West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Candlelight vigil remembers victims of Ballymurphy massacre

Published: 19 December, 2009

Briege Voyle, daughter of massacre victim Joan Connolly, speaks at the Ballymurphy Memorial Garden

Briege Voyle, daughter of massacre victim Joan Connolly, speaks at the Ballymurphy Memorial Garden

The victims of the Ballymurphy Massacre were remembered on Thursday evening, 17 December, at a candlelight procession which made its way through the streets of Ballymurphy.

The procession was organised by the Ballymurphy Massacre campaign group.

The Ballymurphy Massacre took place between the 9th and 11th August 1971, when 11 civilians were murdered in the greater Ballymurphy area by the British army in a pre-conceived and calculated mass murder operation.

47 children were left without a parent as a result of the killings.

Some of the British soldiers who took part in the Ballymurphy Massacre went on to be involved in another massacre of 14 civilians in Derry on 30th January 1972, in what has become known worldwide as 'Bloody Sunday'.

The candlelight procession began at Corpus Christi Chapel in Springhill and ended at the Ballymurphy Memorial Garden at the corner of the Springfield Road .

West Belfast MP Gerry Adams and Ballymurphy Sinn Fein councillor Maire Cush joined victim's families and members of the community for the procession.

Victims Commissioner Brendan McAllister was also present.

Christmas Carols were playing as family members placed the names of their loved ones on a Christmas tree in the memorial garden.

Briege Voyle, daughter of massacre victim and mother of eight Joan Connolly, said;

"We have all suffered for more than 38 years from the fact that our loved ones were killed by the British Army.

"During this time we have had also to suffer insult and harassment, delay and prevarication from the British Government.

"We are calling on Gordon Brown to start the process of righting this historic wrong committed by forces acting on behalf of the British Government by meeting with ourselves as soon as possible."

Ballymurphy Sinn Fein councillor Maire Cush said:

"I want to commend the families and the Ballymurphy community for their continued and determined efforts to have the British Government acknowledge the truth surrounding the shooting dead of their loved ones.

"Sinn Féin fully supports the Ballymurphy families. They deserve public acknowledgment of the terrible events that took so many lives and traumatised so many others.

"Their demand for an independent international investigation into all of the circumstances is entirely justified.

"And the British Government must publicly acknowledge the innocence of the 11 people killed and make a public apology to their families and community for the actions of its armed forces in killing and then covering up the killing of our neighbours.

"This campaign group has put enormous time and energy into their struggle for truth and justice.

"The story of the mass murder that was perpetrated by the British army Parachute Regiment in this area in August 1971 is now widely known in Ireland, in Europe and across the world.

"Indeed, just last month, the families travelled to the European Parliament in Brussels to secure the support of MEPs from a number of different countries, in a trip hosted by Sinn Fein Six County MEP Bairbre de Brun.

"The Ballymurphy community will continue to stand behind the families as they battle for truth."