Woman gives backing to bereavement payments
A WOMAN who lost three members of her family to terrorism in Northern Ireland has backed calls for a fund for recognition payments for the bereaved.
Two of Lorna Mccollum’s sons were killed during the Troubles, as well as her mother-in-law.
Lily Mccollum (61) was killed by a booby trap bomb in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, which was believed to have been intended for her brother, in July 1983.
A decade later, Nigel Mccollum (25), died in a rocket attack as he carried out maintenance work at a security force base in Keady, Co Armagh, in March 1993.
His brother, Reginald Mccollum (19), a private with the Royal Irish Regiment, was abducted and killed on May 1994 following a night out in Armagh.
The trauma of the experience led to Mrs Mccollum’s husband suffering a fatal heart attack just a few months after Reginald’s death.
Mrs Mccollum said she wants to back a campaign for recognition payments for the bereaved.
A support scheme closed to new applications in March 2017.
It included an annual payment made to a spouse or partner of someone who was killed, in recognition of their loss, as well as payments for parents of victims.
“I don’t know how you would explain, only people who have been through the same thing can know what it is like,” she said.
“There was no proper help at the time; I went back to work and that helped me.
“The recognition payments are more about the recognition from government of the wrongs that were done to us.”