Majella O’Hare: Family wants investigation into 12-year-old girl shot in back by soldier

A girl shot in the back by a soldier in Northern Ireland was treated like a piece of meat, an eyewitness said.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Oct 2020, 06:00 BST
Michael O'Hare, who has vowed to fight for justice for his sister Majella O'Hare who was shot dead by the Army in Co Armagh 44 years agoMichael O'Hare, who has vowed to fight for justice for his sister Majella O'Hare who was shot dead by the Army in Co Armagh 44 years ago
Michael O'Hare, who has vowed to fight for justice for his sister Majella O'Hare who was shot dead by the Army in Co Armagh 44 years ago

Majella O’Hare, aged 12 and from the village of Whitecross in Co Armagh, had been walking to church in August 1976 when she was struck by two bullets, Amnesty International said.

Her family has demanded an independent investigation into her death.

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Nurse Alice Devlin went to her aid and described the schoolgirl’s treatment after a helicopter arrived to bring her to hospital.

Majella O'Hare who was shot dead by the Army in Co Armagh 44 years agoMajella O'Hare who was shot dead by the Army in Co Armagh 44 years ago
Majella O'Hare who was shot dead by the Army in Co Armagh 44 years ago

She said: “Majella was lifted just like a piece of meat and thrown in head first.”

She alleged: “They just wanted to get her off the road, get rid of her, get her out of the way.”

She travelled in the helicopter with the child but she was pronounced dead upon arrival at Newry’s Daisy Hill Hospital.

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Ms Devlin added: “I know now that on our way in Majella had passed.”

At the time soldiers claimed the shooting had been in response to an IRA sniper attack.

A soldier was later charged by the Royal Ulster Constabulary with manslaughter but acquitted in court.

In 2011, the UK government issued an apology to the O’Hare family in a letter which acknowledged the soldier’s courtroom explanation was “unlikely”.

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The family want the record set straight on what happened to Majella and have written to the PSNI requesting an independent investigation.

Ms Devlin said she saw Majella lying on the road with her late father Jim kneeling over her.

“You can imagine what it was like for that father to see his child lying dying on the road.”

She said the soldiers told him to get away.

He said: “But that is my baby.”

She said the child was badly wounded and she was giving her CPR on the road when the helicopter landed to bring her to hospital.

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The girl’s brother Michael O’Hare said: “The truth cannot be concealed any longer.

“We need an investigation, there must be justice for Majella.

“The truth must out.

“My family deserve accountability for what happened.”