'He was a genuine people's person': Sister pays tribute to her sibling who was murdered by the IRA

Terence McKeever, a 29-year-old electrical contractor, was found dead near the Irish border at Mullaghduff Bridge, Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, on June 16, 1986.

Mr McKeever had worked in Garda stations and in RUC stations, in Irish army barracks and in British Army barracks, and in other public sector facilities.

The IRA claimed Mr McKeever had been warned to discontinue electrical work for the security forces.

His sister, Karen, who was aged just 18 at the time, said the family has experienced a “searing pain of loss and injustice” since the killing.

She added: “Our family were always very close and united, we were always there for each other, encouraging one another, each time one of us achieved something, we all celebrated that success together, we were a family driven to succeed.

“Terence was the epitome of someone with a passion for his work, he was ambitious and deeply successful, yet he never became arrogant or aloof; his humility very much remained intact. He was a genuine people’s person.

“I choose not to allow terrorism to define my life, they have stolen away too much already; my beautiful brother, and my Mummy and Daddy also died premature deaths, the light extinguished within both of them that horrible day.”

Karen believes her brother was murdered for reasons of “economic terrorism” as he made his business, McKeever Bros, one of the largest electric companies in the UK and Ireland.

She continued: “The Provisional IRA will claim that my brother was a ‘legitimate target’, on the basis of the government contracts we completed, which included work within police stations and Army bases.

“This would never be justification for anyone’s murder, and I challenge that rationale given – it is a flagrant lie.

“The real motivation for the assassination of my brother was because of the monopoly our family business held in terms of contracts along the border corridor, north and south. McKeever Bros did not pay into the ‘Firm,’ we were not a family who were prepared to be cowed by terrorists, nor to be in their pockets.

“My brother was murdered for reasons of economic terrorism, he stood in the way of a financial funnel for the Provisional IRA, he was focused in building up the economy of this place, and those who callously murdered him were only interested in tearing this country and community apart.”

Kenny Donaldson, director of victims’ group SEFF, said how Karen has shown “immense courage and also dignity” since her brother’s murder.

“We should pause and reflect upon the employment the business brought at a time of deep recession and economic hardship,” he stressed.

“Terence was the leader and he was destined for even more wonderful things at the point he was stolen away; 29 years of age and only recently married.

“The family possess a values system which transcends denominational religion or any position on the constitutional future of this place, they are the type of people who worked hard, and who were committed to doing the right thing.

“On a personal level I connect with this case because I am also from the root heart of south Armagh, this was a murder that was often spoken about in our family home growing up; the waste, the injustice, the horrible violence.”