Letter: As someone whose father was murdered by the IRA, I am grateful to Dr McGarry and others who challenge those who try to rewrite the history of the Troubles

I am grateful to Dr Philip McGarry for his excellent piece last Wednesday – on 9/11, as the Americans note the date, coincidentally the 23rd anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks in the USA (‘We must challenge hyper nationalist conduct such as booing of anthem’).

He highlights an issue of deep concern to me, that ‘hasn’t gone away, you know.’

I once went to a workshop over several days in Barcelona. About 15 of us, from very different perspectives, but all affected by the Troubles in some way, did some intense work together. One man there, Michael, was working with republican ex-prisoners. He had been a member of the IRA and a prisoner himself. At that time, I didn’t know this, but the reason he had been in prison was that he had been convicted for his part in the murder at his home of an off-duty, unarmed, RUC man.

Michael and I got on well, and one afternoon the two of us ‘escaped’ to the beach. As we travelled the conversation took an interesting turn. He asked about my dad, an RUC officer who had been shot dead by the IRA. I told him a story that had made a deep impression on me.

In the weeks after my father’s murder a man called Roy made several visits. He was in charge of police welfare and was a great help to my family. He had been doing this job for about 15 years, almost since the start of the Troubles. He had been involved with most of the bereaved RUC families.

He told me he knew there were plenty of ‘bad boys’ in the police (he actually used a more colourful adjective). By this I took him to mean men who drank too much, cheated on their wives and possibly kicked their cats, etc. And then he said how remarkable it was that so few of them seemed to be the ones who got shot. Roy told me in a hushed tone, how often he had noticed that the officers who were killed were decent family men, or men of deep Christian faith – both of which well described my murdered father.

On the bus I told Michael all this and then I said I have a possible explanation. As a Methodist minister I believe in the reality of evil. As the Apostle Paul puts it – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Republican political objectives are perfectly legitimate, but the modus operandi of the IRA (and also loyalist paramilitaries) is driven by these evil spiritual forces and so it is no surprise to me that a disproportionate number of their victims are people of good moral standing and deep Christian faith. As I shared these deep things from my heart with my new friend I looked him in the eye, but at this point he turned his gaze away and there was an awkward silence.

When we got to the beach we went swimming together and, on the way, back talked about other things.

On Sunday eight days ago Michael sat down beside me and my wife on a flight back from London. We had a short and pleasant conversation, recalling the trip to Barcelona. I don’t think Michael has changed his view that the IRA’s ‘war’ was justifiable.

So, I am grateful to Dr McGarry, and others, particularly in this newspaper, who consistently challenge those who attempt to rewrite the history of the Troubles, corrupting the minds of the younger generations.

Rev Dr David Clements, Cullybackey