THE widow of a man shot dead by the UDA in 1992 has expressed hope that highlighting his murder will help bring about truth and justice.
36-year-old Michael ‘Mickey’ Gilbride, a joiner, was murdered as he went to have lunch with his mother at her home in the Ormeau area on November 4,1992.
The father-of-three was killed by a UDA murder gang responsible for a spate of sectarian killings in South Belfast including the 1992 Sean Graham Bookmakers Massacre.
To mark what would have been Mickey’s 65th birthday (April 14), Relatives for Justice has released a moving video tribute featuring an original commemorative ballad by his nephew, Connor Gilbride.
Mickey’s widow, Roseann Gilbride, who describes her late husband as an “ordinary bloke who lived for his family”, said she hopes to shine a light on what she believes was one of the “silent” killings of the Troubles.
“His murder has never been highlighted before and I think this is a good opportunity to bring everything out,” she said.
“I hope that before I die that we’ll get some truth and justice for him.
“He was just an innocent man going to his work.”
She continued: “We just want to get the bones of it – why is it all hidden? It’s important, not just for Mickey, but for lots of other people who can’t get justice.
“It’s so hard to understand why. I still question it to this day – why?”
