Former soldier asks IRA bomber who maimed him for a meeting and ‘two-way conversation’

John Radley from Birkenhead was a 21-year-old lance corporal in the Irish Guards when he was maimed by an IRA nail bomb at Chelsea Barracks in 1981. A widow and an 18-year-old youth were killed and almost 40 soldiers injured.

Prominent Sinn Fein member Paul Kavanagh, who is married to Martina Anderson MLA - was sentenced to five life terms for the attack. The Education Authority announced this week he is one of four new appointees.

Yesterday Mr Radley said he could not understand how someone who was convicted of the murder of an 18-year-old youth could be appointed to such a leadership role in children’s education.

“I would love to meet Paul Kavanagh,” he said last night. “It is not an aggressive invitation.”

The IRA bomb which maimed him saw him discharged from the army soon after. Ever since he has lived in constant pain and on disability benefits.

He is blind in one eye, deaf in one ear and has a badly damaged hand, as well has PTSD.

“I would just like to sit down for a chat and a cup of coffee and hear in his own words why he did it,” he said. “I have PTSD and it will definitely help me to move on. So far it has just been a one sided conversation of violence.”

Nora Field, a 59-year-old widow and 18-year-old John Patrick Breslin were killed in the attack.

The bomb had up to 30lbs of gelignite with over 1,100 nails of between five and six inches long, plus and nuts and bolts weighing about 6lbs. It was detonated by a command wire which ran along scaffolding. At the inquest the coroner said the bomber would have had a clear view of the scene and knew that innocent civilians would be hit.

Mrs Field was killed by six-inch nail bent into a U-shape which crossed the whole of her chest cavity, disrupting her heart and killing her instantly.

18 year-old John Patrick Breslin, who was sitting on a nearby wall, was also killed. His scalp was torn away, his skull penetrated and his brain torn by the blast.

His father, Kevin Breslin from Co Roscommon said: “It’s their own people they are killing. They are Irish. I am Irish and they killed my son.”

DUP leader Arlene Foster called John Radley on Thursday about the appointment. “With five life sentences, Paul Kavanagh should be in jail rather than on the Education Authority,” she said. “Any kind of conviction rules you out from all kinds of jobs yet here a man with five life sentences can sit on the education authority.”

UUP Justice Spokesman Doug Beattie said: “This perversion of our society by Sinn Fein making this appointment is quite deliberate. It is insulting and it is designed to pile hurt and pain on victims and survivors who see this political appointment as yet another attempt to corrupt the narrative of our troubled past.”

Chair of the Stormont Education Committee, Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle said: “This is a political appointment made by Sinn Féin. It will understandably cause hurt for victims.”

Kenny Donaldson of Innocent Victims United said: “We advocate on behalf of innocent victims of terrorist actions by Paul Kavanagh. They are deeply hurt at this recent development but not at all surprised”.

Sinn Fein was invited to respond to Mr Radley’s request for a meeting.

On Thursday the party said: “Paul Kavanagh has a wealth of experience in education, government and policy development.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said: “Under the Education Act 2014, 12 Board members are appointed directly by the Department of Education [to the Education Authority] with the remaining 8 Board members appointed directly by political parties in accordance with the D’Hondt principles. Under this legislation, political members are not ministerial appointments and as such the Minister and Department have no role in the nomination process.

“The Minister is informed by the relevant political party that the member is in post, having confirmed to the Department that they wish to take up office following nomination in accordance with Schedule 1, Paragraph 3.”

READ MORE:

Ex-soldier maimed by IRA bomber: How can a man who killed an 18-year-old boy get a job in education?

IRA victim Ann Travers slams Education Authority for appointing ex-bomber Paul Kavanagh

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