Mother of Paul Quinn appeals for justice

Paul Quinn

24/01/2009 - 17:50:24
The mother of a man beaten to death by republicans today broke down as she appealed for justice.

Brid Quinn’s son Paul was murdered by a gang at an isolated shed in Co Monaghan in October 2007.

While the authorities have blamed republicans for the killing, they have ruled that IRA leaders did not sanction it. The victim’s grieving mother today rejected that.

Mrs Quinn was one of a number of victims of violence and miscarriages of justice who addressed a fringe event at the SDLP party conference in Armagh City.

“It was a year ago in October that Paul was murdered by the IRA,” she said, fighting back tears.

“They lured Paul to a shed. Twelve men with iron bars were there to break every bone in his body.”

Mrs Quinn recalled how members of the SDLP had arrived at the hospital to offer comfort.

“But the doctor said Paul was so badly beaten they couldn’t do anything for him,” she said.

Mrs Quinn shared a platform with Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four and Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six – both wrongly jailed for IRA bombings in Britain.

They sat alongside Raymond McCord, whose Protestant son was killed by loyalist paramilitaries.

Campaigners from West Belfast were also at the SDLP event to raise the murder in 1971 of 11 people over a three-day period by British troops.

The SDLP’s Alex Attwood said securing justice for the wrongs of the past, as well as recent crimes, were equally as important.

Mrs Quinn told the event her son had been murdered after becoming involved in a dispute with two republicans.

She hit out at Sinn Féin, condemning them as the only party who did not accept the IRA was to blame.

“Our youngest son is gone at 21 years of age,” she said.

She said police on both sides of the border were doing their best to catch the killers but amid emotional scenes she appealed for justice.

“We live in an area where those that murdered Paul live around us,” she said.

Mrs Quinn was applauded by the conference when she called for her right to justice as well as the rights of other victims of violence to be respected.