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The Barron Inquiry - Draft Terms of Reference for Inquiry - A Fresh Inquest 2005 Inquest Account - BIRW Report - Witness Account - Ludlow Family Account - Sunday World report May 1976 - Meeting the Police OmbudsmanEd Moloney Radio Interview - 25th Anniversary - Profile - Questions - Photographs - Press Release - Letter to  RUC - Magill article 1999 - Press Coverage - Barron Report Published - Ludlow Family Response to Barron Report - Download the Barron Report from the Oireachtas website (pdf file) - Statement from Justice for the Forgotten - Joint Oireachtas Committee Request for Submissions - Joint statement from Justice for the Forgotten, Relatives for Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre - Download Transcript of Ludlow family meeting with Oireachtas Sub-Committee (Word file)

Original Ludlow Family website - Second Ludlow Family website - The Dundalk Bombing


The Dundalk Democrat, 8 February 2006:

Ludlow family call for public apology from gardai

By Anne Marie Eaton

Jimmy Sharkey, the nephew of the late Seamus Ludlow, has said the apology made by the Garda to members of the Ludlowq family after last week's Oireachtas Committee hearings was a private apology and that the family still wish to see a public apology from the Gardai as well as a public inquiry into Seamus Ludlow's murder.

"After last Wednesday's hearings my mother received an apology from the Gardai and while she acknowledged the apology it is still a far cry from a public apology and a public inquiry."

Jimmy said he now believes the reasons for a public inquiry are becoming more apparent.

"I think that the need for a public inquiry is becoming more evident.

"Certain questions need to be asked that will only be answered via a public inquiry. It is the only way that these questions can be dealt with."

The hearings continue this week with an address from current Justice Minister michael McDowell and Secretary General at the Department of Justice, Sean Aylward.

Journalist Ed Moloney who interviewed Paul Hosking, the man who admitted to being an eye witness to the murder and informed the RUC as such, will also be addressing the committee.


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The Dundalk Democrat, 8 February 2006:

Explosive evidence at hearing

Gardai were able to cross the border

By Anne Marie Eaton

Revelations that Gardai were able to go across the border and question criminal suspects has been described by Jimmy Sharkey as "explosive."

"On the one hand you have a number of people saying that because of a 1953 directive Gardai could not go outside the jurisdiction to question suspects then you have Terry Hynes saying that not only was it possible, but that he himself was one of the Gardai who went outside the jurisdiction to do the questioning.

"This was something we didn't think would be said because it's so contradictory."

Former detective Garda Terry Hynes told the Oireachtas Committee that he had been approached in 1979 by Detective Chief Superintendent Dan Murphy and asked would he be prepared to travel to Scotland to take part in questioning a suspect in the Ludlow murder.

He said he would and was asked to keep the matter confidential. The visit to Scotland never happened.

When he discussed the matter briefly with Chief Superintendent Murphy at another time he said "he never went into detail about it. He had an air of disappointment about him."

Although he acknowledged the practice would not be "run of the mill" Mr Hynes went on to explain how he had gone outside the jurisdiction on a number of occasions to question suspects, including investigations relating to a train robbery in Dundalk.

He had never heard of the 1953 directive.

Former Superintendent John Courtney told the Committee that interviews with the suspects should have been held soon after their identities were handed over to the Gardai by the RUC in 1979.

Speaking on the reaction to the revelations Jimmy Sharkey said: "There was a deafening silence when Terry Hynes said he had no knowledge of the 1953 directive and that he had travelled outside the jurisdiction to question suspects.

"It came totally out of the blue and wasn't something we were expecting to be revealed but at the same time it has made our case for a public inquiry stronger.

"Why could Gardai go outside the jurisdiction in other cases but not in relation to our Seamus' brutal murder?"


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The Dundalk Democrat, 8 February 2006:

Former TD accused of reducing hearing to a circus

While the Oireachtas Committee hearings are proving fruitful in exposing the workings of the Gardai at the time, Jimmy Sharkey had said that others who were participating had reduced the hearings to little more than a "circus"

He said that former TD Brendan McGahon had little to give to the hearings other than to admit he had been wrong to say that the IRA had murdered Seamus.

"I think Brendan McGahon ended up reducing the hearings to circus. He is trying to say that an IRA man had told him the information but anyone who knew Brendan McGahon then would know that he was so anti IRA that he would not have any contact with the organisation never mind talk to someone he knew was in it."

Jimmy said he was also less than impressed with former Justice Minister Gerry Collins.

"He had a very throwaway attitude and I felt he was laughing at the whole thing.

"He rhymed off ambassadors murdered and embassy buildings attacked but not once did he mention the bombings in Dundalk, Dublin or Monaghan nor did he mention Seamus' murder in this context.

"I feel there's a fight off between Gerry Collins and Brendan McGahon as to who contributed least to the hearings."


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Download the Barron Report from the Oireachtas website (pdf file)

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Copyright © 2006 the Ludlow family. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 26, 2006