To forget them would be a second death. I don’t think I am responsible for their first death. But I can be responsible, if I am not careful, in the second death.”
~ ELIE WIESEL
Yes. It is important. To bear witness. To say their names.
I was recently contacted by Colm Smyth who survived the heartless attack on 16 men who were gathered in a country pub to watch Ireland take on Italy in the World Cup football match being televised live from New Jersey. To our delight, Ireland won! Over 60,000 fans rocked Giants Stadium, horribly unaware of what had happened in the pub in Loughinisland right after half-time. And then the clocks stopped.
In A Survivor’s Tale: The 1994 Loughinisland Massacre I write about one of the survivors with whom I recently connected. I will never forget him. I hope you won’t either. And the others . . .
The dead included 87 year-old Barney Green, his nephew Dan McCreanor, Adrian Rogan, brothers-in-law Eamon Byrne and Patrick O’Hare and Malcolm Jenkinson
May we never forget.
I can’t find the link for this. Where on the page might it be?
I think the quote is exceptional. The idea of witnessing a second death is powerful. I didn’t know this story at all. So, here’s one person now enlightened to “remember” these victims. ox