Newry and Armagh’s newest MLA has used his first contribution on the floor of the Northern Ireland Assembly to to reflect on the “hurt and pain” of the Kingsmills Massacre, days after the 50th anniversary of an atrocity which left 10 men dead and one seriously injured.
DUP representative Gareth Wilson addressed the Assembly on Monday, and said: “I take this important opportunity to pay tribute to the 10 innocent men so brutally and callously murdered by the IRA at Kingsmills on 5 January 1976. It is 50 years since that horrific attack, and, over recent days, there has been a series of important events to mark the tragic 50-year anniversary. It was a solemn privilege to attend those events and to stand in support of the families of those innocent men.
“The special anniversary service in Bessbrook town hall on 4 January was especially poignant. It saw hundreds of people gather together in solidarity with the Kingsmills families and show in a very warm and real fashion that those innocent, hard-working family men will never be forgotten.
“A special anniversary service was also held last night in Tullyallen Presbyterian Church, where family and friends of victim the late Mr Robert Walker gathered to pay tribute to him and the nine other victims. That was an especially important and moving service, and it was a solemn privilege to attend it.
“Each year on 5 January, a special roadside service at the scene of the attack is held. That is always a solemn, reflective and important event, and I know that it will continue for many years to come. The conducting of that annual special roadside service ensures that the innocent victims of the IRA attack at Kingsmills continue to be remembered.
“The story of Kingsmills will not be rewritten or airbrushed. The hurt and pain of that horrific night has not diminished with the passage of time, nor has the desire to see justice served against the ruthless IRA perpetrators of the attack. The families of the 10 innocent men who were murdered and, of course, the survivor of the attack, Mr Alan Black, continue to pursue justice and truth in a most dignified manner. I stand with them, as do many of my colleagues in the House.
“There must be renewed resolve from the Government, the police and the justice system and a renewed focus on bringing the perpetrators of the attack to justice. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families in the days ahead.”
Monday’s address to the floor was the first by the former ABC Lord Mayor since he took over from colleague William Irwin, who stepped down after 19 years of service.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Wilson said: “It was important that the 50th anniversary of the Kingsmills massacre was marked in the Assembly today and as my first contribution in the chamber I wanted to pay tribute to the 10 innocent men murdered on that day in 1976.
“It has been a solemn privilege to stand with the families of those innocent men, both at the special anniversary service in Bessbrook on 4th January, but in previous years also at the roadside service at the scene of the attack.
“The conducting of that annual service ensures those victims will continue to be remembered and the story will not be rewritten or airbrushed. The special service in Tullyallen Presbyterian Church on 11th January was also a very fitting tribute to victim of the attack the late Robert Walker who was a member of that congregation.
“The pain of that horrific night has not diminished with the passage of time, nor has the desire to see justice served against the ruthless IRA perpetrators of this attack. The families of the murdered men, and including of course the survivor of the attack Alan Black, continue to pursue justice and truth in a most dignified manner and we as a party stand with them in that quest.”
