Republicans and loyalists alike meted out horrors upon defenceless people

As we rightfully remember the killings at Kingsmill on January 5, 1976 by republican paramilitaries, we should also remember the killings of the Reavey and O'Dowd families a day earlier on January 4 by loyalist paramilitaries.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jan 2019, 06:00 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2019, 14:42 BST
Mural for the UVF  the group to which the Reavey and ODowd killings have been attributed. In all,the attacks claimed the lives of six Catholic menMural for the UVF  the group to which the Reavey and ODowd killings have been attributed. In all,the attacks claimed the lives of six Catholic men
Mural for the UVF  the group to which the Reavey and ODowd killings have been attributed. In all,the attacks claimed the lives of six Catholic men

All three incidents are horrendous, and to be condemned in equal measure.

There were numerous more killings during that dreadful month.

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There were victims from both communities and perpetrators from both loyalist and republican paramilitaries.

These should be remembered as attacks on the civilians of our communities by paramilitaries rather than doing a headcount of who killed the most or who had the most killed.

The civilian community were the sufferers – either by accident or indeed design – as easy and defenceless targets by paramilitaries of all shades.

We cannot and should not be selective in either our condemnation or in remembering.

Mary Russell, Dundalk

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