Let us not forget the IRA’s attitude toward human life – and Northern Ireland’s economy

(See here: Coronavirus: SF’s Declan Kearney blasted for ‘bonkers’ article on ‘capitalist greed’ during crisis)

His remarks prompted me to re-read a blogpost dealing with the attitude of the IRA to business and human life.

Forty-three years ago last month James Nicholson, an English businessman, was shot by the PIRA after visiting the Strathearn Auto factory in Andersonstown. The IRA justified the murder saying that businessmen “stabilise the North’s economy to serve British interests”.

One month earlier, in February 1977, the IRA murdered the managing director of Du Pont in Londonderry because “the war [sic] is not merely a conflict between Republican and British forces. It is a conflict between the interests which those forces represent. Those involved in the management of the economy serve British interests. They represent and maintain economic interests which make the war [sic] necessary”.

Many other examples could be cited. One thinks of the murder of German businessman Thomas Niedermayer and the tragic ripple effects down through generations of his family. Of the Teebane bombing. Of the employees of Henry Brothers who were murdered by the IRA. One could cite countless IRA bombings aimed at causing economic damage to towns in NI and in London, many of which plunged people out into eternity.

The IRA had no difficulty taking human life to cause economic damage to further its all-Ireland agenda.

And today Mr Kearney has the gall to claim that Unionists are putting the economy ahead of human life.

Samuel Morrison, TUV, Dromore, Co Down