwin, on eve of 40th anniversary of his murder by paramilitaries
A memorial event for UDR Private Thomas Irwin has being held this week, on the eve of the 40th anniversary of his murder by paramilitaries.
On March 26, 1986, the Co Tyrone man was gunned down in broad daylight while at work in the countryside near Omagh. Aged 52, married with four children and a part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment, he has been described as a “quiet, thoughtful family man”.
His son, Church of Ireland clergyman Canon Alan Irwin, later recalled: “My father was murdered whilst he was at his work at Mountfield sewerage works. It was at a time in the afternoon, around two or half two, when he was half way down a service manhole.
“My father’s murder threat on his life was known the evening before and they didn’t do anything about it. They didn’t do anything to ensure that he wouldn’t go to work.
“My father wasn’t afraid; he wasn’t going to allow the terrorists to control his life. If he had any fear, it was for us as a family, and how we would be provided for afterwards”.
“It had a great deal of impact on my mother, given that my uncle had been murdered previously.”
Frederick Irwin, brother of Thomas, was also a UDR member. He was killed in 1979 – like his sibling, he was off duty at the time.
On Wednesday night, the eve of the 40th anniversary of Thomas Irwin’s murder, an event honouring his life will be held in Cloughfin Orange Hall near Sixmilecross. Starting at 7.30pm, it includes a seminar with the families of victims, acknowledging the devastating impact of terrorism in the district.
Kenny Donaldson from victims group SEFF stated that in the Sixmilecross region, a total of 22 “innocents with roots to this small geographical area were mercilessly murdered by the Provisional IRA”.
Added the campaigner: “Private Thomas Irwin was a hard-working family man, trying his best to provide for his family at a time when money was scarce. He was a role model and was looked up to by his children but was also someone who his wife placed reliance upon.
“His murder forever changed the dynamic in that family, which had already been so deeply impacted by the murder of his brother Corporal Frederick Irwin and also the untimely death of Thomas’s son Stephen, aged just 17 years.”
The theme of this week’s seminar, said Mr Donaldson, is “wounds that speak”, something he said “aptly captures the objective of the event, [which is] to provide a platform for innocent victims voices to be heard”.
“The Irwin family are very much respected across the SEFF family and the Orange family, but also throughout the wider community,” he stated.
“We’re calling upon those within the local community and beyond to come along and engage with this event, which includes panellists Jennifer Jordan – who had six members of her family murdered across south Armagh and south Down – and Claire Hayes, sister of Alan Radford who was murdered in the Omagh Bomb.”