Visitors are invited to leave messages of support on our New Guest Book.

Contributors.

This page features contributors to this web site, with links to featured pages.  

Jimmy Sharkey:

Jane Winter:

Linda Porra:

Jim J. Kane:

Margaret Urwin:

 

Jimmy Sharkey: I Profile I I Ludlow family's Questions for the RUC Chief Constable. I

 

Jimmy Sharkey, originally from Thistlecross, Mountpleasant, and now living in Dromiskin, County Louth, is a nephew of the late Seamus Ludlow. Jimmy grew up in the same house as Seamus and he roomed with him. Together with his uncle Kevin Ludlow he has been prominent in the Ludlow family's search for truth and justice for many years. Jimmy was the first Ludlow family member to be informed of the truth of the Gardai and RUC cover-up when he was approached by an investigative journalist some years ago.

The journalist informed Jimmy that he had heard from an ex- Garda source that Seamus Ludlow's Loyalist killers had in fact been identified many years ago despite Garda claims to the contrary. The Profile  written by Jimmy and published here has already appeared on the Pat Finucane Centre's website and the Ludlow family's first site.

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Jane Winter, Director, British Irish Rights Watch (BIRW), London: I BIRW Report I BIRW Update I

 

Jane Winter has been a valued supporter of the Ludlow family's campaign for truth and justice from the moment she was informed of this grave injustice in 1998. The BIRW Report on The Death of Seamus Ludlow was published in February 1999. Jane Winter flew to Dublin on the morning of 18 February for a gruelling day of engagements on behalf of the Ludlow family. After a press conference at Buswells Hotel, Dublin, she later attended a very successful public meeting at Dundalk Town Hall for the official launch of her Report.

Jane Winter flew over again later in the year for the Ludlow family's meeting with the Irish Minister for Justice, Mr. O'Donoghue. She also accompanied the Ludlow family for a further unsatisfactory meeting with Mr. O'Donoghue on 23 May 2001. She refers to this second meeting in her Director's Report for May 2001

Jane Winter has kindly submitted a special  message which appears on another page. The Ludlow family appreciates her continued support.

The following appraisal of Jane Winter and her tireless work in defence of human rights with British Irish Rights Watch, comes from a web page compiled by Liberty for the Human Rights Awards 1999. Jane Winter was a worthy nominee - two years in succession:

Jane Winter is a founder member and Director of British Irish Rights Watch. BIRW's activities include:

Researching alleged human rights violations resulting from the conflict in Northern Ireland; Sending independent observers to inquests, trials and inquiries; Providing consultancy services for lawyers; Making representations to governments and international human rights bodies including the UN; Making third party interventions in human rights cases and providing expert testimony.

Recent examples of BIRW's work include:

As a result of a comprehensive report delivered to the UK Government in February 1999 concerning the 1989 murder of lawyer Patrick Finucane and others, a police investigation into his death has been launched. So far, six arrests have been made and one person charged with murder.

Following the murder of lawyer Rosemary Nelson in March 1999, Jane has followed the investigation with her customary determination in order to ensure that it is thorough, impartial and effective.

In February 1999, BIRW presented the Irish Government with a report about the case of Seamus Ludlow, which has been instrumental in persuading them to hold an inquiry into the case. Seamus Ludlow was apparently murdered by the Red Hand Commando and two of the four assassins were allegedly serving members of the UDR at the time. BIRW raised the serious questions as to why the killers were able to strike over the Irish border and why both the RUC and the Garda Siochana appear to have covered up the truth about the murder. BIRW continues to campaign to hold the inquiry in public rather than behind closed doors.

BIRW has monitored and assisted Billy Gorman's case since 1993. He was convicted in 1980 of the 1974 murder of an RUC constable. He was 14 years old at the time of the murder, and said that his ill treatment in custody led him to make a false confession. He was the first ever case to be referred back to the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

"Jane Winter combines considerable diplomatic skills with a steely persistence to see the truth told and wrongs righted. The fact that violations of human rights are now acknowledged as a key dimension of the causes of the conflict, and respect for human rights work as an essential element of any lasting peace is, in no small part, due to her work."

Mel James, International Human Rights Committee, The Law Society

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Linda Porra: I Editorial I

 

Linda Porra, from Southbridge, Massachusetts, is an activist with Irish Organisations United. Together with her colleague Jim J. Kane, Scranton, PA, Linda has commenced a letter writing campaign in the United States. They have written on the Ludlow family's behalf to politicians, human rights groups  and to the press.

 They are a valuable asset to the Ludlow family's campaign for truth and justice, not least because they are not subject to the mail tampering that the Ludlow family has experienced. Many letters posted from Ireland have never reached their destination, evidently because the British authorities are terrified of the truth about Seamus Ludlow becoming more widely known.

Linda Porra's Editorial to the press in support of the Ludlow family's campaign is featured on another page in this Ludlow family web site.

Linda, whose Irish family name was Davis, with origins in Wales, has long been interested in Irish affairs, as her web site clearly suggests. Linda gives the following brief statement describing her personal life on her site . . .

"To start, I have been married for 7yrs. as of Nov. 5, 1999. I have 3 children, my oldest son is 11 and my other son is 6 and my daughter is 5. Plus I do Daycare out of my home full time. We live a full life in Massachusetts. Both my husband and myself like to play on the computer. Of course so do our kids.."

Linda's site has recently been augmented by the inclusion of two new sections which will be of considerable interest to anyone interested in Irish history and the history of abuses of the RUC. Both sections show an impressive attention to detail and a clear understanding of the issues involved. They are a must for anyone interested in Irish history and current events.

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Jim J. Kane: I Letter to Human Rights Commission I I Letter to RUC Chief Constable I I Press Release for Seamus Ludlow's 25th anniversary commemoration I

Jim Kane, From Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, is a leading activist with Irish Organisations United and an associate of Linda Porra. Together they have been active supporters of the Ludlow family's campaign for truth and justice. Jim has written numerous letters in support of the Ludlow family's demands to newspapers, politicians and other people of influence in the United States, Ireland and Britain. Jim's letter to Professor Brice Dickson, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, can be viewed from the link above.

Featured here also is Jim's letter sent on behalf of the Ludlow family's campaign to Ronnie Flanagan, Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

With the 25th anniversary of Seamus Ludlow's murder imminent, in May 2001, Jim and his IOU colleague Jeannie have made tremendous efforts to ensure that it was a success. Jim has drafted a letter for the press in the United States and Ireland and Jeannie has put it temporarily online on IOU's new website http://celticj1/IOU/ludlow//ludlow1.html.

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 Margaret Urwin, Secretary, Justice for the Forgotten, Dublin: I Press Release: 13 June 2000 I

Margaret Urwin kindly gave permission for the publication of Justice for the Forgotten's press release on this Ludlow family web site. Margaret and the relatives of the dead, injured and survivors of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings have been very close and kind to the Ludlow family for quite some time. 

Indeed, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the murderous multiple bombing of Dublin and Monaghan, in May 1999, Justice for the Forgotten issued a special invitation for the Ludlow family to lay a wreath at the imposing memorial to all the dead of that terrible day in Talbot Street. 

The Ludlow family circle was honoured to send a representative group spanning several generations to attend on that occasion to pay tribute to fellow victims of state murder and collusion in our capitol city.

There are several links to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings campaign on the Ludlow family's Links page.

The following passage is a press release from Justice for the Forgotten and it comes from a page compiled by the Cain Project:

Our campaign for truth and justice was established in January 1996 and is gathering momentum in the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.

The 17th May 1974, in Dublin and Monaghan, saw the greatest loss of life in a single day in the history of 'the Troubles'. Nobody was ever charged, or even questioned, about these murders.

We are, at present, representative of approximately half of the victims and many of the injured and are anxious to hear from others who may have lost loved ones or sustained injuries, either physical or psychological.

 

For further details please contact:

The Secretary
Justice for the Forgotten
PO Box 6790
Dublin 15

e-mail address: [email protected]


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Last Edited: 12/03/05

 

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Revised: March 12, 2005 .