Half-century anniversary of first IRA RUC murders: Jeffrey Donaldson recalls messages of sympathy from south Armagh public

Mr Donaldson’s father was a cousin of Samuel Donaldson, one of the two RUC constables to die on August 12, 1970 – the first RUC murders carried out by republicans in the whole Troubles period.

It was not the only tragedy visited upon the Donaldson family during the Troubles; Samuel’s brother Alexander went on to achieve the rank of chief inspector, but was also murdered by the IRA in its 1985 Newry mortar bloodbath, along with eight others.

Since the 1998 agreement, which was meant to mark the beginning of the end for paramilitarism in the Province, there have been countless attacks on police by dissidents (with some, such as those on Ronan Kerr and Stephen Carroll, proving fatal).

Only last month, Belfast woman Christine Connor, 35, was found guilty of trying to murder police with explosives in north Belfast in 2013.

It was the second attempt to prosecute her, and she is now awaiting sentence.

Mr Donaldson, DUP MP for Lagan Valley, said: “Samuel had a large number of brothers and sisters and obviously his death on his parents and immediate family was devastating.

“To compound the tragedy, nobody has ever been brought to justice. One of the heartening aspects of that time was that Samuel’s family received a large number of cards and letters from people in Crossmaglen, who were appalled at this outrage, this atrocity. I think that reflected the fact that at the time there really wasn’t much support for what the IRA were doing, even in places like Crossmaglen.

“We owe so much to the men and women of the RUC who put themselves in the front line between the community and tyranny.

“Sadly we’ve seen in recent times there are still those in Northern Ireland who believe that killing police officers serves some cause. This kind of perverse thinking is thankfully limited now to a few desperate people... I pray for the day when we’ll no longer have people who think that way.”

As to when such a day may come, he said: “This may not happen in my lifetime, but I am hopeful that, for the next generation, they’ll be able to live in a peaceful NI where the murder of police officers is a thing of the past.”

The book ‘Lost Lives’ described the mood of the period, saying: “Although the town of Crossmaglen would gradually become a byword for militant republicanism, at the time of the killings it was known as a traditionally nationalist - as opposed to republican - area.”

Many of the town’s Catholic population were reported to have sent wreaths as condolences for the families of the two men.

READ MORE FROM THIS REPORTER:

READ: Newry RUC station attack anniversary: Ex-officer says ‘pure carnage’ wreaked by IRA never leaves him

READ: Mum speaks out over LVF murder of her only son 20 years after campaign declared over

READ: LVF called end to campaign 20 years ago – here is how it was born

READ: McGuinness anniversary: ‘The IRA killed Clive but we kept things to ourselves. Who would listen?’

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