Speakers confirmed ahead of event to mark the victims of terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland
The guest speakers have been confirmed for an upcoming event to mark the victims of terrorist attacks.
Every year since the Madrid bombings in 2004 across Europe, one day in March has been set aside as a Memorial Day to the victims of terrorist attacks.
Following his election to the Northern Ireland Assembly, TUV leader Jim Allister hosted events at Stormont to mark the occasion. His successor as TUV MLA for North Antrim, Timothy Gaston, is continuing the tradition.
Over the years, there have been highly successful events attended by victims of republican and loyalist terrorism from across Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Republic and continental Europe.
This year’s event will be held in the Senate Chamber in Parliament Buildings at 11am on Monday, March 10.
Speaking at the event will be Caroline D'Eath, the daughter of Gerald D'Eath who was a Roman Catholic civilian murdered by a UVF bomb. Married with four children, he was a machine operator from Braeside in Dungannon.
Gerald had been working on the building site of a new Christian Brothers school for several months and died on the site when a UVF bomb exploded. He was working as a bricklayer at the time.
Furthermore, David McCaughey whose cousin Dougald McCaughey was murdered by Provisional IRA terrorists will also be a guest speaker.
Dougald was murdered along with brothers John, 17 and Joseph McCaig, 18 respectively on March 10, 1971. All three men were from Scotland. They were murdered when off-duty and in civilian clothes, having been lured from a city centre bar in Belfast, driven to a remote location and shot.
Those in attendance will also hear from Pamela Wilson, who lost her father Const David Dorsett RUC GC in a car bomb explosion by the Provisional IRA on January 14, 1973.
David was 37 and originally from Wolverhampton and had served in the Royal Navy and the Bristol Constabulary.
In 1967, he joined the RUC. His wife was from Londonderry. It was his son's eighth birthday on the day he was murdered alongside Meryn Wilson.
A bomb exploded beneath their car on Harbour Square, Londonderry.
The fourth speaker is Colette Murray, who was 47 when her brother Cyril was shot dead by loyalist terrorists on July 8, 1992 in the family home where they both had lived for 29 years.
Cyril Murray was a law-abiding citizen who had taught in a primary school in Belfast. He was well regarded in educational circles as an inspirational teacher and many past pupils had fond memories of him. The terrorists later stated it was a case of mistaken identity.
Speaking after the speakers were confirmed, Mr Gaston MLA said: “I believe this will be a worthwhile effort. It is but right that one of the regions of Europe most savagely ravaged by terrorism should mark this important day.
“I am thankful for the South East Fermanagh Foundation and Ulster Human Rights Watch for making this event possible and for Assembly colleagues Mike Nesbitt and Patsy McGlone, without whose co-sponsorship this event would not be taking place”.