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Gazette readers donate for Kingsmills memorial

Thursday, 12 January 2012

Kingsmills relatives gather for the 36th anniversary memorial service with Pastor Barrie Halliday.

RELATIVES who lost loved ones in the Kingsmills Massacre have been overwhelmed at the public's generosity following an appeal for a roadside memorial to be constructed in memory of the 10 innocent victims.
The support from the community follows a heartfelt plea in last week's Ulster Gazette from two elderly relatives who called for a permanent monument to be erected as a tribute to their loved ones who had their lives cut short on January 5, 1976.
Kind-hearted readers of the Ulster Gazette were so touched by the desire of Kenneth Worton's 84-year-old mother Beatrice, and Joseph Lemmon's 88-year-old widow Jane, to have a commemoration in place, that £1,000 was donated within 24 hours.
Since then donations have been steadily pouring in and, at the time of going to press on Monday, a total of £1,200 had already been donated towards the memorial fund.
As victims' group campaigners desperately work to raise around £10,000 to turn the dream of a roadside memorial into a reality, letters appealing for donations are to be distributed to all churches and orange lodges in the area.
While a monument in memory of the men was erected in Bessbrook following the attack, the only reminder in the Kingsmills area, of the savage attack that fateful night 36 years ago, is a solitary wooden cross situated on an isolated roadside.
As a result of the public generosity, relatives are now hopeful a commemoration will be in place early this year.
Families of the victims were informed of the progress in the project when they gathered on Thursday - as they have done so for the past 36 years - to remember the much loved sons, husbands, fathers and brothers who lost their lives in the attack, which at the time was claimed by the Republican Action Force.
Speaking to the Gazette in the wake of the public's response, Beatrice Worton, from Markethill, who lost her 24-year-old son Kenneth in the atrocity, said she had been heartened at the support being offered to the families.
“It's good it is on its way. The wee lonely cross where they were killed is not as nice as what a memorial would be. The 10 of them were just slaughtered on the roadside and it would be lovely to have a permanent memorial in place.
“The community is helping with it and it makes it feel like we are not on our own in all of this.
“It's very encouraging. We have attended the service every year since the massacre and that's 36 times so we hope to have a memorial installed in early 2012.
“I would like to thank them all from my heart. My heartfelt thanks really does go out to everyone who has been so kind - it really is great.
“I can't thank everyone enough, as most of us are getting on in years and would love to see a memorial erected before we go to our happy hunting ground," added Mrs Worton.
Pastor Barrie Halliday, who conducted a service to mark the 36th anniversary of Kingsmills last Thursday, revealed he has been inundated with calls from people whose hearts have been touched following the families' plea in last week's Ulster Gazette.
The appeal fund has already received donations of £300 from both Five Mile Hill Church and Belleek LOL 528, as well as various donations from members of the public, with many more expected over coming weeks.
“It will be a memorial to tell the truth about what happened the 10 innocent men. I am really glad and very proud of the support given by local readers whose hearts have been touched by the two ladies," Pastor Halliday said.
With more donations already pledged, Pastor Halliday revealed the families intend applying to Newry and Mourne District Council to obtain planning permission for a permanent roadside memorial.
Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR) director Willie Frazer also expressed his delight at the community response and believes a roadside tribute will help bring closure to those bereaved in the atrocity.
“We had such a good response with the Ulster Gazette story. There is a great interest and people seem to be very much in favour of putting a proper memorial up on the roadside.
“A lot of people were touched by the two ladies stories in the Ulster Gazette. I really am surprised at how quickly people have reacted and the fact people are giving money so freely in this day and age.
“Given the fact it was such a brutal act, a lot of people want to play their part in acknowledging what the families have gone through. This is the community talking and they see an opportunity to do something and are putting their hands in their pockets.
“A number of years ago, people wouldn't have thought about doing this, as they wouldn't have thought a memorial would have got staying.
“We intend putting a decent memorial up, which I reckon will cost about £10,000. We still haven't decided what we want, but it will detail exactly what took place that night and not just the victims' names.
“The response from the community gives us great encouragement because, if people didn't believe in what we are doing, they wouldn't be donating money so generously," added the dedicated victims' campaigner.
Anyone wishing to donate to the Kingsmills Memorial Fund should send their donations to Pastor Barrie Halliday, 181 Bessbrook Road, Mountnorris, BT60 2UD.

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