'I never knew my father's voice': Grieving relatives of loyalist murder victims remember loved ones at Stormont event
It was important to hear from the victims of both republican and loyalist terrorists at an event in Stormont, the MLA hosting the event has said.
Timothy Gaston, who represents North Antrim, was speaking after two grieving relatives of IRA and loyalist murder victims shared their painful stories at the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.
The event was addressed by Caroline D’Eath, whose father Gerald D’Eath was killed by a UVF bomb at just 31 years old.
Gerald, a bricklayer, was working on the building site of a school in Glengormley in May 1975 when he discovered a flask that had apparently been dropped by one of the labourers.
In fact it was a loyalist booby-trap, the flask containing explosives.
His killing left his wife a widow and three young girls without a father – including Caroline, who was only four years old at the time of his murder.
Speaking after the victims event, she told the News Letter: “I never knew his voice, or what his personality was like; he never knew what way we became as women, and how we turned out.
"I’ve no memories [of him] whatsoever. My two older sisters have a few memories; the only thing we have belonging to our father is a few photographs; that’s all we have left.
"There was no purpose or gain from his murder. He was an innocent Catholic man out doing a day’s work for his family, and unfortunately we’ve all become victims and survivors of the Troubles.”
No one has ever been brought to justice for Gerald’s murder, Caroline said, and her mother died nine years ago without knowing who the perpetrators were.
“Straight after his murder, she had to become the sole breadwinner for our family,” Caroline added. “She had to take on three jobs.
"We, as teenagers, had to learn how to light fires, do household chores, do everything around the house as mummy was always working. She did the best for us and raised us to have a good work ethic.
"My mum also taught us everyone is the same no matter what religion they are, and to treat everyone the way they would like to be treated.”
The event also heard from Colette Murray, whose brother Cyril was killed in what has been deemed a mistaken identity attack.
In July 1992, loyalist gunmen burst into their East Belfast home and murdered the 51-year-old retired teacher and keen artist at the top of the stairs.
Cyril was not the intended target of the killers, who had gone to the wrong house.
For Colette, life has never been the same: “I lost companionship. I lost help. I lost someone I could talk to about different things. It’s just not the life I should have been living.”
As reported yesterday, relatives of IRA victims also spoke at the event, including Pamela Wilson, whose RUC officer father David Dorsett was killed in January 1973.
His death “ripped through our lives as much as any bomb or bullet”, she said, and the family believes it contributed to the early deaths of her mother and brother.
And the event heard from David McCaughey, whose cousin Dougald was one of three soldiers murdered by the IRA in an infamous honeytrap plot in 1971.