Lyra’s murderer is not a hero or an Irish patriot
Veronica Guerin and Martin O’hagan was supposed to be peace in Northern Ireland!”
I was for once in my life at a loss for words in an effort to explain this needless and barbaric death.
But I couldn’t emphasise enough to my Spanish colleague how peace is truly fragile on this island under the dark shadow of Brexit.
Her death reinforces the message a hard Brexit would see an escalation of violence like on Thursday night in Derry – not just in the North but perhaps in the Republic too.
I hope the terrorist who murdered Lyra is reading this because I’d like to tell him he is not a hero or Irish patriot. At best, he is an evil psychopath involved in some kind of sick and twisted pursuit of a United Ireland, which will never be achieved through violence. Just ask Gerry Adams.
This scumbag is nothing better than an Isis murderer and has brought great shame on the Tricolour and all that it espouses. It hopefully won’t be long before this cold-blooded killer is officially charged and stands trial.
It is good news that police have already started to make arrests.
But even 30 years in prison doesn’t seem fair when you think how Lyra had her whole life still ahead of her.
Lyra’s partner Sara Canning said her “death must not be in vain”.
It would certainly be a fitting legacy if her murder brought an end to this madness and she was officially known as the last ever victim in the North.
On behalf of all my colleagues at the Mirror, I want to offer our deepest condolences to Lyra’s family and her partner.
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