Burrendale Hotel, Newcastle, Co Down: Victims calls for meeting over event for IRA man Paul Magorrian organised by Sinn Fein
A leading victims group has requested a meeting with the Burrendale Hotel in Newcastle with regards to it hosting a commemoration event for a former leader of the IRA in south Down.
According to Troubles reference work Lost Lives, Paul Magorrian was 'adjutant' of the South Down Brigade of the IRA, who was shot dead by the army in Castlewellan on 14 August 1974.
Soldiers said he was aiming a gun at them and that a rifle was found by his side. The SDLP disputed the circumstances, however An Phoblacht says he died on “active service”
In March, flyers for 'the Paul Magorrian story' said a commemorative event was due to take place in Castlewellan GAC club. However the GAA club disavowed the booking, saying they had not approved it.
The latest flyers, published by Sinn Fein on social media, now bill the Burrendale Hotel in Newcastle as the new venue on the same date.
Kenny Donaldson, director of victims group the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), said his group and others have requested an urgent meeting with the the hotel to discuss this "very concerning" development.
"To be fair to Castlewellan GAC they did not buckle to the 'getting the jump tactics' of the event organisers back in March and they are not allowing their facilities to be used for this event,” he said.
"How deeply frustrating and hurtful it is now that The Burrendale Hotel - a hotel which services the full community has indicated preparedness to host such an event, commemorating a systemic terrorist.”
He added: "We have received a couple of dozen phone calls, many emails and other communications from members and others living within the south down area who are deeply concerned by this development. We are not interested in denigrating any business, but we believe strongly that Management at The Burrendale need to heed our request for a meeting, we represent over 3,500 members, are part of an umbrella organisation of over 14,000 (Innocent Victims United) and we have partnership and collaborations with many organisations across the south down area.”
Local DUP Councillor Alan Lewis referred to a report about Magorrian in local history book, The History of Kilmegan and Surrounding Area.
It says: "With the emergence of the new professional IRA in 1969 Paul become a volunteer in the south down brigade, where he quickly gained the reputation as a shrewd operator, who often managed to avoid capture courtesy of his quick thinking taking part in police and army ambushes, barrack attacks and sniping from Bunkers Hill at police and army roadblocks along the Newcastle Road."
Mr Lewis, whose family have lived in the Castlewellan area for generations, says Magorrian was a well known figure before his death.
"Around that stage there were a lot of Protestant shops and businesses being burnt out and had their windows broken. And every time it happened it was painted outside, 'Paul was here'.
"There were always stories around that if there was an IRA checkpoint Paul McGorrian never wore a balaclava. He thought that he owned that town."
The Sinn Fein constituency office in the town is controversially named after him.
The News Letter has contacted the Burrendale for comment repeatedly over two days.
Sinn Fein has also been invited to comment.