Two families left grieving loved ones
On the eve of the Kingsmill massacre, two families each lost three loved ones at the hands of the notorious UVF Glenanne gang.
Brothers Declan (19) and 24-year-old Barry O’Dowd — first cousins of Sinn Fein MLA John O’Dowd — were shot dead along with their uncle Joe (61) at a family gathering in Ballydougan near Gilford.
The ambush took place just minutes after brothers Anthony (17), Brian (22) and 24-year-old John Martin Reavey were shot on the other side of the county at their home near Whitecross.
Brian and John Martin died instantly, while their younger brother lived for a number of weeks before succumbing to his injuries.
The following day, the Protestant workmen were shot in cold blood by a group calling itself the South Armagh Republican Action Force — thought to be a front for the IRA.