{"id":262,"date":"2012-04-11T15:13:30","date_gmt":"2012-04-11T14:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=262"},"modified":"2012-05-08T11:29:06","modified_gmt":"2012-05-08T10:29:06","slug":"262","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=262","title":{"rendered":"Carrie Twomey–Boston Archives–H.E.T. – stories in papers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Was trawling through this week\u2019s news stories \u2013 Newshound gives you a daily round-up of most stories relating to Northern Ireland and the Republic \u2013 and seen a couple of interesting stories.<\/p>\n

First was an interview that was conducted by \u2018Irish American News Online\u2019 with Carrie Twomey. For those of you who don\u2019t know who Carrie is \u2013 she is the wife of Anthony McIntyre, ex-blanket man and republican researcher on the \u2018Boston Tapes\u2019 project. Carrie has been in the USA trying to garner support for her husband and Ed Moloney\u2019s battle with the Department of Justice with regard to the PSNI\u2019s request to hand over all tapes which have any reference to the Jean McConville murder. Sabina Clark conducted the interview with Carrie and mindful to give the background to the ongoing saga which is being played out in the courts, Carrie explained quite well what her understanding was of this problem. One of the things she said was, \u2018 there is that element of the Unionists who are not happy with the Peace Process and are not happy with the republicans being in power\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n


\nMy first thought was obviously that the Republicans are not in power<\/strong>, they are sharing power<\/strong>, which is completely different when put into context with regard to how Irish-Americans view the conflict and the outcomes. Secondly, I was somewhat disappointed that she took a \u2018wee dig\u2019 at some Unionists with her comment about \u2018not being happy with the peace process\u2019. Anyway, I moved on to other stories on \u2018Newshound\u2019 and came across an article that appeared in the News Letter the same day as Carrie\u2019s interview.
\nThe article was an interview with Sammy Brush, a DUP councillor for Dungannon and South Tyrone. Brush was commenting on the legal processes that Gerry McGeough had went through in his attempt to get an early release from the 22 year sentence he received after a lengthy legal process. The background is this. In 1981 Gerry McGeough, a then serving member of the PIRA, ambushed Sammy Brush, who was a serving member of the UDR. McGeough shot Brush who returned fire, wounding McGeough.
\nMcGeough escaped across the border to receive treatment for his injuries and because of an increasing police interest, went on the run. Some years and 2 prison sentences later McGeough returned to Northern Ireland, living openly and believing that any past crimes he may have committed were covered by the Good Friday Agreement and the Weston Park accord. Gerry parted company with the mainstream Republican family and announced himself on the political stage on an anti PSNI ticket. He was subsequently arrested outside a polling station and charged over the shooting of Brush. A long protracted legal battle started, which was delayed even further by ill-health issues. This culminated in McGeough being sentenced to 22 years \u2013 which will only be 2 years because of Good Friday legislation.
\nMcGeough legal team have petitioned, unsuccessfully so far, for his release and it was in response to these legal challenges that Brush, in a News Letter interview, castigated McGeough and his attempts to get released. The interesting thing for me was a quote from the interview in which he states, with regard to McGeough being released after 2 years, \u2018it was one of the big mistakes of the Good Friday Agreement\u2019<\/strong>. Is this a striking example of some Unionists \u2018 who are not happy with the peace process\u2019? Makes you think doesn\u2019t it?
\nMust mention another story related to this. There was a meeting held recently in Dublin attended by members of Sinn Fein, Dissident Republicans and a number of \u2018Human Rights Organisations\u2019 who were calling for the immediate release of Gerry McGeough.
\nPart of the event was a statement read out by Gerry McGeough\u2019s 11 year old daughter, Una. Part of her very well read statement said, \u2018 our lives are very sad. Why is there no peace process for us? Why is only our family being punished? We want our Daddy home\u2019<\/strong>. I can imagine\u00a0how powerful this would have been especially being read by a young articulate girl\u00a0who probably doesn\u2019t understand all the complexities of the present situation in Northern Ireland. My concern is that Una\u2019s family is not the only family being punished. Loyalists in Northern Ireland\u00a0have been arrested, charged and, in one case, given a life sentence. Loyalist families want their Daddies home as well, but not too many \u2018Human Rights Groups\u2019 are saying anything about this. Makes you think about that too, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

\"Share\"\/<\/a>