|
I’m sorry, says republican
dissident
Self-styled republican dissident Tommy Gorman, has
moved to dispel the anger caused in the Upper Springfield community following a
highly inflammatory statement issued last Tuesday in which it was claimed that
republican writer’s group Fourthwrite had been “asked to investigate” the
killing of local man Joseph O’Connor.
In a statement issued on Saturday the
ex-IRA prisoner, who is no stranger to controversy, said that he “deeply
regretted the distress” caused by his initial statement and had not intended to
“endanger anyone” by his comments. (page 2)
REPUBLICAN MAVERICK SAYS
“I’M SORRY FOR ANY DISTRESS CAUSED”
Local republican maverick and
self-styled dissident Tommy Gorman has issued a dramatic apology for a statement
issued last Tuesday (October 17) which sparked widespread anger in the Upper
Springfield area.
Gorman, a well known community worker and ex-IRA prisoner,
caused “deep anger” among local groups when he claimed that he and other members
of the republican writers’ group Fourthright had “been given the unenviable
task” of investigating the murder of Joe O’Connor and had, “after widespread
consultation”, concluded that “It is our unshakeable belief that the Provisional
IRA carried out this assassination,”.
“Tommy Gorman consulted no one that we
can identify” said a spokesperson for the Uper Springfield Community Forum,
which met in the wake of the controversial statement.
“There is palpable
anger in this community about the way in which names were being bandied about
willie-nillie in relation to the killing of Joe O’Connor.
“Joe’s death was a
shock to people locally and what was needed was for people to take a step back
and cool the temprature before someone else was needlessly killed.
“Tommy
Gorman and his cohorts, instead inserted themselves into this volatile situation
and after a spurious inquiry inflamed tensions and added credence to the claims
by associates of Joe O’Connor’s that up to ten named individuals were in some
way connected to this killing.”.
The Ballymurphy and Springhill estates,
which have been on a knife-edge ever since the killing, returned last week to
levels of fear and uncertainty not witnessed since the late 1980s and early
1990s.
Just how deep local feelings were running was evidenced by the
pickets which local people placed on the homes of Fourthright leading lights
Anthony McIntyre and Tommy Gorman on Thursday evening.
Placards reading
“speculation costs lives” were much in evidence as men and women descended on
the homes.
In his statement issued on Saturday Tommy Gorman was at pains to
stress that he had never intended to endanger anyone.
“Having spoken with
friends and neighbours, I am now aware of the distress caused by the statement
issued by myself and Anthony on Tuesday October 17,” he said.
“Unfortunately
the statement has resulted in making many people in the Ballymurphy and
Springhill areas feel vulnerable. This we deeply regret.”
See The Irish After Dark offical web
site at
http://members.tripod.co.uk/taarlaanois/
|
