Latest news with #BellaghyWolfeTones
Evening Standard
16-05-2025
- General
- Evening Standard
Crowd backs calls for public inquiry into 1997 murder of GAA official
Friday evening saw people travel from across Ireland, including as far away as Co Kerry, to Bellaghy to take part in a Walk For Truth event from St Mary's Church through the town to the home of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC.
Irish Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Sean Brown's family hail ‘very promising meeting' with Tanaiste
The family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown have hailed a 'very promising' meeting with Tánaiste Simon Harris. Mr Brown's daughter, Siobhan, said they left Mr Harris with the message of 'what us as a family have been going through'. In a statement after the meeting, Mr Harris said the Brown family have waited far too long for an investigation into his murder. Mr Harris said the failure to effectively investigate the murder is 'simply unacceptable'. He pledged to 'continue to use every channel available to me to pursue this matter'. READ MORE It comes after the UK government confirmed it will seek to appeal to the supreme court over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into Mr Brown's killing. Mr Brown (61), the chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA Club in Co Derry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No one has ever been convicted of his killing. Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that more than 25 people were linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It was also alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry. It said the failure to hold such an inquiry is unlawful. However, the Northern Ireland Secretary says the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary. GAA president Jarlath Burns was part of the delegation which met Mr Harris at Government Buildings in Dublin on the 28th anniversary of Mr Brown's murder. Ms Brown said after the meeting that they had provided Mr Harris with 'clear documents as to what we've received throughout the course of inquiries and the failings by the British government in dealing with an article two compliant investigation into our father's murder'. 'He (Mr Harris) was very empathetic to our cause today and listened closely to us, and we look forward to the Irish Government working alongside us in support of a public inquiry into our father's murder,' she said. Speaking alongside her sister, Clare, and their elderly mother Bridie, she said they made it clear that the 'only mechanism to go forward is to have a public inquiry'. 'At this point we do (have confidence in the Irish Government), he has been provided with copies of all the documents that we have in our possession. He is fully aware of all the redacted material. 'He is fully aware of the issues that we have encountered in this inquiry.' Mr Burns said he was there to represent the 'support of all the GAA people'. 'We have made it very clear that we will be with this family throughout this process, and I want to thank the Tánaiste for the time that he took to meet the family, the sympathy that he showed and the support that the Irish Government has given this family right from the beginning of this tragedy, and we know that that will continue,' he said. Mr Harris also paid tribute to the family after the meeting 'Bridie Brown and her family have shown enormous strength in pursuing this case and I will continue to use my influence and that of the Irish Government to bring about a resolution that is acceptable to the Brown family. They have waited too long,' he said. -PA
BreakingNews.ie
12-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Family of Sean Brown hail 'very promising meeting' with Tánaiste
The family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown have hailed a 'very promising' meeting with Tánaiste Simon Harris. Mr Brown's daughter, Siobhan, said they left Mr Harris 'in no uncertain terms what us as a family have been going through'. Advertisement In a statement after the meeting, Mr Harris said the Brown family have waited far too long for an investigation into his murder. Mr Harris said the failure to effectively investigate the murder was 'simply unacceptable', and pledged to 'continue to use every channel available to me to pursue this matter'. It comes after the UK Government confirmed it will seek to appeal to the UK Supreme Court over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into the killing of Mr Brown. Mr Brown, 61, the chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA Club in Co Derry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. Advertisement Simon Harris speaking to Sean Brown's widow Bridie Brown (Niall Carson/PA) No one has ever been convicted of his killing. Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that more than 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several UK state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the British Government to hold a public inquiry. Advertisement It said the failure to hold such an inquiry was unlawful. However, the Northern Ireland Secretary says the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the UK Government or the judiciary. GAA president Jarlath Burns was part of the delegation which met Mr Harris at Government Buildings in Dublin on the 28th anniversary of Mr Brown's murder. Ms Brown said after the meeting that they had provided Mr Harris with 'clear documents as to what we've received throughout the course of inquiries and the failings by the British Government in dealing with an article two compliant investigation into our father's murder'. Advertisement 'He (Mr Harris) was very empathetic to our cause today and listened closely to us and we look forward to the Irish Government working alongside us in support of a public inquiry into our father's murder,' she said. Speaking alongside her sister, Clare, and their elderly mother Bridie, she said they made it clear that the 'only mechanism to go forward is to have a public inquiry'. 'At this point we do (have confidence in the Irish Government), he has been provided with copies of all the documents that we have in our possession. He is fully aware of all the redacted material. 'He is fully aware of the issues that we have encountered in this inquiry.' Advertisement Mr Burns said he was there to represent the 'support of all the GAA people'. 'We have made it very clear that we will be with this family throughout this process, and I want to thank the Tanaiste for the time that he took to meet the family, the sympathy that he showed and the support that the Irish Government has given this family right from the beginning of this tragedy, and we know that that will continue and it will continue into his pressuring the British Government and (Northern Ireland Secretary) Hilary Benn to support the public inquiry as it should. 'That is not an unreasonable request on behalf of the family and we are heartened by his words today.' Mr Harris also paid tribute to the family after the meeting. 'Bridie Brown and her family have shown enormous strength in pursuing this case and I will continue to use my influence and that of the Irish Government to bring about a resolution that is acceptable to the Brown family. They have waited too long,' he said.
BreakingNews.ie
12-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Tánaiste meets with family of Sean Brown
The family of a murdered GAA official has held a meeting with Tánaiste Simon Harris as part of a campaign for a public inquiry into his death. It comes after the UK government confirmed it will seek a Supreme Court appeal over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into the killing of Sean Brown. Advertisement Mr Brown, 61, the chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA Club in Co Derry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. Simon Harris speaking to Sean Brown's widow Bridie Brown (Niall Carson/PA) No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Advertisement Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry. It said the failure to hold such a probe was unlawful. However, the Northern Ireland Secretary contends the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary. Speaking on the family's way into the meeting at Government Buildings in Dublin, Mr Brown's daughter Siobhan said: 'Today marks the 28th anniversary of our father Sean Brown's murder. Advertisement 'We are very appreciative of the Tánaiste to take the time to meet with us as a family. 'We're now at the stage that we're looking for political support to back up the five High Court judges in the north of Ireland calling for a public inquiry into our father's murder.' Speaking alongside her sister Claire and their mother Bridie, she added: 'We hope he will give us that support that we require, that there will be a public inquiry and he will put pressure on the British Government to grant us a public inquiry into our father's murder.' GAA president Jarlath Burns is among those supporting the family, telling reporters it was important to keep the issue in the public eye. Advertisement
