UVF murders of my dad and uncle gave our family a lifetime of trauma - 46 years ago today: European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism

Belfast man Danny O’Reilly was speaking tonight on the 46th anniversary of the UVF attack on his family at their restaurant, the Golden Pheasant, near Lisburn, on 9 March 1976. He was telling his story at an event to mark the European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism at La Mon Hotel, Comber.

After shooting the two men, the UVF set off a number of firebombs in the property ensuring that Danny’s family lost not only his father and uncle, but also their livelihood and home.

“Since the day our dad and uncle were killed and our livelihoods ruined, my family has suffered immeasurably,” he said. “Our mother could not cope with being left alone to raise eight kids with no home or income and she became an alcoholic.

“We could barely afford to eat and clothe ourselves and we suffered a traumatic childhood of fear, neglect and abuse.

“But despite our grief and loss, I can honestly and thankfully say that no member of my family, including my dad and uncle, has ever been a member of a sectarian or paramilitary organisation. “

His father, Tony, inherited a pub and off licence from his father in west Belfast but conscious of escalating tensions, sold it and moved to Ballynahinch, where they bought the Golden Pheasant pub and restaurant.

Former Irish President Mary McAleese was reared just a few doors up from the O’Reilly’s where they grew up in north Belfast and viewed them as her brothers.

“Mary Mc Aleese tells us that her father, Paddy, was worried about them buying the place because of its location in a heavily Protestant area and warned them not to buy it. I guess it was a testament to my dad’s lack of involvement in sectarian issues that he thought this was a safer option for his family than staying in west Belfast.”

As the popularity of the Golden Pheasant took off, his uncle Myles returned from England to help him run it while his mum did a lot of the cooking initially. The restaurant became one of the best in Northern Ireland at the time, he says.

“My sister Roisin remembers some of the best times were the Orange day parades when she and her best friend, a Protestant, would join in the parade and have a bit of a party.

“We were so sheltered from the hate and sectarian violence that as a family, we had no idea about the distinctions between Catholic and Protestant people. This was something our parents encouraged.”

Mary and Martin McAleese  had planned to hold their wedding at the Golden Pheasant but in the end they decided to move to a larger venue.

“Mary married Martin on the day our dad and uncle Myles were killed and that is why Mary has never been able to celebrate her wedding anniversary without being reminded of the grief she felt as losing her ‘big brothers’. “

On the morning of 9 March 1976, Danny, then only six, was asleep in bed with flu when three UVF gunmen burst into the restaurant.

“They violently corralled the staff into a store room and then held my uncle at gunpoint downstairs while forcing my dad upstairs at gunpoint to bring my mum and I downstairs, shouting ‘fenian f*******’ at him all the time.

“Once downstairs, they shoved my mum into the storeroom and dragged me from my dad’s arms and said ‘come here you wee fenian bastard’. They locked us in the store room then shot my dad and uncle within earshot of the storeroom, then blew the place up.”

Fortunately one of the chefs was able to kick the back door of the store room open and escape while the building around them burned.

“They had meant to kill us all in the fire. Me and my family have re-lived that frightening, gruesome day for the rest of our lives.”

He said that none of his family received any interest or help from any government or community agency until very recently, when the South East Fermanagh Foundation reached out to them to help provide support.

“It is time for recognition of the damage inflicted upon us,” he said. “It is time for change”.

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