BELLAGHY'S St Mary’s church holds the graves of a Nobel Laureate for literature, two young men who died on hunger strike and the GAA club chairperson murdered when locking the gates after training on a beautiful May evening, who has become the talisman for post-Good Friday Agreement truth and justice.
As tens of thousands joined together 27 years after his murder to walk with that chairperson’s family, the smell from the hawthorn blossoms filled the air and the newly arrived swifts and swallows darted overhead. The birds that came home from Africa must have been in awe of the array of colours being worn by generations of Gaels walking in unison. The royal blue and white of Wolfe Tones GAA Bellaghy led the way, followed by all of the colours of the GAA rainbow. Green and gold from Watty Grahams, the club supporting the family of Fergal McCusker, a club which has buried too many other members over the generations of conflict. Gold and black from Naomh Éanna Glengormley, who suffered like few others from the policy of collusion playing out. Green and white from Cargin. Black and white from St Colm’s Ballinascreen. Club after club walked with their teams of all ages, the footballers, the hurlers, the camógs, the officials, the club stalwarts, the county supporters. Walking with buggies, dogs, banners, good form and determination in the colours of truth and justice.
The lads from the Ormeau Road weren’t wearing their St Malachy’s jerseys but did carry their banner. They know collusion in South Derry was the same as it was in South Belfast. The Armagh families were united with Derry in the battle for justice, but will start the rivalry again come the Championship.
"It is the biggest march I have ever seen. Haven’t seen anything like it since the hunger strikes."
As the tens of thousands passed the monument to Frank Hughes and Thomas McElwee, one of the stewards in a yellow bib paused.
“It’s a big crowd tonight."
“It's no less than this family deserve, they are well got."
“Do you know them well?"
“I was in the guard of honour for Sean Brown’s funeral, I was only a cub. My son is the same age I was then and he is in the guard of honour tonight."
He winked over at one of the lads in that Wolfe Tones guard of honour guiding the crowd into the club grounds named after Sean Brown.
Inside, the family of Sean Brown was visibly moved by the enormous crowd filling the stand and the pitch. They were joined by their extraordinary solicitor, Niall Murphy, who laid bare, with fact after fact, the levels of collusion; the PFC’s quiet but determined Alan Brecknell; and RFJ’s Mark Thompson, who asked “Are you listening Hilary Benn?” before listing the levels of the policy of collusion in the formation and operation of the Loyalist Volunteer Force. Their murderous campaign was a British government policy objective and the cover-up is the policy objective of the British government’s Legacy Act. Mark finished by stating: “If the British government can order a public inquiry into the killing of LVF leader Billy Wright, they can order a public inquiry into the LVF victim Sean Brown.”
GAA Uachtarán Jarlath Burns had not a note in his hand as he united all of the Gaels gathered in determined commitment.
Bellaghy and Ireland now walks with the Brown family, and all victims seeking truth and justice. And that walk gathers pace.
