The families of five people shot dead by British troops in what has become known as the Springhill-Westrock Massacre have accused the British Government of “deliberate silence” following the recent findings issued by Justice Scoffield in the Springhill Inquest.
They have called upon the British government to issue a formal apology, as Britain did to Bloody Sunday families after the Saville Inquiry, and to the Ballymurphy families after that inquest.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians has said in a statement that it supports this call.
The statement issued by AOH Freedom for All Ireland Chair Martin Galvin states: “We urge the British government to issue a formal apology to the Springhill-Westrock families, both for murdering their loved ones on July 9th 1972, but also for what has been done to these victims’ families over the last 54 years, to deny them justice.
”It is now almost three weeks since Justice Scoffied issued his findings exonerating Catholic priest Fr. Noel Fitzpatrick, parishioner Patrick Butler, Margaret Gargan 13, John Dougal 16, and David McCafferty 16, as “wholly innocent victims.”
“These findings came as no surprise to their loved ones, who have been shouting the truth for over 5 decades, or to anyone who followed the inquest and saw that the evidence could support no other verdict.
“Sixteen year old. John Dougal, was shot in the back, as he ran away from British troops while other teenagers, Martin Dudley, 19, and Brian Pettigrew 17, were severely wounded.Fr. Noel Fitzpatrick was shot as he tried to give last rites, and the high powered bullet passed through and hit parishioner Patrick Butler, killing both men. David McCafferty, 16 was shot in the back as he tried to pull Fr. Fitzpatrick to safety. Thirteen year old Margaret Gargan was shot dead as she stopped to talk to friends in front of her home.
“Surely the British Army must have known the truth, immediately or within hours thereafter. Yet for almost 54 years, the British government continued to deny the truth with blatantly false stories of IRA activity. They delayed the inquest at every turn, hoping it would not be completed before the cutoff date of new British legacy laws, so the matter could be funneled into the discredited ICRIR. The crown watched as many of the family members who began the legal battle for justice, died.
“Now nearly three weeks after the inquest findings were published, the British government, as a matter of justice and decency should at last give the Springhill-Westrock Massacre families the apology they deserve, instead of being narrowly-focused on special protections for former British troops, like the soldier who killed a priest waving a white cloth, a father of six, and two teenagers, but who the crown claims cannot be identified much less made accountable.”
