Tyrone County Convention unanimously passed the following motion on Tuesday 12th December regarding access to justice for families and the impact of the Troubles Legacy Act.
During this year, Tyrone GAA passed resolutions to support the Brown family from Bellaghy, as they seek to uncover the circumstances surrounding the death of Sean, Chairman of the Wolfe Tones club, in 1997. Sean was doing what a lot of GAA officers and volunteers do regularly, locking up the clubrooms at night.
Sean’s inquest, 26 years later, is taking place against the backdrop of the Government’s new legacy act, which states that any legacy inquests that have not reached the point of verdict by May 1st 2024 will be discontinued.
Insult is being heaped onto to injury, by the determined effort of some parties to ensure that the inquest into Sean’s death cannot be completed. Their objective must not be allowed to succeed. Similar tactics are being employed in stalling the case of Patsy Kelly who was abducted and killed on 24th July 1974.
In this motion, Tyrone GAA support the campaign of the Brown Family from Bellaghy, The Kelly Family from Trillick and all other families impacted by the legacy act, to have access to the justice system which could facilitate the emergence of the truth. This access should not be time limited.
This motion also calls on both Ulster GAA and the National GAA to similarly record their support for the Browns, Kellys and all families impacted by this Legacy Act.
By Rory Cox Sat 16th Dec
