‘He said me giving him a kiss would ensure he died a happy man’
THE largest cross-community victims’ group in Northern Ireland has launched a series of audio interviews with people who lost a partner in the Troubles.
In Stories from Silence, 21 victims from across the political divide tell how their lives were changed forever when their loved one was murdered.
They include Kate Carroll, whose PSNI husband Stephen was shot dead by the Continuity IRA in 2009, and Geraldine Finucane, whose solicitor husband Pat was killed by the UDA in 1989.
Barney O’Dowd, whose two sons and brother were shot dead by the UVF in 1976, and Kathleen Gillespie, whose husband Patsy was chained to a lorry and used as an IRA human bomb, also took part. The interviews were carried out for the Wave Trauma Centre by award-winning journalist and author, Susan McKay.
“I found the whole process very moving and I hugely respect Wave’s work to support bereaved PSNI officer Stephen Carroll (48) was shot dead by the Continuity IRA in Craigavon in March 2009. He was married to Kate (right). She said:
“Steve was a very happy type of man. He had this wonderful smile and red cheeks. He was always singing. He couldn’t sing a families and honour those who were killed,” she said last night.
“It’s an extraordinary privilege to record these stories of love and loss. The interviewees are of all ages and backgrounds.
“Some lost a loved one in the early Troubles. The most recently bereaved is Sara Canning, whose partner Lyra McKee was shot dead by the New IRA in April.”
Alan McBride of Wave said it was the fourth set of podcasts launched by the group. “The first recorded the stories of those in their 70s and older who had been bereaved. The next interviews were with parents who had lost children and children who had lost parents,” he said.
“There are enough services to practically help victims. Now they need truth and justice and, most importantly, to have what happened them acknowledged.
“These stories of the murder of ordinary people going about their business are warnings from history not to take our peace for granted.”
The interviews can be heard at wavetraumacentre.org.uk/ story_categories/loss-of-a-partner note. Two soldiers had been shot days earlier. I felt Steve could be in danger. He said, ‘Don’t worry I’ll be fine. Give me a kiss ... that will keep me right all day and if I die now I’ll die a happy man.’
“That was the last time I ever saw Steve. Two police came to the door to tell me. It was like the end of my world. The first year was the worst. One night I was lying in bed and all I wanted was my husband. I would have put my hand on his chest before I went to sleep. We cuddled up and slept like that. I was inconsolable. I didn’t want to ring anyone. All I wanted was Steve.
“There was snow on the ground. I thought, ‘I know the grave is open. I’m going to go and feel Steve’s chest’.
“I went to the shed and lifted a shovel. I was almost out the gate when I realised, ‘I cant do this, it’s terrible. What would people think?’ But the grief was so bad and I wanted him so much.”