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BBC News
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Miami Showband attack: Survivor says he 'doesn't hate' those responsible
A musician who survived the Miami Showband killings has said it does "no good to hate" those responsible for the Travers was a member of the band which was targeted by loyalist paramilitaries in a bomb and gun attack in July band members were killed when their tour bus was ambushed near Newry."For me to carry that kind of hatred around with me for 50 years, I wouldn't be strong enough to do that," Mr Travers said. "I understand how circumstances, the environment and hatred plays a part in this," he said."Of course it was wrong, and of course they had a choice, but it doesn't do no good to hate them." The band was travelling home to Dublin after a gig in Banbridge when they were stopped by a fake Army patrol involving Ulster Defence Regiment and Ulster Volunteer Force members.A bomb which was placed on the bus exploded prematurely, killing two of the attackers, Harris Boyle and Wesley gang then opened fire, murdering singer Fran O'Toole, guitarist Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian Travers and another band member, Des McAlea, were injured but survived. Mr Travers told BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show the abiding sounds of that night are temper, hatred and fear."It's there. I can hear it, smell it, listen to it all the time," he said. Describing the events which occurred that night, Mr Travers said there was an "incredibly loud" described being throw into the air and falling through a hedge. "I felt like I was really slow motion and I could feel every single leaf, tree and branch," said Mr Travers. "Then all of a sudden, I hit the ground very hard and instantly there were two other bodies that fell on top of me, that may well have been Tony or Fran."Mr Travers said after some time had passed he tried to stand up but couldn't until he felt somebody putting their hands under his arms."It was Brian McCoy. Brian was trying to drag me away from, he probably knew where the danger was, but I didn't," he Travers described how his bandmate was killed as he attempted to drag him to safety. "I don't remember him being murdered, but I remember him being on the ground." 'Gone down in history as terrorists' Mr Travers said if the attack had went to plan and the bomb was successfully placed in the bus, they would have kept driving until it was scheduled to go off in is his belief that the plan was to frame the band members as "terrorists" which could lead to greater border security and curtailing the activities of the Irish Republican Army (IRA)."We would have been in the middle of Newry, and we would have gone down in history as terrorists."Looking to the future he said "legacy isn't about the past. Legacy is about the future".Survivors and relatives of those killed in the attack received close to £1.5m in damages after they sued the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).A concert is being held in Dublin later this year to mark 50 years since the attack.
The Independent
02-04-2025
- The Independent
Man remanded in custody over 1979 murder of part-time soldier in Co Armagh
A man has been remanded in custody after being charged with the murder of a part-time soldier in Northern Ireland more than 40 years ago. Joseph James Porter, 64, a farmer and part-time soldier with the Ulster Defence Regiment, was shot dead in Mountnorris in June 1979. James Donegan, 67, Bruce Manor, Arvagh, Co Cavan has been charged with the murder of Mr Porter between June 22 and June 25 1979, as well as possession of a firearm and ammunition with the intent to endanger life and membership of a proscribed organisation, the Provisional IRA, Donegan had been extradited from the Republic of Ireland before appearing before Newry Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. Donegan responded, 'I do', when asked if he understood the charges that had been read out to him. A detective sergeant told the court they believe they can connect the accused to the charges, An application for bail was opposed by the prosecution, who claimed a risk of the accused leaving the jurisdiction and fresh extradition proceedings having to be brought, delaying the trial. The prosecutor said Mr Porter was shot dead in the early hours of Sunday June 24 1979, and was discovered at the entrance of his farm yard on Creggan Road, Mountnorris, while his house had been ransacked. ' Police believe he left his house voluntarily and was shot shortly after he went outside. It cannot be established if he was carrying his personal protection pistol at this point,' they said. 'Mr Porter's house was subsequently searched by the murderers who were almost certainly looking for his personal protection weapon or any other military weapons that he might have had in his home. His personal protection weapon was stolen, but he had no other military weapons in his house. 'Mr Porter lived alone and at the time of his death, he was a part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment. No one has been charged or convicted in relation to this murder.' They said witnesses saw Mr Porter in a bar in Markethill on the evening of Saturday June 23 for around an hour, before his Land Rover was seen driving towards Creggan Road. Later another witness in the area reported hearing two loud bangs, which they believe were gunshots at around 1am, while other witnesses also heard two shots and saw a car travelling at high speed. 'At 0930, Mr Porter's neighbour found him lying dead,' they added, saying a doctor concluded he had a fractured skull and had been dead for around six to eight hours. They also told the court that the Armagh Guardian reported on Thursday June 28 a claim of responsibility for the murder by the Provisional IRA, and had said 'he was interrogated and executed because he was involved with the British war machine in Northern Ireland'. The prosecutor said they opposed the bail application due to a 'risk of flight'. 'We understand that he has resided in the Republic of Ireland for a number of years, since in or around 1978, and therefore obviously he has significant links to the Republic of Ireland,' they said, contending he had 'firmly resisted' the extradition until the last minute and also cited potential for intimidation of witnesses. A defence lawyer said Donegan had been on holiday in Portugal when he was contacted by An Garda Siochana before his arrest, and offered to be arrested at the airport on his return, and surrendered his passport. He said an address in Crossmaglen, Co Armagh belonging to a friend of Donegan had been offered for bail, as well as a cash surety of £10,000 from a person present in court while a relative of the defendant had offered up the deeds of his home. He also pointed out that in the event of a conviction, the maximum sentence is likely to be a two-year sentence due to legislation for Troubles' related offences, and said the defendant suffers from health difficulties and underwent bypass surgery during the course of the extradition proceedings in 2024. 'Nobody can say when this matter will come round to trial, and in terms of risks, where else would the defendant go – he doesn't have access to a passport, he doesn't have access to means to travel outside the jurisdiction,' he said. District Judge Eamonn King said he had to balance whether or not the defendant can be released on bail subject to conditions to manage any risks. 'In the circumstances of this case, it has taken 45 years to get to this point. There have been issues over those years and it's only on conclusion on what took place in the Republic of Ireland that the defendant has made himself amenable to this court when his appeal against the extradition process was refused,' he said. 'In the circumstances, I am of the view that the defendant would be a flight risk and for that reason, bail is refused.'
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man in court charged with 1970s murder of part-time UDR soldier
A 67-year-old man originally from County Armagh has been refused bail after being extradited from the Republic of Ireland and charged with a Troubles-era murder carried out more than 45 years ago. Joseph James Porter's body was found close to the entrance of his farm at Creggan Road, in Mountnorris, County Armagh, on 24 June 1979. The part-time Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier died from gunshot wounds to the head and body. James Donegan, of Bruce Manor in Arvagh, County Cavan, appeared in the dock at Newry Magistrates' Court on Wednesday afternoon following a lengthy extradition process from the Republic of Ireland. Prosecutors said they can link Mr Donegan, who has lived in the Republic of Ireland since the 1970s, to the murder as a result of drops of blood and fingerprints that had been found. The court heard that in 2012 the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) produced a fingerprint match and that, in 2017, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) asked An Garda Siochana (Irish police) to pursue an inquiry into the murder. In 2017, prosecutors in the Republic brought no charges on the matter due to insufficient evidence – but, in 2024, the PSNI applied for an extradition warrant. Mr Donegan fought extradition but when his appeal was dismissed he presented himself for arrest. He is charged with murdering Mr Porter on a date between 22 June 1979 and 25 June 1979. He also faces charges relating to the possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and membership of a proscribed organisation, namely the IRA. A defence barrister argued that due to a backlog in trials it could be some time before a trial date could be set – meaning that if Mr Donegan was put on remand a trial could be further away than the two-year sentence the offences carry under legislation. However, District Judge Eamonn King said he was content that Mr Donegan could be considered a flight risk and, as such, bail was refused. Mr Donegan's defence barrister stated the matter could be revisited in the High Court.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lieutenant General Sir Peter Graham, Gordon Highlander who commanded the Ulster Defence Regiment
Lieutenant General Sir Peter Graham, who has died aged 87, held several high-profile appointments in the course of a distinguished career, including command of the 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders in Belfast and command of the Ulster Defence Regiment. Peter Walter Graham was born in London on March 14 1937. His father, Walter, was a doctor who served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in the Second World War. His mother, Suzanne, was of English and French descent. Young Peter was brought up at Fyvie in Aberdeenshire and educated at St Paul's School. He loved rowing and was part of the 2nd VIII. After basic training at the Bridge of Don barracks he attended RMA Sandhurst. In 1956 he was commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders and joined the 1st Battalion (1 Gordons) in Dover. He subsequently served as a platoon commander in Celle, West Germany, and in 1962 he accompanied the battalion to Gil Gil in the Rift Valley in Kenya. After a spell as recruiting officer with HQ Highland Brigade in Perth, he rejoined the battalion in Kenya and was involved in operations in Swaziland following an outbreak of civil unrest that led to a widespread strike. In 1963 he married Alison Mary Morren. The two had met in May 1960 at the regimental depot when she won the Duchess Jean competition watched by 3,500 people. The title commemorated the celebrated Jean, Duchess of Gordon, who with her husband the Duke helped to raise the original Regiment in 1794. Alison came from Huntly in Aberdeenshire, the heart of the Gordon country, and with her grace and charm – broadcasting on the BBC Overseas Service and the British Forces Network, sending greetings to Gordons all over the world, carrying out press interviews and visiting the soldiers in Germany – she gave tremendous impetus to the regiment's recruiting campaign. In 1965, the battalion was deployed on operations in Borneo. For his service, Graham was awarded a Mention in Despatches. A staff appointment with HQ 1st (British) Corps at Bielefeld, West Germany, was followed by a course at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham, and then Staff College in Australia. After rejoining 1 Gordons at Minden, West Germany, in 1969, to command a company, Graham was posted to Lisburn in Northern Ireland on his appointment as brigade major of HQ 39 Infantry Brigade. He was appointed operational MBE at the end of his tour. He served as second-in-command of 1 Gordons on another operational tour to Northern Ireland, in 1973, this time to Anderstown, and then to Singapore later in the year. After an appointment as military adviser to General Sir Cecil Blacker, the Adjutant-General, in 1976, he assumed command of 1 Gordons at Fort George in the build-up of training for an 18-month operational tour in Northern Ireland, based at Palace Barracks in Belfast. He was appointed operational OBE. In 1978, Graham returned to West Germany as chief of staff of HQ 3 Armoured Division and was advanced to CBE at the end of his tour. Command of the Ulster Defence Regiment followed. The UDR's primary tasks were to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary by patrolling, guarding keypoints and installations, establishing vehicle checkpoints on public roads and setting up roadblocks to hinder the activities of paramilitary groups. He was again Mentioned in Despatches. He became deputy military secretary at the MoD in 1985 and GOC Eastern District in 1986; he was appointed to the Royal Company of Archers the same year. In 1989 he was made Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. His youngest son, Dougie, was commissioned during his appointment in December 1990 and the commissioning parade was taken by the Princess of Wales. Sir Alexander Graham, Peter Graham's brother, was Lord Mayor of London that year. In 1991 Graham was knighted upon taking up his final appointment as GOC Scotland and Governor of Edinburgh Castle. He retired from the Army in 1993 but immediately took on the chairmanship of the Gordon Highlanders Museum, and ran it and its fundraising campaign until 2003. In 1994 the Gordon Highlanders were amalgamated with the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforths and Camerons) to form 1st Battalion The Highlanders (Seaforths, Gordons and Camerons). The Army cutbacks and the loss of the regiment as an infantry Regiment of the Line were cruel blows, but Graham pressed for a lasting memorial, and the result was the erection of a statue of the Gordon Highlander in Aberdeen City. He was Colonel The Gordon Highlanders from 1986 to 1994 and his devotion to the regiment and his fellow Gordon Highlanders continued for the rest of his life. He loved pipe music, country pursuits, hill walking, game shooting and red-deer stalking. A proud Scot and a fervent believer in 'the Union', he spent several years supporting the Better Together Campaign. The strain took a toll on his health from which he never properly recovered. Peter Graham married Alison, a doctor. She survives him with their three sons: Jamie was an officer in the 51st Highland Volunteers (affiliated to the Gordons); Roddy was the Master of the Mercers' Company in 2017 and a member of the Royal Company of Archers; Dougie was an officer in the Gordon Highlanders. Sir Peter Graham, born March 14 1937, died December 30 2024 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
