‘Search conscience’ priest asks soldiers involved in Ballymurphy Massacre

A parish priest has reiterated calls this week for soldiers who killed victims in the Ballymurphy Massacre to admit what happened, and to “search their conscience”.

The final oral submissions of the inquest into the deaths of 10 civilians over three days of violence in Ballymurphy, August 1971, took place in a Belfast court on Monday. The events took place immediately after the introduction of internment.

Fr Patrick McCafferty PP of Ballymurphy described the day as “emotional” for the families involved.

“Please God early in the New Year the families will have some closure in all this, as far as there is closure, they will get the justice that they have sought and that they have been denied for nearly 50 years,” he said.

“It was a very emotional day for the families in the court. The calling upon British soldiers to search their conscience is very apt and very appropriate.

“Again, more than likely it will fall on deaf ears, because some have clearly made a decision they’re not going to co-operate.”

Unarmed

The court has heard from the victims’ families who say their loved ones were killed unlawfully while they were unarmed, while the barristers for the Ministry of Defence has said the soldiers opened fire only when there was a perceived threat.

On Sunday morning, Fr McCafferty’s parish held a Month’s Mind for Fr Des Wilson who was involved in the parish and with the families for five decades, followed by a procession for those killed in Ballymurphy.

The priest said: “On Sunday evening the annual procession for the victims of the Ballymurphy, Springhill/Westrock massacres from the church we processed up to the memorial garden. We’re certainly hopeful now that the inquest is winding down, it’s almost finished. It may be January before a few more loose ends are tied up.

“Please God the verdict will give the families what they’ve always known, that their loved ones were innocent and were unlawfully killed,” he added.

Many soldiers have testified since the inquest began in November 2018, but only one has admitted his bullet hit someone.

No new evidence was heard on Monday.

Barristers from the MoD urged members of the IRA to step forward and account for what they were doing in the area during the time of the massacre.