Text of a Response by the family of Eoin Morley to an IRA Statement on the Killing of Eoin Morley on 15 April 1990, in Newry, (12 April 2007)

Text of a Response by the family of Eoin Morley to an Irish Republican Army (IRA) Statement on the Killing of Eoin Morley on 15 April 1990, in Newry, (12 April 2007)

"The Morley family would like to comment on the statement from the IRA regards the murder of Eoin.

Seventeen years have passed since Eoin was shot on Easter Sunday 1990. We understand that it would have been easier for the Provisional movement to continue with the charade that were the ever changing "reasons" given to try to justify Eoin’s murder. For the PIRA to take the unprecedented step of fully retracting the explanation given at the time and in subsequent statements, and to apologise for what happened is a bold move and we, Eoin’s family, welcome it.

We have always known that the PIRA did not sanction Eoin’s murder. Privately many members of the Provisional movement confirmed this and expressed their disgust at what happened.

From the outset we suspected that Eoin died at the hands of British agents. Sadly history has proved us right. The statement from the IRA, and the recent investigation from the Police Ombudsman, Nuala O’Loan confirm what we, Eoin’s family, and republicans in Newry have known for years.

Eoin was an active republican. The only people to benefit from his murder were the enemies of republicanism. It has now been established that the RUC Special Branch shielded Eoin’s killers, helping them to plan the killing and avoid prosecution, even though a wealth of evidence was available against them.

Collusion took many forms throughout the conflict, from the blatant targeting of Catholics by the RUC and their loyalist allies, to the age old tactic of using paid agents, planted within the IRA and other republican groups, who were used to agitate from within, all to a FRU and RUC Special Branch agenda.

Eoin was murdered on Easter Sunday, still wearing his Easter Lily on his lapel. Easter Sunday is a day that is special to all Republicans. On that day we remember all those throughout the years who made the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of the goals laid out in the Proclamation of 1916. Eoin Morley also paid the ultimate price, murdered by British agents because he dared to take up the fight. On this Easter Sunday, and every one to follow, we the Morley family will remember them all."

The statement from the Morley Family was released through 'An Phoblacht' on 12 April 2007

See also: Irish Republican Army (IRA). (2007). Irish Republican Army (IRA) statement on the Killing of Eoin Morley on 15 April 1990, in Newry, (5 April 2007). Dublin: Irish Republican Publicity Bureau.