Coleraine anniversary service will ensure bomb victims are not forgotten: SEFF

By Mark Rainey
Published 11th Jun 2023, 15:46 BST
Updated 11th Jun 2023, 15:46 BST
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​The marking of the Coleraine bomb 50th anniversary will highlight the “madness” of an unjustifiable attack, and ensure those who died will not be forgotten, according to a leading victims’ group.

As the Co Londonderry town prepares to unveil a new memorial to the six Protestants who were killed by the IRA blast, SEFF director Kenny Donaldson said the reverberations of such murderous actions can be felt to this day. ​

The fatal blast on June 12, 1973, followed a garbled telephone warning that a bomb had been left in the area of Coleraine’s Railway Road.

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It exploded at 3pm, before police had a chance to commence an evacuation.

A service in 2013 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Coleraine bombingA service in 2013 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Coleraine bombing
A service in 2013 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Coleraine bombing

The unveiling of the memorial will take place on Monday at Coleraine Town Hall at 3pm, when a one-minute silence will be observed.

The six people who died were: Elizabeth Craigmile,76; Robert Scott, 72; Dinah Campbell, 72; Francis Campbell, 70; Nan Davis, 60, and Elizabeth Palmer, 60. The Campbells and Elizabeth Craigmile were all related; Francis was Dinah’s husband, and Elizabeth was his sister.Mr Donaldson said: “Fifty years ago on Monday, the town and people of Coleraine came under a vicious assault from the Provisional IRA. Six innocents, six older members of the community were cruelly stolen away from their families and for what?”“No ‘political’ cause could justify such madness. Broken homes were left behind, the reverberations of the bombs detonated that day reverberate to this day.We would wish to commend those who have striven years to have a permanent memorial located at the sire, a reminder to visitors and locals alike of the horrors of terrorism and to ensure that six ordinary, yet extraordinary people are never forgotten”.Mr Donaldson added: “We are privileged to support a number of the Coleraine families and we will he making every effort to reach out to others in the times ahead. We will stand with the innocents of Coleraine on Monday and in the days and weeks that follow.“Coleraine has been a forgotten atrocity of ‘the Troubles’ but the quiet dignity of those impacted by the events of that day is something which should be acknowledged. On Monday, focus falls on those who perished five decades ago and, going forward, greater focus should be upon those left behind.”