Latest news with #BridieBrown
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Legacy body ‘lacks powers of a public inquiry to examine Sean Brown murder'
The head of a legacy body has conceded it does not have the same array of powers that a public inquiry would to examine the murder of GAA official Sean Brown. The Irish Government is among those who have backed Mr Brown's family's long campaign for a public inquiry. Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal in Belfast affirmed a previous court ruling, compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry into his killing. However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has applied for a Supreme Court appeal on the judicial rulings. Mr Brown, 61, the then chairman of Wolfe Tones GAA Club in the Co Londonderry town of Bellaghy, 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 in excess of 25 people had been 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. In an interview earlier, Mr Brown's elderly widow Bridie, 87, said she does not know why her husband was killed, and reiterated her call for a public inquiry into his death to answer the questions her family has. 'I don't know why they chose Sean, I just do not know because he was the same with everybody,' she said during an interview on BBC's The GAA Social podcast. 'He treated everybody alike, he walked with both sides of the community.' She also paid tribute to the turnout of thousands in Bellaghy last Friday evening to support her family's campaign for a public inquiry. 'It was emotional,' she said. 'Never in my wildest dreams had I thought about so big a turnout.' Last month, Mr Benn said he is taking steps to ensure that the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) is capable of carrying out an independent and rigorous investigation into Mr Brown's murder. During an appearance at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, ICRIR chief commissioner Sir Declan Morgan was pressed by SDLP leader Claire Hanna on the Brown case. Sir Declan said if the case came to the ICRIR, his investigators would carry out a cold case review, a scoping exercise and would treat the case as a criminal investigation and gather all the evidence. 'But I agree that we could not do the next step which is subsequent to that, once the terms of reference have been set, and up to that point, we're definitely Article 2 compliant,' he told MPs at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. 'But the next bit is having identified what the issues are to then organise a hearing with proper representation by lawyers in relation to that, and also understanding that the sensitive information arrangements, in my view, need to be reviewed and the commission needs to be able to exercise proper challenge in relation to those.' Speaking outside the meeting, Ms Hanna said the ICRIR in its current form 'cannot fully meet the needs of the family of Sean Brown'. 'Today's comments from Sir Declan Morgan are welcome and shine a light on where the ICRIR falls short,' she said. 'Any further delay to the resuming and restarting of inquests alongside the continued denial of a public inquiry to the Brown family is the British Government delaying truth and justice. 'The SDLP is committed to the delivery of legacy structures that families can buy into. Sir Declan's comments underline our key concerns about deficiencies relating to participation by families in proceedings and the continued existence of a veto on information by the Secretary of State.'
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Sean Brown's widow calls for answers 28 years after his murder
The wife of murdered GAA official Sean Brown has said she is still looking for answers about why her husband was 61-year-old was abducted and shot dead by members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) as he locked the gates of Bellaghy GAA club, County Londonderry, in Brown's family have long campaigned for a public inquiry to get answers about his Brown said her husband "walked with both sides of the community" and doesn't know why he was targeted. Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal affirmed a previous court ruling, compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry into his government said it intends to seek a Supreme Court appeal over the have been two police investigations and a Police Ombudsman investigation into Mr Brown's murder. 'Why choose him?' Mrs Brown was speaking during her first long-form interview on BBC's The GAA Social podcast 28 years after Mr Brown's murder."I don't know why they chose Sean, I just do not know because he was the same with everybody," she said."He treated everybody alike, he walked with both sides of the community." The 87-year-old said months before his death, her husband organised a gathering to celebrate poet Seamus Heaney's Nobel Prize in Bellaghy GAA club."They had all come and had a great time so I don't know why," she added."That's the question - why choose him?" 'A nice man' Mrs Brown said she first met her husband while travelling to attend evening classes in Magherafelt, and would often meet up at a shop in the bought a house just one year before they got married in 1965, and the family has lived there ever said her husband was a "nice man" who was always looking out for the children in Bellaghy and was a keen athlete. Last week, thousands of people took part in The Walk For Truth in Bellaghy in support of the Brown came after the government said it will seek a Supreme Court appeal over a ruling compelling it to hold an Brown said she couldn't believe how many people came to support the family, adding there were mixed feelings."It was emotional," she said."Never in my wildest dreams had I thought about so big a turn out." Mrs Brown said while it's difficult to live with her husband's death, and the publicity around it, she "takes each day as it comes"."There's not a lot you can do," she added."It's still there at the back of your mind but [you] just carry on as normal as best as you can." What happened to Sean Brown? Mr Brown was locking the gates of GAA club Bellaghy Wolfe Tones when he was kidnapped by the Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF).Early last year, a court heard more than 25 people, including state agents, had been linked by intelligence material to Mr Brown's March 2024 a coroner said Mr Brown's inquest could not continue due to material being withheld on the grounds of national decided that redactions of intelligence material meant he could not properly investigate the circumstances of the he wrote to the then Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, requesting a public inquiry into the case. In December, the High Court ruled Hilary Benn must set up a public inquiry into the government then appealed against that ruling, mounting a legal challenge to the Court of Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said it was "a shocking state of affairs" that more than 25 years had passed but there had been no "lawful inquiry into the circumstances" of Mr Brown's that ruling, Mr Brown's family said Benn should "do the right thing".Mr Brown's widow spoke directly to the NI secretary, saying: "Five judges have told you what to do, do the right thing and please don't have me going to London." Listen to the full interview with Bridie Brown and Mr Brown's daughter, Clare Loughran, on The GAA Social podcast on BBC Sounds.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
The GAA Social with the family of Sean Brown
On this week's GAA Social podcast, Thomas and Oisin are joined by the family of Sean Brown, a father of six, was abducted and shot dead by members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) as he locked gates at Bellaghy GAA club in was 61 years old when he family have sought to have a public inquiry heard into his murder and earlier in May, the Court of Appeal affirmed a previous court ruling, compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry into his government said it intends to seek a Supreme Court appeal over the wife Bridie and daughter Clare talk about Sean's life and legacy on the GAA Social and you can listen on BBC Sounds right here.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
The GAA Social The life & legacy of Sean Brown. Explained by his daughter Clare and 87-year-old wife Bridie.
In 1997, less than a year before the Good Friday Agreement, Sean Brown was locking the gates of Bellaghy GAA club. He was abducted and killed by loyalists, his body dumped beside his burnt out Ford Sierra. 28 years later, the Brown family continue to search for answers. Bridie Brown lost her husband, she also lost her son Damian. The entire Brown family were flanked by 10,000 people in the Co Derry village recently, and their search for 'what' and 'why' continues. But who was Sean Brown? What was he like? Why was he so important to the broad Bellaghy community, a friend of Seamus Heaney and how has the family moved on? This podcast talks to his daughter Clare and his wife Bridie. It is, a powerful listen.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Sean Brown: Thousands attend public demonstration in Bellaghy
Thousands of people have attended a public demonstration in Bellaghy in support of the family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown, a father of six, was abducted and shot dead by members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) as he locked gates at Bellaghy GAA club, County Londonderry, in was 61 years old when he family of Mr Brown have sought to have a public inquiry heard into his murder. Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal affirmed a previous court ruling, compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry into his government said it intends to seek a Supreme Court appeal over the ruling.A previous court also ruled that the government's refusal to hold an inquiry was have been two police investigations and a Police Ombudsman investigation into Mr Brown's murder. The demonstration, which organisers called The Walk For Truth, left from St Mary's Church in Bellaghy on Friday of people made their way to Páirc Seán de Brú lined the route clapping the car in which Mr Brown's 87-year-old widow Bridie the car, her children and grandchildren marched with a banner demanding justice. 'Totally invested' Sean Brown's daughter Siobhan Brown said the level of support from people had been "unbelievable"."No words can explain exactly how much we appreciate the number of people that have come here from all parts of Ireland," she told BBC News NI."I hope the British government will take note that the people of Ireland are speaking and the GAA people in particular are totally invested and behind the Brown family." Also in attendance were Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, First Minister Michelle O'Neill and GAA President Jarlath said "all of Ireland" is behind the Brown family's campaign for a public inquiry."The British government know what they need to do. They need to establish the public inquiry and allow Brown family all of these years later simply to have the truth," she said. 'Get on with it' O'Neill said the demonstration had sent the British government a message."I would say to (Northern Ireland Secretary ) Hillary Benn and the British government, take a look, take a look at what's happened here in Bellaghy tonight."The message couldn't be clearer from here, get on with it, do what is right and proper."Give the Browns the public inquiry, let them know what exactly what happened. That's all they want, the truth about what happened to Sean Brown," she said. People from all over Ireland joined the march in support of the Brown family said it's the largest demonstration that has been held for their fight for a public inquiry. Mr Brown's family met Irish deputy premier Simon Harris earlier this week as part of their campaign to see a public inquiry heard. What happened to Sean Brown? Mr Brown was locking the gates of GAA club Bellaghy Wolfe Tones when he was kidnapped by the Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF).Early last year, a court heard more than 25 people, including state agents, had been linked by intelligence material to Mr Brown's March 2024 a coroner said Mr Brown's inquest could not continue due to material being withheld on the grounds of national decided that redactions of intelligence material meant he could not properly investigate the circumstances of the he wrote to the then Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, requesting a public inquiry into the case. In December, the High Court ruled that Hilary Benn must set up a public inquiry into the government then appealed against that ruling, mounting a legal challenge to the Court of Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said it was "a shocking state of affairs" that more than 25 years had passed but there had been no "lawful inquiry into the circumstances" of Mr Brown's that ruling, Mr Brown's family said Benn should "do the right thing".Mr Brown's widow spoke directly to the NI secretary, saying: "Five judges have told you what to do, do the right thing and please don't have me going to London."
