‘Dignity’ of Greysteel families in face of ‘dark cloud of murder’ hailed at 30th anniversary Mass

The families of Karen Thompson (19), Stephen Mullan (20), John Moyne (50), John Burns (54), Moira Duddy (59), Joseph McDermott (60), Samuel Montgomery (76) and James Moore (81), were joined by neighbours for the special service in Star of the Sea, Faughanvale on Monday night.

Parish Priest Rev. Noel McDermott welcomed the families and local parishioners, alongside Rev. Lindsay Blair from Faughanvale Presbyterian Church, members of his congregation, and members of the congregation of St. Canice’s Church of Ireland, who were also among the attendance.

Fr. McDermott said they were gathered together to pray for those who had died and to offer comfort to the families and all who still carry the ‘scars of pain and loss' inflicted in the Ulster Defence Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters (UDA/UFF) massacre in the Rising Sun Bar on Saturday, October 30, 1993.

Msgr. Dolan, in his homily, said: “The dark cloud of murder and mayhem that was inflicted on this community still hangs over it, especially for you who lost loved ones and you who sustained such horrific and life-changing injuries.

“For everybody in this community and beyond, many have been affected by the loss of neighbours and friends and colleagues. I suppose in reflecting on that, in a way, we just have to dig in and say we live with the fact that life can never be the same again.

“Who in their worst nightmare as an individual or a family or a community would ever think that they would be caught up in such heinous evil, hate-filled bloodshed?

“People will still recall this event when many of us are gone. It will always be that people will recall the freeze moment, the timeless moment, the indelible mark, no delete button can take it out of the memory or the psyche of the people here.”

During the Mass members of the eight victims’ families brought memorial candles to the altar as their names were read aloud.

In his homily Msgr. Dolan said he marvelled at their courage over the past three decades.

"I speak this evening with the ultimate respect for your dignity, how you have carried yourselves, your bravery, your togetherness as a community,” he said.

He remarked on the unity of the families of the victims – six Catholic, two Protestant – and how they had responded as one to one of the worse atrocities of the Troubles.

“People who have lived and died together and thank God, have picked up the pieces again,” he said.

Msgr. Dolan observed that the families’ fortitude showed the futility of the killers’ actions.

“It demonstrates for us that such evil, whatever the motivation, whatever the reasoning about setting up the Rising Sun and this community as a target, it could not break your spirits, whatever about breaking hearts.

"Above all it demonstrates the futility of violence of any kind, and certainly the futility of such extreme violence. Retaliation has never eased anybody's pain.

"Thankfully in this case it began, among other things, to turn minds towards something better rather than continuing down a vortex of further violence,” he said.

Greysteel and Ormeau Road victims killed by weapons imported in 1987 despite RUC intelligence

Looking around Msgr. Dolan noted how a large percentage of the congregation had not been born or had been very young when the massacre took place. He recalled how at the time of the killings people had become sadly inured to a daily diet of violence and mayhem.

“We got lulled into an acceptance that somehow or other each evening, each morning we were going to hear in the news about another murder, another bombing, another atrocity.

"Sadly it took what we call today, along with other incidents around that time, especially the deaths of eight people here, a mind change of some kind or other.

"In fact, I think there were 23 deaths recorded in the one week. What abyss were people staring down? Please just, even if you weren’t around, don't lose that memory that's been passed onto you.

“Thankfully those headlines that we took for granted day and daily did disappear,” he stated.

‘Collusive behaviour’ concerns are ‘justified’

Msgr. Dolan warned against a relapse to the darker days of the past.

“We have to say there are still some who hanker after violence. Some who still pursue a kind of scorched earth policy. And sadly there will always be vulnerable people drawn into it. Soft targets.

“We can think of that and are forced to when your read the reports of the planning and so on that went into this tragedy, the instructions that were given to the so-called foot-soldiers, when the ‘Godfathers’ were gone then, and some of them now, and remain safe in their bunkers and hideouts. But truth eventually outs.”

He expressed concern that in ‘today’s political impasse the common good again seems to be relegated to second place because personal interests and so on come before the common good’.

“Does it say something about our society? When we gathered here five years ago [for the 25th anniversary] the Assembly wasn't functioning either and this leaves the ground under us that bit less solid.

“Beware of those who would like to turn the clock back to the good old days, the good old days that never existed.”

Msgr. Dolan ended the sermon by expressing hope in the coming generations.

“The younger generation, I say to you, the best memorial to those who have lost their lives, to those who still carry the scars and pain of injury as well as the loss of loved ones, is how you live and move and so on, that will be the best memorial.

“I'm thinking of the memorial in front of the Rising Sun with its words: ‘May their sacrifice by our path to peace’.”

Daughter of Greysteel victim John Burns recalls harrowing impact of 1993 massacre