The Argus, 22 October 1999:
RUC decide not to prosecute the men who admit to the murder
by Francis Carroll
The decision by the DP in Northern Ireland not to prosecute the four men suspected of involvement in the murder of Seamus Ludlow has come as no great surprise to the dead man's family.
It has nonetheless been described as a "body blow, but not a fatal blow" to Mr Ludlow's and other families' efforts to find justice.
Speaking this week, Jimmy Sharkey, a nephew of Seamus Ludlow, said the Director of Public Prosecutions was never going to proceed with the case.
"He said the evidence against the men was not strong enough, even though one of them had told what happened in a newspaper interview, while both the RUC and Gardai say they were the ones involved."
Seamus Ludlow was found murdered in a lane-way off the Bog Road near to his Mountpleasant home on the night of 1st/2nd May 1976. He had been killed by a loyalist gang after accepting a lift from them as he thumbed home from outside Dundalk.
Mr Sharkey revealed the family had not decided on the next step, but will shortly meet with their legal advisors.
"This decision is a body blow to many people, but not a fatal blow. Maybe the authorities hope this will stop our campaign, but we'll keep going."
Next Monday night UTV's Insight programme will feature the Ludlow case in an in-depth documentary which includes interviews with the family and a reconstruction of what happened that night over twenty-three years ago.
On Tuesday of last week in Dublin, Jimmy Sharkey was involved in the formal launch of the Border Relatives Group which is seeking to highlight similar instances of injustice.
"I was invited to go along to help their campaign. There was a very poor turnout of TDs, but we got our point across. A number of relatives of people killed in the Dundalk bombing were present."
I Homepage I I Top I I Press Coverage I I BIRW Report I I Irish Victims Commission Report I
An Phoblacht/Republican News, 14 October 1999: Relatives demand justice
The Irish News, 13 October 1999: Families call for inquiries into loyalist murders
The Dundalk Democrat, 16 October 1999: "Border Relatives" group established
The Sunday Tribune, Sunday 17 October 1999, by Ed Moloney: North's DPP has decided not to charge Loyalists arrested in connection with Ludlow killing
The Irish Times, 20 October 1999: DPP decides against Ludlow case charges
The Irish News, 20 October 1999: Relatives reject "cover-up" inquiry
The Irish News, 21 October 1999: SF calls for inquiry into '76 murder
The Irish Independent, 8 November 1999: Wilson supports extradition of four