The murder of prosecutor Rory O’Kelly in Co Tyrone in 1977 was “carefully planned by the Provisional IRA”, a report has found.
asserted
report → plan → IRA
Mr O’Kelly had twice acted as election agent for TD and MP Austin Currie and joined the SDLP in 1970.
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O’Kelly → act → 1970
He worked for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland (DPP) as an assistant director.
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He → work → director
In its first published report, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) found he was the fifth person connected to the administration of justice to be murdered by PIRA, with the aim being to “undermine it by terrorist threat”.
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aim → publish → threat
The 124-page report found it was not possible to identify those responsible for Mr O’Kelly’s murder, but reached some findings about how it was carried out.
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it → find → findings
These included that his murder was a “one of a series of carefully planned attacks by the Provisional IRA”, and that Mr O’Kelly was selected as a target because he worked for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
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he → include → Prosecutions
In a statement, Mr O’Kelly’s daughter Anne commended the work of the ICRIR.
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daughter → commend → ICRIR
She said the report comes 11 months after the death of her brother Roger, who pursued the case throughout his life.
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who → say → life
She added that three members of the ICRIR sat by his bedside in a hospice last year and related the details they had found.
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they → add → details
She said it was a “sacred and transformative” meeting, and she and her brother had been “moved into a space of serenity and light, all anger taken away”.
“I would never have expected to know this sort of release,” she said.
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she → say → release
Ms O’Kelly said she had always had a “feeling of irrecoverable loss and distress” and could never talk about her father’s killing to anyone.
uncertain
she → say → anyone
“I can never thank the members of the ICRIR enough for working so hard to piece together the facts of the death of our father, and the three lovely persons who came over to England to tell us what they had found; all done just in time,” she said.
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she → thank → time
“Roger died barely a week later.
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Roger → die → ?
It was that he had now found a great peace.”
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he → find → peace
She added they will “probably never know who the operative was”.
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operative → add → ?
“There is one hero in this story, or heroine, I should say – our mother.
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I → be → story
Silently and bravely, she accepted her place in the ranks of the lonely widows, still young herself, mother of five, with two little ones still to rear,” she said.
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she → accept → ones
“She kept the home warm and cheerful, and encouraged us to get qualified and be independent.
“
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She → keep → us
She never got over the loss of her husband.
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She → get → husband
She missed his kindliness, his humour and his story-telling.
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She → miss → kindliness
She thought of him every day of her life.”
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She → think → life
Ms O’Kelly said she hopes for a “just and satisfactory outcome for everyone who has come to the ICRIR for answers”.
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who → say → answers
She said while theirs was a “straightforward case”, digging up the simple facts 50 years later was a “difficult task”.
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digging → say → facts
“Truth takes precedence and nothing short of the truth in full will work.
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nothing → take → truth
Truth is the foundation for real forgiveness and a lasting reconciliation,” she added.
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she → last → forgiveness
ICRIR chief commissioner Sir Declan Morgan said he is grateful to Ms O’Kelly for her confidence in the panel.
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he → say → panel
He said the publication of its first report after two years in operation was a “significant moment”, adding that a number other late-stage investigations and draft reports are developing.
“I recognise that the commission must keep improving and building its credibility across all parts of society.
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commission → say → society
I hope that the commitment of the two governments to further partnership and progress on legacy can assist us all in that goal,” Sir Declan said.
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Declan → hope → goal
“It is 12 months since two colleagues and I spoke with Rory O’Kelly’s son Roger as he lay dying in a hospice, and where we outlined our interim findings into his father’s murder,” he said.
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he → speak → murder
“I was humbled by that poignant encounter before Roger died.
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Roger → humble → encounter
That moment reiterated for me the vital work being undertaken by the commission.
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moment → reiterate → commission
“I am grateful to Roger’s sister Anne for placing ongoing confidence in the commission.
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I → place → commission
“Uncovered truths can help create a mosaic of reflection on the horrors of our past.
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truths → help → past
Uncomfortable truths can help us promote reconciliation and understanding for future generations.
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us → help → generations
“That process requires continued courage and commitment from us all.”
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process → require → us
The commissioner for investigations, Peter Sheridan, said: “After almost 50 years, today’s focus is rightly on the O’Kelly family’s tragic loss.
“There are well over 300 other families already with the commission, with over 140 live investigations.
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focus → say → investigations
These cases come from every community background across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK and Europe.
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cases → come → Ireland
“Investigating the legacy of Northern Ireland’s Troubles/Conflict is complicated and complex work.
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Investigating → investigate → Conflict
I want to recognise the patience of Rory O’Kelly’s family, and the persistence of the commission’s investigators and findings team.
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I → want → team
“Today is not a time for anyone to play politics with legacy.
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anyone → play → legacy
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
