Legacy of Tears

The Victim's Group SAVER/NAVER today launched their book 'A Legacy of Tears'. The launch took place in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont jointly hosted by victims spokespersons Jeffrey Donaldson MP MLA of the DUP and Derek Hussey MLA of the UUP.

The book is a record of the impact of a thirty year period of Irish republican terrorism directed against members of the security forces and Protestant civilians in areas of county Armagh.

In the book the author David Patterson who is a Baptist pastor and part time teacher seeks to convey the initial trauma and permanent grief of those who lost loved ones in the killing fields of south and north Armagh.

The book is a remarkable achievement. There is an inexpressible depth to the experience of grief, but conveys to the reader a measure of the depth of the pain endured by those whose stories are recorded.

This is due to the fact that the book is written in a manner which allows the contributors to speak for themselves. They speak with dignity and a language which is their own and that is adequate to the expression of the loss and the pain that they have endured.

The book is a deeply perceptive account of the hitherto unrecorded suffering of innocent people and a permanent record both of the Irish republican murder of Protestant civilians and of the heroism and dedication to duty of those who were murdered defending their community against the evil onslaught of Irish republican terrorism.

It is hoped that this book will in some small way bring recognition and healing to the victims of republican terrorism and that they will be helped to move forward and enabled to look to a better future for themselves and for their children – a future free from republican terrorism.

In attendance were the contributors to the book and their families, political representatives, clergymen who had ministered to some of the families through their bereavements, representatives of the bodies funding the research and publication of the book, Mr B Mullan from the Community Relations Council and from the Special EU Programmes Body, Mr Pat Colgan. Also attending were folks from the Irish Peace Institute.

Speaking at the launch contributors to the book said that their loved ones must never be forgotten and the suffering and grief that was inflicted upon them by republican terrorists needed to be recognised. Jeffrey Donaldson and Derek Hussey both paid tribute to the courage of those who had told their stories and expressed the hope that this book would in some small way help ensure that Northern Ireland would never return again to the dark days of bloodshed and spoke of the need for the government to ensure that all paramilitaries abandoned violence and criminality forever.

Representatives from the funders both expressed their delight at being associated with this project and indicated that in the new round of peace funding that the needs of the innocent victims of violence must be addressed as a priority.

Tributes were also paid to the author Mr David Patterson for his work in bringing this project through from its inception to the finished product of the book 'A Legacy of Tears' and for his sympathy and understanding in dealing with the victims.

To obtain a copy of the book or for further information about the work of Saver/Naver contact them on 028 3755 2808, or by email on info@savernaver.com You may also visit their website www.savernaver.com