Dublin-based crime gang is behind a string of burglaries that occurred across the district in recent weeks, police believe.

PSNI Inspector Kieran Quinn told online news source Armagh I that police intelligence suggests an organized gang from Tallaght carried out a series of burglaries and attempted break-ins in south Armagh and south Down.

Describing the intruders as “career criminals” who target properties without alarms, usually between 4pm and 9pm, he said such incidents are on the rise.

“Seasonal figures suggest that this type of crime is on the rise from October through to February with the darker evenings,” Inspector Quinn said.

“We have been working with the Gardai Siochana in the south as we believe this to be a cross-border operation.  We believe it is an organised gang from the Tallaght area of Dublin who are carrying out these thefts.”

He says the thieves look at vehicles to determine the “lifestyle” of the occupants.

“They come up from Dublin on the M1 or A1 and they hit any small villages or towns along the way.  They have tools with them to access the house; their work is fast and sporadic.”

Urging the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activity, he added: “We need people to be wary, crime prevention is the best action.  People need to be on the lookout for suspicious vehicles, I would advise people to join our text scheme, look out for the vulnerable, and not have large amounts of cash in their house at any one time.”

Inspector Quinn advised people to keep cars in locked garages and keys in a safe place – not on the kitchen table, in full view of a prospective thief and he urged anyone who witnesses suspicious activity in their area, to contact the police non-emergency number on 101.

Representatives of the GAA and Irish Football Association (IFA) met with the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Education, Derek Baker, during last week to discuss future plans for the beleaguered Curriculum Sports Programme in schools.  

The scheme, which saw Gaelic and soccer coaches visiting primary schools across the north came to an end this year after a decade.  Funding for the programme ran out in October but the Department of Education said the scheme could return in 2019/20 should funding become available.  

Newry and Armagh SDLP MLA Justin McNulty, who attended last week’s meeting, expressed his disappointment at the “lack of clarity” surrounding the programme. 

He said: “After months of defending the need for this programme, I am disappointed we have failed to come any closer to having the programme reinstated in our schools across the north.

“The Curriculum Sports Programme has been fundamental to the physical and mental development of the primary school children that have went through it over the last decade, and it is absolutely shameful its value is not shared by all.”

A major conference on Social and Affordable Housing, aimed at tackling the growing housing crisis in Newry is to be held in the city early next year.

A proposal to host the event, put to Newry Mourne and Down District Council by SDLP councillor Michael Savage, gained cross-party support at last Monday’s monthly council meeting.

The motion proposed by Councillor Savage is the first cross-party motion of its kind to be considered by Newry Mourne and Down District Council and was also signed by his party colleague Cllr Laura Devlin, Sinn Féin’s Cllr Charlie Casey and Cllr Willie Clarke, DUP councillor William Walker, UUP councillor David Taylor, Independent councillor David Hyland and Cllr Andrew McMurray on behalf of Alliance.

Discussing the motion, Councillor Savage said: “Building on successful Housing Symposium we held last January and the motion I proposed in April prioritising Social Housing in planning and the asset management review, which was unanimously supported in the chamber, we now aim to hold a major Social and Affordable Housing Conference in Newry in February.

“Given the scale of the problem in Newry and across the district we are hoping that the new Permanent Secretary for the Department for Communities will attend and we hope to have keynote speeches from the Chief Executive of the Housing Executive and the Council CEO and potentially look at workshop formats and group sessions to come up with potential solutions and explore how government departments and statutory bodies can collaborate better to deal with the housing crisis in this city and district.”

Councillor Savage said that a “perfect storm” of factors meant that Newry feels the impact of the social housing shortage more acutely than other areas in the North.

“Newry is unique in that it ticks literally every single box that you have for a challenge to getting social housing units built; from lack of sites, the topography and geography of the area, growing disabled need, a young population that needs housed and also one of the fasted growing older populations in the North.  So there’s mounting housing stock challenges and Newry is a perfect storm in relation to social and affordable housing need.”

Councillor Savage described having a home as a “fundamental right” and said that, because of the housing shortage, there’s now a generation of young people not being given the opportunity of having a place to call their own.

“Having a roof over your head is a fundamental need and on the basis of that fundamental need all aspects of a person’s life stabilises.  It breaks the natural order of things to still be living with your mum and dad well into your late 20s. It stymies personal development, it stymies independence and even things like home budgeting and managing finances responsibly,” he added.

“This is a huge challenge and it has to be taken seriously. I welcome the fact that all parties and all groups within the Council have come on board with this motion and backed me on it. As councillors we all see the pressures that are on the housing system in our city and district and we want to ensure that the Council plays a key role in facilitating dialogue that leads to solutions and citizens getting a social or affordable home of their own.  I hope now, that working with officials in the council, working the Housing Executive and Department for Communities and other key stakeholders we can pull together a meaningful conference that generates outcomes and strategy.

“We’re at the front-line dealing with Housing Executive staff, and the Housing Executive staff in Newry are exemplary, I can’t fault them at all. They go way above and beyond the call of duty to try and help people.”

The councillor commended the Housing Executive staff for doing an “impossible job” in a climate where there’s a drastic shortage of suitable housing stock particularly in Newry.

“The bottom line is that we don’t have the stock and they’re being asked to do an impossible job and I think that the Department of Communities have an obligation to come and play a lead role in this conference because they’re the department the oversees the Housing Executive and they need to hear at first hand the extent of the need in Newry and the district and step up to work with us all in providing collaborative solutions to the problem.

“They have an obligation to their staff and their management to be seen to be looking at collaborative ways in which we can make things happen to deal with housing. This conference is an opportunity for all the stakeholders to show their commitment trying to tackle the housing crisis in this city and hopefully some of the solutions can be replicated across the North.”

A man accused of sexually assaulting a newborn baby has had his case adjourned until January 2nd. 

At a brief hearing at Newry Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where the accused appeared via video-link from Maghaberry prison, District Judge Eamonn King granted a prosecution request for a four-week adjournment.

The 25-year-old is charged with sexual assault and grievous bodily harm against the male infant, who was just 12 days old when the alleged attack took place on 29th September.  The child has remained in the intensive care facility at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children since.

The former leader of the Ulster Unionist party, Mike Nesbitt, was in Crossmaglen on Thursday as an invited guest to the public debate on Brexit, hosted by the Newry Armagh Community Restorative Justice (CRJ).

Mr Nesbitt, the UUP MLA for Strangford, was joined on the platform panel by Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson and John Sheridan, from Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB).

SDLP MLA Justin McNulty attended the event and says he was delighted to welcome Mr Nesbitt to Crossmaglen and praised his input.

He said: “He’s a man with a reputation of calling it as he sees it and for saying what others won’t.  His message on Thursday night was simple, those who oppose Theresa May’s [Brexit] deal are wrong – their approach is driven by a crazy ideology and is nonsensical.  The DUP have called this wrong. The farming industry, the business sector and trade unions have opposed their approach and have called for them to back the current Brexit deal. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than a crash out no deal Brexit which will have severe consequences for this region and this island.”

Mr McNulty criticized both DUP and Sinn Fein MPs for their very different approach to the British government’s handling of Brexit.

“Brexit is the greatest economic, political and social threat to this island since partition. Mike [Nesbitt] is an Ulster Unionist and I am an Irish Nationalist; however, we both firmly agree the current approach adopted by seventeen of the North’s MPs is folly.  Ten DUP MPs are seeking a hard Brexit no matter what way they dress it up. Whereas seven Sinn Féin MPs have decided to sit it out, and shout into the Westminster Chamber from the comfort of their offices in the very same building,” he said.

 A Newry boxer who was deselected from Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth Games team has dropped a legal case for damages against the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council (NICGC).

Conor Wallace (22) initiated the lawsuit when he was deselected from the squad of athletes who participated in the Games, held in Australia in April.  The former Ulster light-heavyweight amateur champion, who has now turned professional and relocated to Australia, went to court in March seeking an order to be reinstated after the Council dropped him from the team that took part in the Gold Coast games.

At the time police said they were investigating a complaint against a man from the Newry area.  However Mr Wallace denies any wrongdoing and has not been arrested or questioned.  At a previous hearing his lawyer said he had been confronted by a self-styled vigilante group.

A barrister for NICGC insisted that its actions were at all times based on child protection issues and the police investigation.

“At the time of deselection, the NICGC stated that the decision was based upon the protection of all parties and was not a determination of Mr Wallace’s guilt or innocence in relation to any other matter,” the council said in a statement.

A man and woman are set to appear before Newry Crown Court next month, charged with a litany of sex abuse charges involving children.

The pair, from Armagh, are to be arraigned to stand trial on a total of 62 charges.  Having appeared at Armagh Magistrates Court on Wednesday, District Judge Paul Copeland issued a ban on naming both accused due to the “exceptionality of the case and extreme vulnerability of complainants”.

The woman, who is aged in her 30s, faces 10 counts each of voyeurism and taking/making indecent images of a child, as well as three counts of sexually assaulting a child. There are also single counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and gross indecency.

There are five alleged victims – one male and four female – and the charges vary in respect of each.  Two were aged under 13 at the time, with the accused charged with intentionally sexually touching one of them on two occasions on date between 2010 and 2014.  And against the other under 13-year-old, there are three counts of recording a private act for sexual gratification and single counts each of sexual touching, gross indecency and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.  These offences span dates between 2007 and 2015.

The three other complainants are alleged to have been recorded carrying out private acts for sexual gratification on dates from 2006 to 2015.  The remaining charges relate to indecent images of children, occurring over the same time frame.  

The accused, who wept throughout the proceedings, confirmed she understood the charges.  She was remanded on continuing bail and ordered to appear for arraignment at Newry Crown Court on 10th January.

The man, aged in his 40s, appeared in court a short time later to face a total of 47 charges.  

These include 32 counts of making indecent images of children, six of possessing indecent images, three of possessing extreme pornographic images and two each of attempting to distribute indecent images and possessing prohibited child images.  The final two counts relate to voyeurism, with the accused allegedly recording a female for sexual gratification between 2011 and 2012.

It was also noted that prior to these offences, it is alleged he committed the same offence between 2010 and 2011, but in that instance the identity of the female involved remains unknown.

He was also remanded on continuing bail and will join his co-accused for arraignment next month.

A ban on betting adverts during live TV sports has been welcomed by Oisin McConville, who described the move as “a really positive step in the right direction”.

The former Armagh and Crossmaglen Rangers GAA star was commenting on a deal agreed by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) – which includes a number of high profile betting firms such as Paddy Power and Ladbrokes – that will end gambling adverts being shown during live sport broadcasts.

The agreement follows political pressure about the high level of betting advertising being shown on television.

The “whistle to whistle” ban includes any game starting before the 9pm watershed but does not apply to after that time, however, horse racing is exempt from the restrictions.

Oisin McConville battled a gambling addiction for more than 12 years and now is a highly respected addiction counsellor.

He spoke of his satisfaction at the introduction of the ban and expressed hope it would extend to other aspects of sport.

“All we want is recognition that gambling is a huge problem which has a detrimental effect not just on the addict, but also their families.  

“The fact this is now happening is very positive.  Hopefully now the likes of the Premier League, which has affiliations with bookmakers and gambling sites, will also row in behind this move,” he said.

The Newry Chamber of Commerce annual Christmas Charity Dinner has raised the incredible sum of £78,830, all of which will provide a welcome festive boost for local charities.

Now in its 19th year, the highlight of the district’s social calendar has raised well over £1m for charities since its inception.  This year’s event, held in the Canal Court Hotel on Thursday, welcomed close to 1,000 local business and charity representatives, with the annual Toy Mountain bigger and better than ever as it towered over guests in the hotel foyer.

Welcoming everyone to the glittering occasion, Chamber President Paul Convery said the night was an opportunity for the Chamber and local businesses to give something back to the local community who have supported them throughout the year.

Mr Convery praised the overwhelming generosity of members of the public who flocked to the Canal Court Hotel throughout the day with gifts for the Toy Mountain.

He said: “Nobody does it better than the people of Newry. Since [the annual event] started, thousands of children have benefited from the generosity of Newry businesses and this year’s [toy] mountain is bigger and better than ever.  A big thank you to everyone who brought a toy. You will have brought real Christmas joy and happiness to the lives of the children and their families.”

The gifts will be distributed by St Vincent DePaul, the Salvation Army and Newry Junior Chamber to families in need in time for Christmas.

Several children with life-challenging difficulties were also honoured on the night and representatives from all 19 charities set to benefit from the charity dinner were in attendance with entertainment provided by comedy duo Rozlyn Sheridan and Teresa McBride and their popular ‘Wine O’Clock’ skit. 

Each year the event is a huge undertaking by the Charity Christmas Dinner organising committee who volunteer their time and resources and with the support of the big hearted local business community, this year’s event was another roaring success with a host of deserving charities set to benefit from the staggering amount raised. 

This year fundraising will benefit the following charities: Action on Elder Abuse NI, Air Ambulance NI, Bite and Banter, Clanrye Group, Community Rescue Service, Daisy Hill Children’s Ward, Down Right Brilliant, Ellen’s Journey, Life and Time, MS Society NI, Newry Helping the Homeless, PIPS Hope and Support, Rathore School, Space NI, St Mark’s High School ECPD Dept, St Vincent DePaul, Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, Salvation Army and Women’s Aid Armagh Down.

A Newry man has credited a visit to his local optician with helping to save his life after an underlying health problem was detected during a routine eye test.

Peter Hoey (46) lives with a long-term condition that manifests with stomach problems, but regular treatment manages his symptoms.  However, it was when he began to feel an inflamed, gritty pain behind his eyes he promptly went to an optician as he had never suffered from eye problems in the past.  The visit helped save his life when a bleed behind his eye was detected, resulting in him needing a lifesaving blood transfusion.

Peter takes up the story: “Despite feeling regularly unwell, I never noticed any issues with my eyes. I had never been to an optician before and I have never worn glasses, but when my eyes started to feel sore, I thought I would call in to Specsavers to see if they could help me with my discomfort.”

Peter visited Specsavers at the Buttercrane Shopping Centre, Newry for a standard eye test with optician, Alison Dunne. As soon as Alison started to examine his eyes, she noticed that something wasn’t as it should be and recommended that he had a more advanced eye test in-store using an OCT machine, which is similar to an ultrasound or MRI scan used in a hospital. Alison detected a bleed at the back of his eye and referred him to Daisy Hill Hospital and within ten hours he was called in for an emergency blood transfusion.

Peter added: “I can’t believe how lucky I am to still be here. If I hadn’t gone to Specsavers, I would not be able to tell others that eyes can detect health issues that might go unnoticed such as internal bleeding.”

Alison Dunne, optician and director of Specsavers Newry said praised Peter’s decision to have an eye test: “Peter made the right decision to come in to get his eyes checked because of feeling discomfort. Regular eye tests help people not only monitor their eye’s health and vision but can also detect serious underlying health conditions, he is very fortunate to be alive,” she said.

Now on the road to recovery, Peter takes this opportunity to thank the staff of Daisy Hill Hospital and Specsavers Newry for their care, expertise and assistance.

Newry Rainbow Community is in line for a potential £75K funding pot from Newry, Mourne and Down Council to help them host UK and Ireland Pride in the City in August 2019.

As part of the Tourism Events Programme discussed at last week’s Economic Regeneration and Tourism Committee meeting, councillors agreed to provide £60K to the group, the result of an underspend from the 2018/2019 Tourism Events financial assistance funding call.

The £60K provision will “support the planning and delivery of the UK and Ireland Pride Festival in Newry in 2019”. Additionally, it was agreed to support the NRC with an additional level of funding from the Tourism Events Programme budget in the 19/20 Financial year, in the region of £15k. 

The decision would also see the council commit officers as part of a multi-agency team of relevant stakeholders in preparation for the event. The decision will now go to the full Newry, Mourne and Down Council Meeting in January for ratification.

Newry were named as hosts for UK and Ireland Pride 2019 at an event in Glasgow in October.The bid was supported by Newry Rainbow Community, Newry BID and Newry, Mourne and Down Council. It will take place as part of the Pride in Newry Festival on Saturday 31 August 2019.

Speaking at last week’s meeting Cllr Roisin Mulgrew congratulated the NRC on their successful bid for UK and Ireland Pride  and said she had “no doubt it will be a superb event in the district.”

The decision was supported by SDLP councillor Pete Byrne who said the UK and Ireland Pride will be the biggest festival the area has ever seen.

Two key suspects who are alleged to have been involved in the Kingsmill Massacre may be named when the inquest into the January 1976 atrocity resumes in the New Year.

At the final inquest hearing of 2018, a decision to name the pair – who are now deceased – was deferred until next year.  Coroner Brian Sherrard and his counsel Sean Doran QC, however, have expressed concern at naming the alleged suspects could endanger the lives of their families. 

Ten Protestant workmen were shot dead when their minibus was ambushed at Kingsmill, near Whitecross.  Alan Black, now aged 75, was the sole survivor of the attack, despite being shot 18 times, while the only Catholic worker was ordered by the gunmen to flee the scene.

The inquest is scheduled to resume on 8th February 2019.

A hitman from Estonia who travelled to Ireland in April last year to murder a man in Newry as part of a Dublin gangland feud has been jailed for six years. 

Ex-wrestler and father-of-two Imre Arakas is a former Estonian separatist who the Special Criminal Court heard had been “scarred and marked deeply” by imprisonment in Russia.

Described by gardaí as a “contracted hitman”, Arakas was arrested as part of an investigation into the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud in Dublin which has claimed multiple lives.

An earlier court hearing heard how Arakas was paid a “five-figure sum” to fly into Ireland to kill Hutch associate, James Gately, in what was described as a well planned operation. Arakas (60) told those who were supervising the murder that “it could just be one shot to the head from distance”.

After arriving in Dublin on April 3 2017, Arakas walked around the city centre before buying a wig and a mirror. Later that day he was picked up by a white Mercedes van and driven to a premises in Blakestown, in the west of the city.

The same van had been stopped by gardai two months earlier and a tracking device was ­discovered on the driver, which had previously been fitted on a vehicle owned by a member of Gately’s ­family.

Members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit raided the Blakestown premises, arresting Arakas during the operation.

A piece of paper found in the premises had the name “James Gately, Dublin criminal” written on it, as well as a  Newry address he used and details of his car parking. Also recovered at the scene was an encrypted Blackberry mobile phone and a unique server to access its contents, with Arakas’s DNA uncovered on both the paper and the Blackberry phone.

Details of Arakas’s violent past spanning more than 40 years in Estonia were also revealed at last week’s sentencing, with the court hearing he has two children, both in their 20s, and a wife whose health was described as “poor”.

The married father-of-two, who was arrested before he had a chance to carry out his hit on Gately, had a stroke in Mountjoy jail last month while in custody. 

Sentencing Arakas  on Wednesday last, Mr Justice Tony Hunt sitting with Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge Cormac Dunne, sentenced Arakas to six years imprisonment, backdated to 4 April 2017 when he went into custody.

A high profile campaign to secure vital improvements on the A1 carriageway has been praised for its efforts as the Department for Infrastructure (Dfl) announced a huge £50m safety upgrade on the main Belfast to Dublin route, which is set to begin in 2021.

The ”A1 How many must die?” petition was launched by the friends and family of Newry man Karl Heaney, who died in May after a collision with a vehicle that had turned on to the wrong side of the A1 carriageway. The 27-year-old was travelling back from training with Newry Mitchels GFC to his home in Carryduff. In November, Karl’s girlfriend, Ciara Sands, and his mother, Monica, started the petition calling for action to carry out the safety improvements on the notorious stretch of road, which has claimed multiple lives over the years. Within days thousands of people were backing the campaign and last week Karl’s mother met with DfI management to talk about how she used her own personal grief into pushing for the safety measures to save other families from going through the same heartache.   

The grieving mother attended the meeting with divisional Roads Manager Simon Richardson along with a delegation of local political representatives at Marlborough House in Craigavon on Monday last.

The group were updated on the details of the proposed new safety scheme, which will see 21 junctions upgraded to operate on a ‘left in – left out’ only system while other junctions will be closed permanently. The improvements include nine road closures and the closure of all central reservation crossings meaning there will no more U-turns or right turning from junctions. New safety barriers are also set to be installed in the central reservation in an effort to improve driver safety.  

Political representatives have welcomed the news, with the SDLP’s Justin McNulty describing them as “essential and long overdue.”

Mr McNulty said he firmly believed the road should be upgraded to full motorway status. 

“The route connects both capital cities on this island and the main route connecting both cities must be of a standard befitting the importance of the trunk route,” he said.  He added that the present road layout changing from motorway to dual carriageway at Sprucefield roundabout until the border with County Louth needed to be rectified with “appropriate warning signage” and he urged the necessary safety improvement at junctions and crossings to be completed “without delay.”

Mr McNulty commended Monica Heaney for her “amazing strength” and thanked her for sharing her story “with the steely determination she has to prevent any other family from experiencing the trauma she and her family have been through.”

“It really struck home when Monica told us that her son Karl would still be alive today if the proposed road safety measures had been completed,” said the SDLP MLA.

“Our shared goal as political representatives must be to ensure there are no more families who lose a loved one on this road.”

South Down MP Chris Hazzard, who also attended Monday’s meeting, welcomed the “positive discussions” with DfI, but he warned that, as it would take time for the works to pass through the statutory processes, interim measures needed to be taken.

“More than 40,000 vehicles commute along this stretch of carriageway on a daily basis making the A1 a strategically important transport corridor; yet the existing road layout and mix of agricultural and local traffic criss-crossing the carriageway at dozens of locations along the route undoubtedly increases the risk of a collision,” said Mr Hazzard, adding that he has asked DfI to explore ways in which additional signage or driver awareness initiatives can be implemented in the meantime to improve the existing road safety features and help raise drivers’ awareness

“Sinn Féin look forward to working with DFI Roads in the time ahead to ensure the successful implementation of this scheme and would again appeal to road users on the A1 to be mindful of the particular road dangers that exist and reduce their speed appropriately,” said the Sinn Fein MP.

The ex-Chief Executive of the USPCA, Stephen Philpott, will discover today (Monday) if he will be jailed for using his position to defraud the animal charity over a seven year period.

Mr Philpott, originally from Ashgrove Road, but now with an address of The Manse in Newry, appeared at Newry Crown Court on Friday, where Judge Gordon Kerr QC, told the 55 year old that, given the public interest in the case he wanted to prepare a written judgement. 

In September Philpott entered a guilty plea to the fraud charge as his trial was about to commence in Newry Crown Court.  The jury of five men and seven women had already been sworn in when, after an adjournment before the start of his trial,  the former USPCA boss was re-arraigned on the third count of the indictment, with two other charges ‘left on the books’ and not proceeded with.

Philpott admitted to abusing his position by obtaining rental payments for a USPCA-owned property in Bessbrook and failing “to bring notice of the said payments to the attention of the USPCA, with the intention, by means of the abuse of that position to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss to the USPCA or to expose the USPCA to a risk of a loss”.  The charge relates to a seven year period from January 2007 to November 2014.

Prosecution QC Liam McCollum revealed that while working for the USPCA, Philpott had received £40,000 in rental fees from the Bessbrook property, which were paid to him in cash.  The prosecution barrister also revealed that since entering his guilty plea, he had repaid the money.

Philpott’s fraudulent activities were discovered when he requested a rental contract be drawn up for the property. A subsequent investigation uncovered no record of the rental monies being received by the charity.

The prosecution said the £400 per month rental payments “simply disappeared” after either being paid in cash directly to Philpott or left in the USPCA offices in an envelope marked for his attention.

Following his arrest, the former Chief Executive claimed he had used the cash for day to day expenses or to pay for casual labour, or intelligence resources – but again no record of these transactions could be found.

Defence QC James Gallagher said that as a consequence of Mr Philpott’s “failings”, he had lost his job and his self-esteem “ which has impacted on  his mental well being.”  He also told the court the 55 year old is facing major surgery later this week.

Alluding to references received by the court, the defence lawyer said they showed a man who “worked tirelessly in the interests of the charity …. often involving dangerous investigations … badger baiting … dog fighting”.  He said such work had prompted “very severe threats …. from criminal gangs who took exception to his investigations”.

Mr Philpott will be sentenced at Newry Crown Court today, Monday 17th December.

Whitecross man Eugene Reavey, whose three brothers were killed by the UVF’s infamous Glenanne Gang in 1976, shares the remarkable story of how his family chose peace instead of violence in a documentary which premieres in Belfast tonight (Monday December 17th). Guardians of the Flame examines how the families of Troubles’ victims used their faith to help end conflict and move towards peace.  

In the powerful documentary, Eugene reveals how his mother lit candles for her son’s killers and how his father led prayers for the two murderers and insisted there be no retaliation for the killings.

The Reavey family’s lives were torn apart on the night of the 4th January 1976 when two gunmen burst into their Whitecross home and began firing at brothers Brian (22), John Martin (25) and Anthony(17).

Brian and John Martin were killed instantly, with John Martin shot another 40 times after he fell to the floor from the initial shots. Seventeen year old Anthony died of his injuries three weeks later. Tonight’s documentary reveals how, on the night of the murders, Eugene’s father gathered his surviving family together to lead prayers for his sons’ murderers.

“He said they needed the prayers more than our boys because some day they’re going to have to answer to their maker,” said Eugene, revealing his father’s immense faith and forgiveness.  The Reavey’s father insisted there be no retaliation for his sons’ murders and begged his remaining sons not to join the IRA in the aftermath of the killings.  His wife, Sadie, also chose forgiveness and peace, lighting a candle at her sons’ graves for the killers, who she never blamed for orchestrating the attack.

The moving Guardians of the Flame documentary also recounts the heartbreaking story of Beryl Quigley, whose husband was murdered by the IRA in 1984 and Alan McBride, whose wife Sharon and father-in-law Desmond lost their lives in the Shankill bombing in 1993.  Both families also opted to channel their grief into forgiveness and reconciliation.

Guardians Of The Flame, which also features interviews with former deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon and musician Tommy Sands, premieres tonight at The Black Box in Belfast.

Tributes have been paid to respected GAA stalwart, John O’Reilly, who passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday last.  

A native of Crossmaglen, John (83) lived in Camlough and his funeral in St. Malachy’s Church on Saturday was one of the largest in the area for some time, drawing mourners from across the country to pay their respects to the popular businessman.

A respected administrator within the GAA and incumbent President of Crossmaglen Rangers GFC where he spent his playing days, John served on committees at every level, formerly holding the position of County Chairman and Honorary President of Armagh County Board, as well as President of the Ulster Council.

Although best known throughout Ireland for his life-long association with the GAA (which is examined in greater detail in the sports section of this edition), John O’Reilly was first and foremost a family man.  Born and reared in Crossmaglen, he met and married his wife Angela in 1963 and the couple settled in Camlough where they raised their seven children.  An astute businessman, John had a number of business interests and forged a very successful career in the wholesale liquor industry, a business that continues to thrive under the auspices of his sons.

The couple’s path was not without heartache, however, and in 2007 they lost their eldest son Brian after a short illness.

John’s untimely passing on Tuesday last follows an incident a week earlier in which he sustained an injury while on respite care in a dementia assessment ward in Mullinure Health and Wellbeing Centre at St Luke’s Hospital, Armagh.  It has emerged police are investigating the incident that involved another patient aged in his 70s and a file is being prepared for the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).

Newry and Armagh SDLP MLA Justin McNulty offered his condolences to John’s bereaved family, describing him as “a proud family man, a successful business man and a passionate GAA man”.

He said: “John was a brilliant organiser and brought his business nous to his roles in the GAA.  He took immense pride in the All-Ireland wins of Crossmaglen and Armagh.  John was a proud Crossmaglen man and a proud Armagh man and as Ulster President, he had the honour of witnessing Armagh win the Sam Maguire in 2002.   He will he missed by his family, friends, neighbours and the entire Armagh GAA community.”

Left to mourn John’s passing are his wife Angela, daughters Frances, Maureen, Deirdre and Grainne, sons Garrett and Kevin, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, brothers and wider family circle, to whom deepest sympathy is extended.  

A decision to formally prosecute the man accused of murdering Bessbrook father-of-two, Brian Phelan on a rural road outside Newry earlier this year, will not be taken until an outstanding pathology report is presented.

Mr Phelan was stabbed to death on July 26 on the Carrivekeeney Road, on the outskirts of Newry, in an attack that rocked the local community, who described the Bessbrook man as a “gentle giant.”  

Twenty seven year old Daniel Carroll, of Edward Street, Portadown, is accused of his murder.  

Newry Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday last that a pathology report and forensics in the case remained outstanding and that prosecution could not make a formal decision to prosecute Carroll until those were made available.

In light of the outstanding pathology report, Carroll was remanded back into custody to appear again on January 9.

The story of the Miami Showband massacre is to be made into a musical.  

Award winning playwright Marie Jones is penning the play which it is understood will open next summer.

The band, who were one of Ireland’s most popular cabaret bands in the 60s and 70s, were travelling home to Dublin after a gig in Banbridge in July 1975 when a fake army patrol made up of UDR soldiers and UVF members stopped them at a bogus checkpoint just outside Newry.  The loyalist gang attempted to hide a bomb inside the bus while the band members were lined up along the roadside, however the device exploded prematurely, killing two of the would-be bombers.  

The other gunmen then opened fire on the group, killing lead singer Fran O’Toole, guitarist Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian McCoy and injuring two other band members, Des McAlea and Stephen Travers, who both survived the atrocity.

The attack was carried out by members of the Glenanne Gang, which included members of the RUC, UDR and UVF. 

Speaking to the Irish News last week, Ms Jones revealed that she and her writing partner, Martin Lynch, were collaborating on a musical play focusing on the life of the Miami Showband.

 Commenting on the unusual subject material for a musical, the much-lauded playwright said one of the survivors of the massacre, saxophonist Des McAlea had approached Martin and asked for the story to be told – “from beginning to end.” 

“Martin said he would do it with me, so we did a lot of reading and spoke to a lot of people.

“It is done sensitively, but they were five guys in a band, on the road together, so there is humour too.”

The play is due to open at Belfast’s Grand Opera House next summer.

A Newry coffee bar owner who strives to offer an alcohol-free alternative to to the teen and young adult social scene in Newry says he is being forced to close his doors early due to two unsettling incidents where the safety of his staff was compromised by suspected drug users.  

Far from simply condemning those responsible, Graeme Finnegan, owner of Grounded Espresso Bar on Merchants Quay in Newry,  has urged people to recognise the scale of what he says is a “huge problem” with drugs in the city, which he claims is “awash with injectable drugs” – and to look after those with a drug addiction.

The local businessman spoke out on social media following a recent attack on his staff by a man who issued threats to kill and threw the cafe’s outdoor benches at staff and cafe windows before being apprehended by police on Merchant’s Quay.  The coffee bar owner also revealed that drugs paraphernalia had been recently discovered in Grounded’s facilities and disposed of by his staff.

Mr Finnegan said he and his team had prided themselves on offering an alternative to the usual alcohol associated social interactions, “opening right up to midnight to facilitate the young and not so young to sit and relax, have a coffee, a tea, a couple of buns.”

“I once had a parent tell me how grateful she was that Grounded was there, it gave their son, an extra year or so of hanging out with their friends in a safe environment,” he added.

Outlining the details of the violent attack, he revealed his staff no longer feel safe and “don’t deserve to deal with this.”  

“From here on in,until further notice, we will be closing early at 10pm – although these incidents happen at any time of the day….our last incidence of suspected heroin use was at 3pm during the day,” said Mr Finnegan.

Speaking about those responsible and the local drugs problem, the well known businessman said,

“These people, I know they have their own battles and we crave for them to be cared for, but Newry right now, to those based in the town centre is plain to see that there is a huge problem with drugs coming to the forefront”, adding that it was “hard” drugs he was referring to and that the problem could be seen through the windows of local businesses “on a day-today basis.”

“We are a family business – we love families, our staff, our customers…we love those who require help…but we have to look out for our staff first and foremost. And right now, that means closing earlier.

“We need to claim back our town, and look after those vulnerable people, those people who have a drug addiction, we need to help them, normalization of drug use can not be allowed.”

The post prompted a swathe of support for Mr Finnegan’s sentiments, with many calling for greater help for drug addiction and an increased presence from police to tackle the issue.