On the 9th of July 1972 the British Army’s Parachute Regiment brutally gunned down and killed five people on the streets of Springhill and Westwork in West Belfast, wounding many others.
Many of those killed and injured were teenagers, some as young as just 13 years of age, and one a local priest. All were unarmed, innocent civilians.
Speaking from the area, Lasair Dhearg’s Pádraic MacCoitir said, “Tensions were rising in Belfast on July 9th 1972 after the IRA ceasefire broke down in Lenadoon. The British army swamped Nationalist areas and locals were fearful of what they were doing. They had seen fourteen people killed in Derry in January 1972 and in August of that year eleven more had been cruelly cut down in Ballymurphy.”
“As the British army came out in droves people in areas like Springhill were being cautious as they went about their business. Unknown to many of them that army sent in snipers to nearby Corry’s timber yard. The British Parachute regiment, which was responsible for killing many civilians, opened fire on a car, killing 2 boys, David McCafferty and John Dougal.”
“As some people tried to rescue them, they too were shot and seriously injured. Around this time 13 year old Margaret Gargan was fatally injured and as she lay dying two men, Catholic priest Noel Fitzpatrick and Patrick Butler, were also shot dead. All of those killed were unarmed but, as in previous massacres, the British propaganda machine went into overdrive claiming some were ‘terrorists’.”
“Since that fateful day over 50 years ago the families of those killed have campaigned for the truth to come out.
This week the British government reluctantly set up an inquest in a Belfast court. The well known barrister, Michael Mansfield, will be there to represent some of the families and it is hoped that they will have some closure.”
“Lasair Dhearg has been supporting the Bloody Sunday and Ballymurphy massacre campaigns and we stand with the families and friends of those killed in Springhill.”
