WE look back at the stories that were making the headlines this week back in 1982
Lourdes ceili at Trinity Community Centre with the Laurenson dancers with Sister Sarto
RUC chief in killer patrol
WEST Belfast's RUC Chief James Crutchley has admitted in court that he was a member of the mobile patrol which shot and killed 31-year-old mother of three, Norah McCabe on the 8th July, 1981.
Mrs McCabe was standing at the corner of Linden Street on the Falls Road, on the morning of July 8th when an RUC Land Rover in which Superintendent Crutchley was a front seat passenger, fired a plastic bullet which hit her on the head causing injuries so severe that she died in hospital 36-hours later. At the inquest into Mrs McCabe's death, held on November 19th, Superintendent Crutchley said that he personally ordered the shooting of the plastic bullet which killed Mrs. McCabe.
The inquest was adjourned at the request of lawyers for the next of kin to allow the showing of a Canadian film which they believe will prove that the killer Land Rover turned into Linden Street, towards Mrs McCabe and her companion although this was denied by Superintendent Crutchley. Mrs McCabe left three children, the youngest being only three months, and she was killed during demonstrations following the death of hunger striker Joe McDonnell.
Geordie and Lil Smith with Joe and Jean McAreavey at the Foresters' Senior Citizen fundraising Christmas Party
Rifle in mouth death threat
A YOUNG West Belfast man is still in a state of shock after a British soldier forced a cocked rifle into his mouth and threatened to shoot him.
Last Sunday at 1.00 pm, 18-year-old Michael Shaw was accosted by a foot patrol on the Grosvenor Road. The soldiers stopped, searched and questioned Michael.
One member of the foot patrol then shoved Michael against a wall and ordered him to open his mouth. When the terrified youngster refused, the soldier gripped his testicles and forced a rifle into his mouth. Cocking the weapon the soldier jerked it up against the roof of Michael's mouth, breaking a tooth in the process. Michael has experienced difficulty with his speech and has been placed on a course of valium by his doctor since the incident.
He recalled the attack for our reporter: "He had the rifle in my mouth and he said I won't leave you in an entry like Mr. Donegan, I'll leave you here.” He shouted at me “F*** you, F*** the papers, F*** Fr Faul.”
Michael believes this is in reference to an incident of harassment two weeks earlier which he had reported to Fr Faul and which was subsequently covered by a Belfast newspaper. In that assault members of the same regiment made threats on Michael's life and manhandled him.
"They threw me to the ground and kicked me. I got up and ran away," said Michael.
His father Tommy says his son ran into the house shaking and crying. "For over half an hour he couldn't tell us what happened."
Michael, still in a state of shock, is afraid to leave his house alone.
"They said they were going to get me."
A night out at the Gene Fitzpatrick show at Peter Pan Social Club
Remove this moat and drawbridge
WHEN Mrs Burns and her daughter Christine step out of their home at Glenveigh, they also step back in time. For the Burns house boasts a latter-day moat and drawbridge.
Heavy rains and a lack of drainage have forced Mrs Burns to lay a supermarket pallet across a permanent pool at her front door. When our reporter called he found a two inch puddle and an exasperated householder.
"I have complained time and time again to the Housing Executive, but they still won't do anything,” said Mrs Burns. "Three months ago, someone came out and agreed the problem had to be fixed up, but since then nothing has happened."
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: Mrs Burns and her daughter Christine walking on the pallet
74 Glenveigh is the only dwelling in the street to be affected in this way. All other houses have an inbuilt drain to carry rain water away.
"When we got tired of waiting for Executive workers, we put down the pallet, but we don't want to be stuck with that outside our door.”
Improvised drawbridges also have other problems. Trying to get prams across them is one, the other is durability.
"It's already beginning to rot and break," said a desperate Mrs Burns.
Dave McClaron presents a cheque to Father Matt Wallace, with Billy McGowan and Jim McAllister at St Oliver Plunkett branch of St Vincent de Paul function at the Kerri Inn
