Majella O'Hare - by Fr. Denis Faul and Fr. Raymond Murray (1976)

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Majella O'Hare
Shot Dead by the British Army 14 August 1976
by Fr. Denis Faul and Fr. Raymond Murray (1976)
Paperback 32pp Out of Print

Originally published in Ireland September 1976 by the authors

These extracts are copyright Fr. Denis Faul and Fr. Raymond Murray. You may not edit, adapt, or redistribute changed versions of this for other than your personal use without the express written permission of the author. Redistribution for commercial purposes is not permitted.

Contents

DEATH AND A LIE

The Paras and Marines

This information was prepared for the use of Frank Maguire M.P., in bringing to the attention of the Members of the House of Commons in London serious allegations and complaints made against some members of the 3rd Parachute Regiment (with or without S.A.S. men) during their operations in South Armagh. Most of the complaints were notitied to the Army authorities and to the RUG with no results as yet. We know of other complaints where the victims were unwilling to allow the complaint to be made as the last remark made to them by the soldiers was: "If you complain about this we will shoot you," and they fear a worse beating if they complain.

The Army is operating with very wide powers under the Emergency Powers Act 1973 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1976. Yet again and again we find well founded complaints brought to our attention where some personnel of the 3rd Parachute Regiment have acted outside the law and ill-treated people, bullied them or threatened their lives. Whether they are doing this with real or tacit permission from their officers is one of the questions Frank Maguire is endeavouring to find an answer to from Roy Mason M.P.

Respect for law and order and justice is the foundation of peace along with respect for truth. For the British to fight terrorism with terrorist tactics is only compounding to problem and making the task of the peacemaker impossible. Life for the ordinary Catholic people is being made very difficult and we have had to visit the victims of the actions described in these complaints in General Hospitals and Mental Hospitals where they are receiving treatment as a result of their experience.

1. On June 12, Liam Prince, a 27-year-old Catholic-teacher, was shot dead as he drove up to an army checkpoint in Forkhill. There had been a land-mine explosion in the area. The Paras shot him dead.

2. Twenty-year-old youth. Taken from his car on June 4th at 10 p.m. at Tamnaghbane on the Camlough-Meigh road while on his way to a dance, taken to a derelict house, punched and butted and had a gun put to his mouth, life threatened. Taken to Bessbrook, after three hours left at the camp gate to walk home on foot at 2a.m.

July 7, 8 p.m. taken from his car at Hugh Byrne’s Rise on the Carrickovaddy Road. A knife was thrown at his feet and then put to his throat, given two days to produce information or he would be killed.

July 11, 8.15 p.m. Taken from his car at Carrickovaddy cottages and threatened with death unless he produced information. "We can get you going to work."
This youth had to spend over two weeks in a mental hospital receiving treatment after his experience.

3. 21-year-old youth. July 2, working in the hayfield at Carrowmannon; paratroopers made him stand with his hands out, caught him by the throat, put the gun to his ear, made a noise, saying "You won’t hear the real one."

July 8, 11.30 a.m. taken from the car at Lislea, thumped him in the stomach and kneed him in the back, pulled a lump of hair out of his head, threatened his life: "The boys who got Cleary will be calling around to see you." They stole a camera from the car.

July 10, 1.35 a.m. At Silverbridge accompanied by girl friend. Took him from the car to the rear, thumped him on the neck below the right jaw, slapped him around the head, pulled him by the hair, told to open his mouth and a gun inserted; threatened his life; girl friend intervened. Paratrooper said: "I cut and butchered women in Aden." Then they said: "If you report this, you’ll never see home."

This youth had to spend a period in hospital for treatment to his mouth which was lacerated.

4. 20-year-old youth. June 25, at 8.05 a.m. stopped with a 20-year-old friend on the Carrickovaddy road while going to work. "Taken into a field and made to sit in the nettles and turn on my nose and mouth in the nettles; hit me in the belly with his fist; put the gun to my head and threatened to shoot me; took my sandwiches from the car and ate them and took a packet of cigarettes; interfered with the car so that it had no brakes.

Another day they made us lie on our backs in the field for an hour; when we refused to sing: ‘God Save the Queen’ they made us run up and down with their heavy radio pack on our backs."

5. July 7, 7.45 p.m. on the Carrickovaddy road two Paratroopers exposed themselves to an old woman and a young girl.

6. July 10, a worker alleged that £40 was stolen from his coat at a road block near the Mountain House.

7. July 18, 18-year-old youth held for an hour at a road block at 2 p.m. Thumped and kicked in the stomach. Then examined his stomach to see if there were any marks.

8. June 24. 21-year-old youth. Arrested and taken to Bessbrook at 10.15 p.m., blackmailed with threat of re-arrest if he did not turn informer.

9. June 22. Two 17-year-old youths arrested in Newry; obscene suggestions made to them about their Catholic girl friends.

10. Easter Monday, 18th April, 26-year-old man arrested at Killeen, taken to Bessbrook, thumped and kicked and threatened and blackmailed.

11. Harassment of priests by long holdups at roadblocks and illegal questioning.

12. On the night of July 28 the Paras burned a house at Drumilly, Beleeks, a house with valuable property and savings in it. An Austin 1800 car was seen beside the house and 4 men in dark green fatigues were seen between 12.30 am. and 1 a.m. The house was burned to the ground.

13. July 29, A Reserve RUC Constable, George Edward Johnston, of Rathfriland, County Down, was shot dead at close range by a Para at a checkpoint in Bessbrook in the early hours of the morning. Mr. Johnston who was in civilian clothes was in a car with three other people, two women and a man, when the shooting occurred.

14. Paras burned a valuable hayshed at Carrickovaddy at 3 a.m. 16 August. They were seen around about midnight beside the house. They knocked the door at 3 am. and said - "Your hay-shed is alight." Damage is estimated at more than £5000. It was burned to the ground. The family had been harassed non-stop for the previous three months by the Paras.

THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE ROYAL MARINE COMMANDOS IN CROSSMAGLEN
ON TUESDAY EVENING, 31 AUGUST, 1976

Mr. Maguire - I am sending you the following complaints of brutality by the British Army on people in Crossmaglen. I wish you to bring them to the attention of Merlyn Rees and Roy Mason. You will note that most of the complainants were never "lifted" by the Army before and were returning from their day’s work to their homes in the village when they were brutally assaulted. The soldiers seem to apply a principle of corporate guilt against the Catholics of Crossmaglen as the Nazis did at Lidice.

It appears that this type of mass retaliation against the inhabitants is a matter of policy and not due to "excessive zeal." Although many have not noticed it, the British Army is a highly disciplined army and its soldiers do not beat or shoot people except in response to precise orders from their Officer-Godfathers.

You might consider it a good thing to distribute this leaflet to your fellow members at Westminster. Some of them may share the worry expressed to me by some Englishmen, that the army is beginning to operate as an establishment independent of political control. They misinterpret the current voices for peace as support for themselves, scent victory and wish to "put in the boot" in the Catholic areas - which will produce exactly the opposite effect. Let Britain beware that what happens in St. James, Belfast, Crossmaglen and Eglish today does not happen in Notting Hill and Grimsby tomorrow.

You will also note with no surprise the refusal of the RUC to take complaints from the victims. That is one. reason why no soldier or RUC man has served a day in jail for killing or assaulting citizens while on duty in Northern Ireland since 1969; the agents of the government are not under the law but over it.

On Tuesday evening, August 31 at 7.30 p.m. I heard shouting and screaming outside and I came to the sitting room window; one of the soldiers saw me at the window and he said: "Get that bastard in there." They pushed. in the door and grabbed me and ran me to the saracen and kicked me on the floor.

When we got to the barracks I was kicked from all directions by the soldiers. I was pulled out of the saracen. In the yard I was put up against the wall in the search position, arms and legs outstretched. I got two belts of the butt of a rifle in the ribs and I was told to take off my jacket and empty the contents and open the belt of my trousers and take off my shoes.

I got a couple of thumps in the face from a man who said he was injured and I got about three kicks between the legs from behind. I fell on the ground and was told to get up again. I got a couple more kicks between the legs and I was asked were they sore enough.

We were told to run to the back of the barracks with our belongings. They made us run through the glass - we had no shoes on us and they made us stand up against the galvanise in the search position; one came to me and the man with me and asked us did we fancy a few rounds with him. He gave me a thump in the groin. Then by helicopter to Bessbrook. A soldier wanted to have a go at me with the butt of his rifle; he was told to sit down.

We were landed in Bessbrook; we had to run the gauntlet of the troops out of the helicopter at the landing place. We were lined up against the wall in a field and told to take our coats and shoes off again. One soldier allotted a civilian to each soldier. He said: "Run for the road." He twisted my arm above my shoulder, told me to make a run for it or he would break it. He ran me into the barracks in that position.

I was brought to the top of the yard and he put ,another fellow with blood on his face beside me. I was standing on a wooden pallet for a fork lift. He told the other man to get on it as well. The pallet was 5’ from the wall. I was told to get my feet to the outside of it and to each corner and stretch out my arms until my finger tips were touching the wall. The same for the man beside me. My left arm collapsed completely. I was told to move one piece of the timber and held myself up with one arm. I was there twenty minutes in that position when I fell. I was told to put my toes in between the timbers and get my arms up and sit in that position for twenty minutes - there was aching in my ankles. Another soldier came in and asked what was I doing in that position. He told me to get back into the more difficult position.

I could not get the left arm up. He said he would do it for me. Then he told everybody else to stand back from the wall and wriggle their fingers to get the circulation back, but to keep their noses to the wall. Two men had collapsed. I fell on the pallet and I was pulled over on to the yard and told to do press ups. I got my elbows on the ground and tried to rise myself, but ankles failed. Another soldier hit me a kick and smashed my watch to pieces. He told me I was an f.. . . ing pansy.

I was taken out to another compound; I was asked my name and religion; he told me I was an Atheist. I was told to hold the blackboard with the details to be photographed. I could not hold it up and it was done for me. I was taken to a cell and given my belongings. After an hour I was taken out. I asked for a doctor - he noted my injuries, arms, legs, testicles ‘and nose. I was interviewed by the Intelligence or Special Branch. They made no effort. The soldiers boasted of running Crossmaglen and I think the operation was an effort to terrorise us. After release I was in Craigavon Hospital for treatment. This was the first time I was "lifted" by the Army.

Signed - Francis Murtagh. Witness - Fr Denis Faul (4/9/76).

About 20 men were arrested on 31/8/76 and ill-treated by Army. The pattern of the ill-treatment is outlined in the statement of Frank Maguire. Here are some shorter extracts from other statements.

I was never "lifted" by the Army before. On Tuesday, 31 August at 7.10 p.m. I was in my brother-in-law’s car (John McCusker) with my child Louise, aged five, coming from his house at 4 McCormack’s Place, to my own house and I was outside Murtagh’s house when the soldiers blocked the car with their saracen. They told the two of us to get out. They said: "Take the young fellow," meaning me, and did, by the hair of the head and flung me into the landrover.

Into the barracks; I was hit by fists and boots and gun butts and points of guns. A soldier 5’ 8" with a fortnight beard, said: "You know the bastard, mate" and he hit me with the gun in the eye (I could identify him). I thought my nose was broken, my jaw was left very sore. I got three cuts on the back of my head.

They made me take off my boots and immediately stamped on my toes. My stomach was badly injured by thumps and jags of the rifles. They kept saying: "You know who done it, mate."

In the helicopter they said they were going to throw me out. At Bessbrook I was taken by the hair of the head, boots taken off and put in the stress position. Pulled by the hair across the road to a wee yard, search, search position again. I asked, "Could I pull my feet in an inch sir?" (he made me call him ‘sir’). He said, "Put them out two inches mate," and he kicked them out. I was numb in my arms with leaning against the wall. I saw a doctor who noted my injuries and I saw an officer on the way out and complained. I was treated in Craigavon Hospital. I am a peaceable man. I do a lot of refereeing about here.

Signed - Edward Cassidy. Witness - Fr. Denis Faul (4/9/76).

Edward Cassidy’s attempt to lodge an official complaint about his ill-treatment.

On 1/9/76 I went to my solicitors in Newry. They told me to lodge an official complaint with the RUC. I went with another victim to the RUC Station, Newry at 3.30 p.m. Two men were at the desk; I said; "I want to make an official complaint about the brutality I received from the British Army. One of them said: "Where did this happen?" "Between Bessbrook and Crossmaglen." He said: "Go to those places. I can do nothing for you here." He shouted at us. I went to Bessbrook RUC arriving at 4 p.m. What I met in there was an old man. I asked him. He said: "You should not be making it in here; make it in Crossmaglen," (the place I was beaten in).

I am making an official complaint under Section 13 of the Police Act 1970. The RUC men did not want to know. You would think they were ordered to chase us.

Signed - E. Cassidy. Witness - Fr. Denis Faul (4/9/76).

I was never "lifted" by the Army before. On Tuesday, 31 August at 7.45 p.m. I came home from Newry from my work into the Ard Ross estate. The soldiers outside Hughes’ shouted:

"Come down here or I’ll shot." They made me run down. Then threw me against a car and hit me a few kicks and threw me into the saracen. When we got to the Barracks, I was pulled out by the hair of the head - against the wall - take off coat and boots. Kept saying: "You know who done it." They kicked me on the ribs. They hit me with the butt of a gun in the eye and they hit me on the jaw. I was spitting blood. They kicked me twice from behind in the privates.

A soldier who was injured hit me a dig in the stomach. They made me walk across glass to the helicopter - I never got my boots back. I asked for my boots, he caught me by the hair of the head and dragged me to the helicopter.

They threatened to throw me out of the helicopter. At Bessbrook they put me me up against the wall and searched us. They took us into the station. They made us stand against the wall on a pallet - made me put my toes between the slots.

They did not ask me for information about the attack, but were satisfied to ill treat me. I did not even hear that there was an attack. I was in Newry at the time.

I saw doctor and he noted my marks. I never got my boots back heavy boots, working boots.

Signed - Pat Hughes. Parent - Sarah Hughes. Witness - Fr. Denis Faul (4/9/76).

Statement of Paddy Rooney [53]
33 Rathview Park

I am a diabetic. I was never "lifted" by the Army before. I came from Castleblayney to Crossmaglen in my car with my son aged 15 on Tuesday 31/8/76 at 7.30 p.m. Near my own door I met the soldiers. They shouted "Get him out the Godfather." They pulled me out by the hair of the head. They took the young lad out and kicked him. My boy saw the blondie soldier who had called me the Godfather, hit me with the butt of the rifle on the back of the head, inflicting a wound requiring three stitches in Craigavon Hospital. I went unconscious. My neighbours saw me dragged past with my head down. My shirt was covered in blood. I was taken to Bessbrook, to Daisyhill Hospital and then to Craigavon Hospital and from there I arrived home at 2.30a.m My ribs were fractured and I was scraped across the chest.

Signed - P. Rooney. Witness - Fr. Denis Faul (4/9/76).

Statement of James Teelin [19]
42 Ard Ross.

On Tuesday 31/8/76 I was coming through Ard Ross with my cousin John Parnell of Newry at 7.45 p.m. The soldiers dragged both of us out and threw us in the saracen.

In the barracks they made me stand against the wall, pulled me by the hair, hit my chest (I have a bad chest asthma), stomach, kicked me on the privates behind three times, kicked my ankles and knees. They hit me with the butt of a gun on the side. They made me walk through glass in my bare feet. They threatened if I put in a claim or a statement they would cut my throat.

I was taken to Bessbrook by helicopter, dragged out of it by the hair of the head -. made take off boots, made me walk through stones in bare feet, made us stand. against the wall for three hours.

I saw the doctor, the next day I saw my own doctor. My nerves are badly shaken and I find it difficult to sleep.

Signed - James Teelin. Witness - Fr. Denis Faul (4/9/76).

Other statements describe the experiences of an 18-year-old youth, "thumped on the jaw, kicked in the stomach, deprived of sleep.

A second 18-year-old youth; "Taken to the Barracks, caught by the hair of the head, kicked on the back, thumped on the side of the face. Two and a half hours in the stress position threatened.

On the following morning the soldiers assaulted a 16-year-old youth on his way to work, Noel White (16), 22 Ard Ross.

"On Wednesday 1/9/76 I was going to work at am. At the flats I met the soldiers. I was alone. One soldier said, "Take him over here; I like him." He put me against the wall, kicked my legs apart and called me nicknames. He hit me with the gun on the left temple - the blood came down my face. He hit me a thump on the mouth. He was 6’1".

A wee blond soldier picked up my lunch box and flung my lunch around the box and made me drop the box on the ground. I was still bleeding. The soldier said "It was a good f. . .ing job you did not put any blood on my rifle or I would have broken your two legs."

Signed - Noel White. Parent - Kathleen White. Witness - Fr. Denis Faul (4/9/76).

Conclusion

The Royal Marine Commandos are a group of bullies who were allowed or encouraged to bully innocent people end terrorise ordinary decent citizens, never involved in any kind of trouble. The soldiers know they can do this with impunity; that no effective prosecution or disciplinary action will be taken against them for running amok (under orders) and beating old men, invalids, and boys to the number of twenty and more. Let no one say that this kind of action contributes anything to the maintenance of law and order since these actions were clearly violations of law. Is beating an old and sick man unconscious with a rifle a contribution to the Pax Britannica?

FR. DENIS FAUL, Dungannon.
FR. RAYMOND MURRAY, Armagh.

Majella's home at Knockavanan, Whitecross

The Fourteenth of August 1976 was a day of special remembrance for Nurse Alice Campbell of Crossmaglen, for it was on that day she was to be married to Brian Reavey of Whitecross. Alas Brian and his two brothers John Martin and Anthony were assassinated in January 1976. On the Fourteenth morning Seamus Reavey, Brian’s brother, collected her from her work at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, at 9 a.m. They bought a wreath and went to collect the father James Reavey, and little Colleen the eight-year-old daughter. They cut roses from the garden at the old Reavey home at Greyhilla, Whitecross, where Brian was assassinated. They arrived at Ballymoyer Graveyard about 11.00 a.m. Seamus noticed a group of soldiers in the hay-cut field beside the graveyard, and when they were half-way down the path of the cemetery the same soldiers had entered at the bottom left of the cemetery and met them on the path. The Paratrooper in charge told Seam us Reavey that he wanted to see him when he was finished.

They delayed in the graveyard some twenty minutes thinking the soldiers might move off and leave them alone. But when they came out and Seamus unlocked ‘ the car door for the others, the Paratrooper called Seamus in the foulest of language. This was witnessed by Hugh Kennon who had been stopped on the road by the British Army. He remarked on it. The Paratrooper kept Seamus about half an hour at a telegraph pole some thirty yards abovethe graveyard. There he put Seamus through deep agony insulting the memory of his dead brothers. To the stranger this inhumanity is incredible but it is a common attitude of the British Army to the oppressed Catholic community.

While they were talking a group of children went by. Seamus Reavey says they looked happy. They were a group of ten children who were heading for their sodality confession at Ballmoyer Chapel, some 500 yards down the road. Mrs. Murphy of the Orlitt Cottages, from where most of the children had come, had warned the₀

bigger ones before they left not to pass any remarks to the British Army. The 4 soldiers at the gate of the cut hayfield about 45 yards below the graveyard gate shouted some taunts to which the children hardly replied. One of these soldiers lay on his stomach manning a machine-gun. This was the gun that killed Majella O’Hare.

At this stage two little girls aged 8 and 7 were some distance in front. They were followed by a boy of 13 and the girl of 16. The rest of the 8 children were stretched across the road, two of these lagging a little behind Majella was second from the left hand side of the road. She had the youngest child (three and a half) by the hand. There was a loud bang and Majella fell.

All the civilian witnesses are agreed that there was one single bang. They describe it as "loud," like an "explosion." Mrs. Teresa Murphy says -"I heard the shot, a bang with a tail on it, not a sharp clear sound, but very loud." This is an accurate description of a firing from a machine-gun which can fire "800" rounds a minute. The slightest touch will discharge 3 shots. And this is what happened. The Paratrooper discharged 3 shots. Two of the bullets penetrated Majella’s back and came out through her stomach. The bullets ploughed up the heap of gravel in front of the trailer which was parked on the road verge.

On the day before, Friday, Majella and some friends had spent the. day at Gyles Quay, a favourite seaside spot, near Dundalk. She intended going back to spend the weekend there with neighbours. So she refused the offer of a day’s shopping with her mother and her ‘brother Michael in Newry. She had waved "goodbye" to them at 10.30 that morning. Before she set out for Confessions she left a note for her mother saying she would be back from Gyles Quay on Sunday night.

James O’Hare, Majella’s father had gone to do some work at St. Malachy’s School which is beside the Chapel at 10.00 am. There were no soldiers then. But some time later 6 soldiers came out of the Rectory Lane opposite the Chapel Gate. They went up the road towards the graveyard. He had seen the Reaveys up the road and was worried for them, when they were stopped by the soldiers as they came out of the graveyard. He was keeping an eye out as he worked on the grass verge in front of St. Malachy’s school. He saw the children coming down the road to Confession. Below the height he was able to make them out and he recognised Majella among them.

Then he heard a bang and saw a child fall. He ran towards them and found his little girl dying. Majella was the darling of her parents’ heart. She had been born some years after the other members of the family, Michael, Anne, Marie and Margarita. She was the love of their home. While comforting the child he was badly abused by some of the Paratroopers.

When the gun was fired there was a lot of confusion on the road. The children were screaming. The soldiers were shouting. One of the Paratroopers ran down the road. Another soldier, a Marine, came out of the bushes near where the child lay. The Reaveys and Alice Campbell took cover with the rest.

When there was no more firing, the Reaveys finally persuaded the soldiers to let Alice Campbell, a nurse, attend Majella. She did all she could for her. Father Peter Hughes had arrived just before 12 for Confessions. When he heard from a soldier that a little girl was shot, he rushed to spiritually attend her. Alice Campbell describes the rough treatment towards Majella in throwing her into the helicopter with her legs dangling out, and indeed she was almost falling out herself when the helicopter lifted.

An ambulance arrived later. Father Peter Hughes followed it to the Casualty Ward, Daisy Hill Hospital Newry. Majella was dead. Michael and his mother met the ambulance and car on their way home from shopping in Newry. They asked the people who were gathering in groups in Whitecross what had happened. They were told Majella was shot. They went to the hospital. Father Hughes broke the sad news.

Newspaper reporters have written up this story and politicians have commented on it. Significance has been attached to the various reports from the British Army Press Headquarters at Lisburn. David Blundy outlines them in a special report in the Sunday Times 22nd August:

From the statements of witnesses some important points can be made in reference to some of the issues Blundy raises. There were many soldiers on the road and under cover that day. When Seamus Reavey stopped his car near Majella after she had been shot, there were about 15 soldiers in the vicinity. They had come from the hilly bushy left hand side of the road and the cut meadow on the right. The meadow was impossible territory for a gunman. A soldier was seen emerge from the hedge on the left. There was no gunman there. Some of the soldiers adopted positions in anticipation of a gunman behind the chapel Wall, the "phantom gunman." James O’Hare was working near there. He saw no one there and heard no shot from there. Witnesses on being questioned say some of the soldiers were afraid but the Paratroopers didn’t seem to be afraid. One thing seems certain - - the paras and a few Marines, as distinct from the general body, had a story prepared for a shooting incident, that they were fired on by an Armalite rifle and they fired back. There was a lot of insistence to get the children, the people of the cottages, and. the Reavey group to say that they heard a number of shots, variously reported 4, 5, 6, 8, 9. The blonde Marine who lay on the ground beside the Reaveys, declared it was an Armalite right away. The first thing the soldier said to Father Hughes when he arrived to attend Majella was -"Isn’t that a terrible thing to see a little girl shot by an Armalite rifle." The dark brown-eyed Para’s attitude was sinister in the extreme. He tried to bully the many shots story all round. The blonde Marine tried to force the exchange of shots theory on Seamus Reavey at 5.15 that day - even saying that he fired back himself - an utter lie, since he lay beside Seamus Reavey and fired no shots.

The Paras who burned down people’s houses in South Armagh and shot two men recently there in cold blood had prepared another "incident" for Ballymoyer. The irony is that things went wrong. They shot poor little Majella O’Hare, whether by accident or intent, and the killing was quickly fitted into their prepared trap and the Armalite weapon, weapon of the Provisional IRA, theory went ahead.

For once the Press desk at army HQ, Lisburn, can not be blamed for the initial story. They accepted the report sent by the Para officer in command on the scene at Ballymoyer. He told them that a gunman had shot Majella. This was very shortly after Majella was shot. Una Murphy says in her statement - "Sometime later the soldiers came up to the gate of the house and were speaking across the radio. They said there was a couple of shots believed to be from an Armalite rifle." No doubt he thought this would deal a great blow against the Provisional IRA following the media coverage of the tragic deaths of the Maguire children. And this worked. This report was scooped by politicians and the Belfast Telegraph. The Para commander was sure he could bully some evidence from local residents and confuse them. What upset his cover-up? The RUC arrived on the scene. They demanded that the machine-gun be handed over for forensic inspection. The Para refused because his story would be blown. The RUC insisted and it was handed over. Army HQ press desk at Lisburn began to change its story significantly.

At 2 p.m. they now said it was believed that the army may have returned fire. By 3.30 p.m. some thinking had been done. They would certainly admit the army returned fire. They knew the RUC report would say their gun killed Majella. But they still covered up - they failed to hit the gunman. Majella died in crossfire They have failed to retract this lie.

On Saturday morning the 14th August I had an occasion to go to Ballymoyer to visit the graveyard with my father James, sister, Colleen (8), and a friend Miss Alice Campbell (22). At around 11 o’clock we arrived at the graveyard. I noticed some soldiers in a field on the Whitecross side of the graveyard. As I got Out of the car I noticed soldiers come into the graveyard at the bottom.

I locked the car and proceeded down to my brothers’ grave. In my hand I had a bucket of water and a knife. My father and Alice carried flowers. Halfway down the cemetery we met about 6 soldiers, Marines (Greencaps). There was one Para. He said - "Seamus Reavey." I said -"Yes." He said - "I want a word with you when you are finished."

I went on to the grave and tidied it up and the others placed some flowers. Alice placed a wreath. I stayed as long as I could, thinking the soldiers might move off, but they stayed about my car.

After 15-20 minutes we came back to the car. As I closed the gate the Para called me. I went to open the car to let the others in, when I heard a loud shout - "Seamus Reavey, come up here or I’ll knock the f....ing block off you." I went up the road, about twenty yards to where he was standing. I said - "I wasn’t going away, you have no call to be shouting." At that stage a car was stopped and the occupant, Hugh Kennon, remarked, to the soldiers -"That’s nice language in front of the graveyard." The Para told him to f... off.

The Para then called a member of the Marines over. He said to him -"This is a Provo." I said - "You are wrong." The Para then said - "Meet Officer .... (I can’t remember his name) who will be looking after you for the next four months." He said - "What are you doing up here so early this morning?" I said - "We were placing flowers on my brothers’ grave." He said - "What’s so special about this morning?" I said - "One of my dead brothers was to have been married this morning to that girl in the car." He then started to laugh and said - "That’s some f.. . .ing excuse. What are you doing up here?"

I said - "I’m after telling you what I’m doing here." He then said - "Who killed your brothers?" I said I didn’t know but that I’d like to know. He said he knew. I said -"Who was it?" He said it was the Provos, that my brothers were tried by a kangaroo court up past Felix Loughran’s public house for not taking part in the minibus massacre. I said -"That’s stupid. My brothers were not in any illegal organisation."

At that time some children passed by on the left side of the road. They seemed happy and made no comment as they passed. A short time later the Para said - "Do you see them children going down? Only we are here the Provos would have them shot, their mothers as well." He then started about the women of peace in Belfast and if they were up here they would run the Provos out of South Armagh.

Just then a single shot rang out and I threw myself on the ground, facing next Whitecross. I looked down the road and saw my father come towards the front of the car. I shouted to get down and he did so. I crawled down to the car and let Colleen and Alice out and we lay behind the wall. At this stage the Marine was also behind the wall. There was a lot of shouting from the soldiers. The Marine said - "That’s an Armalite. There was at least 4 shots come from it." I said - "No. There was only one shot." There was a lot of screaming coming from down the road from the children. A Para came up the road and said - "That’s your f.. .ing Provos for you. There’s a little girl hit down the road." He said there was at least 9 shots fired. Again I said -"No. There was only one shot." He said - "You f. . .ing Irish only hear what suits you." Another Marine came over and I said to him - "Let me go down the road as I know all the children." He said - "No." I then said - "Let this girl go down as she is a nurse." He said - "No." I kept at him to let her go, and after some time he caught her by the hand and ran her down the road. The children then started to come up the road. I asked one of them who was shot. They said -"Majella O’Hare got shot." I told them to run on up the road as some women had gathered further up on the road. A Para came up the road and said - "F... off." We got into the car, turned round and came down the road towards the Chapel. Halfway down the road I noticed Alice bending over a child, also some soldiers. I pulled in behind a long trailer parked on the side of the grass and ran back up the road towards Alice. I then saw James O’Hare, the little girl’s father. He was bare chested and looked in bad shape. Alice had the girl bandaged. Then the helicopter came overhead and landed on the road.

There was a lot of soldiers on the road, maybe 15. James O’Hare was put into the helicopter first, and then the little girl. Alice went with her. Majella’s legs were hanging out as the helicopter lifted off the road. A Para then said - "Your f...ing wife is much more helpful than I can f. . .ing say for you." He told me to f... off.

Later on that day I took my father and mother up to O’Hares. On my way back at 5.15 three members of the Marines stopped me at the School. One of them was the blonde officer who was lying behind the wall with us after the shot was fired. I was asked to step out and I did. He said - "What did you hear this morning?" I said I heard one shot. He said - "You must have heard more, as I returned fire myself." I said - "You couldn’t have, as you were lying beside us at the graveyard." He said - "I can’t understand you Irish. It seems you only want to hear what suits you." Again he talked about my brothers and who had shot them.

I’d say we were in the graveyard about 15-20 minutes. I was standing with the soldiers near to half an hour when the shot went off.

When we came out of the grave yard, Seamus went to open the car door which was locked, to let Alice and wee Colleen into the car. I didn’t get into the car at that time but Alice and Colleen did. I saw the Para officer talking to Seamus ten or fifteen yards up the road at a pole. There was a Marine came down to me just at that time. He asked me was I Mr. Reavey. I said I was. He asked me was I the father of the boys who were shot. I said I was. I told him I was disgusted at the language the Para had come out with to young Seamus in front of the graveyard. We started to talk then in general terms. He told me when he came over to Northern Ireland and when he was going back around Christmas.

He was friendly. Just at that time I looked at my watch. It was about ten minutes to twelve at that time. Roughly then about three minutes after that when I heard the shot. The soldier who was talking to me the words he used were - "My God will it never end." Seamus shouted down at met to get down - I was still standing. He then came down to us. We got Alice and Colleen out of the car. We lay down at the side of the wee wall. There was a Marine there beside us - - not the boy I was talking to. I asked him at that moment did he know what sort of a gun that was. He said it was an Armalite. He said there were at least 6 shots fired. I said - "No, I only heard the one." I told him there was a trained nurse with us and to get her down when the news came through that there was a girl shot. The soldiers said "No," that they had their own Medic there. After a lot of pleading with them he eventually took her down. The Para officer seemed to be under the impression that the shot came from the left hand side. A soldier came along then and told us to f... off down the road. When we came down we pulled into the side just where the trailer was on the road.

Seamus got out of the car and ran up to where the wee girl was lying. We stayed in the car. It was just then that the helicopter landed in the middle of the road. We saw them taking the father down the road to the helicopter. Then we saw Alice and the soldiers carrying wee Majella down.

I was engaged to Brian Reavey who, was assassinated on the 4th January 1976. I am an S.E.N. Nurse and work in Daisy Hill Hospital. We had fixed our wedding day for Saturday 14 August 1976.

On that day Seamus Reavey collected me from work at Daisy Hill about 9 a.m. We bought a wreath and we came to Whitecross to collect the father Jimmy Reavey and 7 year old Colleen Reavey. While Colleen was getting ready we went to the Reavey home where Brian was assassinated and cut some roses from the garden there. Then we came to Ballymoyer graveyard and arrived at about 11 a.m. We took the flowers out of the back of the car and as we were going down the path of the graveyard towards the grave we noticed a number of soldiers. They came Out of the hole at the left hand side of the graveyard. We went on to the grave. The soldiers said, "Good Morning, Seamus, we’ll see you when you are finished." They passed us and went up to stand at the roadside. We spent 15 to 20 minutes at the graveside. We went back up as far as the car. We saw some children on the road going to the right. Colleen waved her hand at them.

As Seamus was putting his keys into the door of the car a Paratrooper roared at him. "Come up here Seamus Reavey, or I’ll knock the f.. . .ing head off you." Seamus said - "No need to shout, I’m not going away." I put Colleen into the back and I got into the passenger seat. Seamus went over to the Paratrooper who was standing at a pole at the right hand side of the road in the direction of the Chapel. I was crying in the front of the car after coming up from the grave. The car was pointing away from the Chapel. Mr. Reavey was standing at the passenger door.

I heard a loud bang from behind me. I thought it was an explosion. Then I thought they had shot Seamus. I heard Seamus roar "duck." I pushed Colleen down in the back and I lay down in the front of it. Seamus then crawled down and opened the door of the car and told me to crawl out and lie alongside the wall beside Mr. Reavey and the soldier. This soldier shouted "That’s an Armalite." Jimmy Reavey said -"But there’s children away down that road. Let me go down." The soldier roared - "No, lie where you are." He pleaded with him once more. But he still insisted on him lying where he was.

One of the soldiers from the lower part of the road came up and said - "There’s a child been hurt." I then said to Mr. Reavey - "Maybe I could do something for her." Mr. Reavey asked the soldier to let me go down but he would not. Mr. Reavey said I was a nurse. After 5 minutes the soldier took me down by the hand to where the child was lying, a little bit out from the left hand side. The soldier who came with me shouted for bandages and he was helping me with her. The child was lying on the road. Someone had taken the father to the side. The child was lying on her back. A wound was visible on her abdomen (exit wound). I tried to deal with this. She was semiconscious and groaning. I was tilting her chin with my hand to give her more air and she pushed my hand aside and muttered - "Don’t do that." The soldier who was assisting me kept saying -"This is your f. . . .ing Provos for you.

Father Hughes arrived and came out of his car. The soldier that was assisting me said "There he is again. He is always stuck in it." Fr. Hughes said prayers over her. A local man, Barry Malone, was driving past. The same soldier, who was hysterical, gave an unmerciful yell and said - "There’s what your f. .. .ing Provos do, there it is for you - look." Then he thumped the top of the car and said "Drive on to f. . . .ing hell."

About 10 minutes later the helicopter arrived. The father was put in first. The girl was put in head first with her legs dangling out - the wrong thing to do as it cut off her air supply. She was thrown in on her wounded side. I then got in with a lot of effort. There was very little space for me. They lifted off with the child’s legs dangling out. I was kneeling with my red trousered legs out of the helicopter, holding on to a strap.

With the help of the father I tried to get her head up. I thumped the soldier on the back and told him to bring the child’s legs in and he did so. He said - "It’ll only take 5 minutes. We have a doctor standing by." I started to give her the kiss of life in the helicopter and I told the father to start saying the Act of Contrition.

When we landed I saw a surgeon and called him. I carried Majella into the Casualty department and there were three doctors present. One put a stethescope to her heart and got a heart beat. They gave her oxygen. Another doctor applied his stethescope and said -"She’s gone off."

I went to the main entrance and I met Mrs. O’Hare, Majella’s mother, and she kept saying "Tell me please, honest, is she dead, is she dead?" I couldn’t tell her. Fr. Hughes came on the scene and he told her.

On Saturday 14 August 1976 I got up early and I gave Majella cornflakes in bed. She had been at the sea at Gyles’ Quay, County Louth on the day before and had brought me home mint sweets and a stone from the beach. She said: "You want to see it, Daddy, when it is wet, it turns brown." She had said the night before that she was going to the sea again with Mrs. McGivern and did I want more sweets.

When she got up her brother Michael told her to get her mother to rise quickly and come to Newry. Majella did the redding up about the house. She left a note to tell her Mammy that she would be back from Gyles Quay on Sunday night.

My wife is caretaker of St. Malachy’s Primary School, Ballymoyer, which is 500 yards from our house. I do the heavy work. Fr. Hughes had called in the night before and told me about books left in the porch of the Chapel. He wanted them brought to the School before Sunday. When I went down, my brown labrador, Prince, went around the school and around the Chapel for security reasons. I went down to the Chapel at 10 am. and saw no soldiers then. I brought in the books and went out to the grass then The dog was lying beside me on the path. The next I saw six soldiers coming out of the rectory lane opposite the Chapel gate. A container lorry came from the Whitecross direction which they stopped and searched. I expected them to come in to me next. They continued up the road towards the graveyard. I knew the Reaveys were in the graveyard for I saw them up the road. The next thing I saw was the two Reaveys out of the graveyard - white shirts on them - separated about 50 yards apart. I could easily recognise them with their white shirts. I was still watching them, worrying were they going to be abused - this went on for half an hour to three quarters of an hour. I was worried about them. I was working with the grass - keeping my eye on them.

The next I saw was the girls coming down to Confession - about 6 I thought. When they came below the height of the road, I recognised Majella among them. They continued on towards me about 25 to 30 yards past the soldiers, visible to my eye.

There was a bang. I saw a child fall to the road. Immediately I ran towards the children - about 150 yards. When I got to the point it was my own little girl. She was lying on her left hand side with her head against the brow of the hill. On my way up I noticed the child try to get up on two occasions - on the second time she went down with a bang.

I went down on my hunkers and held her up in my arms and the blood pouring from her left hand side. The other children were hysterical. The soldier came near. For four or five minutes I got no help. While I was on the road, a neighbour lad, Gerard Toner of Whitecross, came in a car and I asked him to get priest doctor and ambulance.

Shortly after a Paratrooper approached and said - "What the f. . . .ing hell are you doing here?" I said I was the girl’s father. And the next word he said was - "Close your f. . .ing mouth" I was hysterical. Eventually they let Nurse Campbell down. While she was coming down, Father Hughes came to the Church for Confessions. I shouted at him. He came up and attended Majella. By that time one of the soldiers with a green cap carried me about 10 yards further down the road and laid me on the grass. He took out his water bottle and gave me a few sips. He also lit a cigarette and told me to have a few pulls. Around that time the helicopter came in. The soldiers carried me down and put me in the helicopter and they put Majella in beside me. Next was Nurse Campbell.

We went to Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, Majella had her hand in her long hair on her left side and I could see her moving her hand which I thought she was trying to ease herself - she was hurting. Eventually she took it up my chest near my right shoulder and she says - "Daddy, Daddy," in a very faint voice. On the next second she just fell between me and Nurse Campbell and to me she just died.

Nurse Campbell and myself said the Confiteor and the Act of Contrition. I said to Nurse Campbell - "She’s dead." Nurse Campbell said - "No," and gave her the kiss of life about one minute before we landed at the hospital. There was no trolley. Someone carried Majella in. I went in after her. They took me into a room. My wife came in with Father Hughes. She asked was Majella dead. Father Hughes nodded that she was - My wife began to cry. I was already in tears.

"A very loud bang"

I was up in the fields about 700 yards west of Ballymoyer Cross Roads. I heard the shot, a very loud bang. I afterwards heard shouting on the road in the direction of Ballymoyer Chapel. That was round about 12 noon, 14 August 1976. I saw or heard nothing else.

"Isn’t this a terrible thing, to see a little girl
shot by an Armalite rifle"

I was coming down to hear Confessions. I arrived down at the Chapel a few minutes before 12, Confessions were at 12. There were soldiers all round the road. One of them was standing at the Church gate. He put up his hand and shouted at me - "Go on up the road immediately, there is a little girl shot."

I drove on up the road to where she was shot. There was a soldier and Alice Campbell with the little girl when I got out of the car to her. The first thing the soldier said to me was -‘‘Isn’t this a terrible thing, to see a little girl shot by an Armalite rifle." As the child seemed to be unconscious I gave her absolution. I went back to the house, intending to come back again, but they had taken her into the hospital. I went to the hospital. Father Devlin, the chaplain, was with her. But she had just died.

I took the father and mother back home to the house in the car.

I stayed there for some time with the father and mother. I went back then to my own house to attend to some business. I came back down again to see what arrangements they wanted to bring the remains home and the time of the post mortem.

When I got down to the Church I was told the road was closed, that there was a suspect bomb on the road - there was no word of a suspect bomb until this. When they told me this I had to go a roundabout way to get to the O’Hare house. I was there about an hour and a half getting arrangements made - about bringing home the remains that evening and getting in touch with the undertaker.

On my way back down the road again I met two detectives coming up. I asked them if the road was closed, that I had been told there was a suspect bomb. They told me there was nothing at all there and the road would be open in a few minutes.