Owen Jones interviews 'Brighton Bomber' and daughter of the man he killed

Thanks for posting these parmoboy. Hard watching but brilliant as well. If that makes sense.

A remarkable woman. Not sure if I could be so forgiving as to befriend someone who killed my father.

Said the same thing when I went to see Chris McGlades one man show Forgiveness at The Westgarth. I know Chris and he dropped me back of in Redcar after the show and we spoke at length about him forgiving the man who murdered his dad.

There is some amazing people out there.

Like Owen Jones.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for posting these parmoboy. Hard watching but brilliant as well. If that makes sense.

A remarkable woman. Not sure if I could be so forgiving as to befriend someone who killed my father.

Said the same thing when I went to see Chris McGlades one man show Forgiveness at The Westgarth. I know Chris and he dropped me back of in Redcar after the show and we spoke at length about him forgiving the man who murdered his dad.

There is some amazing people out there.

Like Owen Jones.
Like you, I would find it hard to forgive someone who had murdered a love one of mine, yet I can see all the reasoning why you would. Hanging on to the hatred only destroys your life and it doesn't allow you to move on. I certainly don't want to go down that route of having to forgive someone, but we never know what we are capable of until we are put into that position.
 
Like you, I would find it hard to forgive someone who had murdered a love one of mine, yet I can see all the reasoning why you would. Hanging on to the hatred only destroys your life and it doesn't allow you to move on. I certainly don't want to go down that route of having to forgive someone, but we never know what we are capable of until we are put into that position.
Yes, it's true , still must be hard especially at the beginning
 
Reconciliaiton is a key element in the peace process and I think if that's going to be achieved, dialogue is very important.

I think 'building bridges for peace' was a great initiative, which Jo set up.


For some time now I've actually been chatting online to Harry Maguire, one of the men convicted of killing the two corporals at an IRA funeral in the 80's. I'm sure many of you of a certain age will remember it.

He's invited me to travel over once we're out of lockdown and offered to show me around Belfast and the troubled spots. I'm still in two minds about whether I would feel comfortable doing it but it's been very interesting chatting to him and hearing his story.
 
Me too
And I always find in strange that the Brexit obsessed Corbyn haters (I'm not a supporter of his) cite his meeting Sinn Fein, while lauding Trump (who attended a Sinn Fein fundraiser) as a hero
 
Last edited:
Reconciliaiton is a key element in the peace process and I think if that's going to be achieved, dialogue is very important.

I think 'building bridges for peace' was a great initiative, which Jo set up.


For some time now I've actually been chatting online to Harry Maguire, one of the men convicted of killing the two corporals at an IRA funeral in the 80's. I'm sure many of you of a certain age will remember it.

He's invited me to travel over once we're out of lockdown and offered to show me around Belfast and the troubled spots. I'm still in two minds about whether I would feel comfortable doing it but it's been very interesting chatting to him and hearing his story.

I remember the killing of the 2 soldiers who got caught up in the IRA funeral very well, was only thinking about it the other day.

The images still haunt me off the mob mentality that day. A truly frightening and horrible thing to witness.
 
Two very powerful interviews. Incredible that Jo was actually able to find the strength to befriend Patrick Magee.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zrqzsSyTe0
Incredible video. They used to say 'One bomb in England is worth ten bombs in Belfast' as far as their PR campaign. Thankfully, we are in a different place now. The IRA was regarded as one of the most sophisticated Guerilla organisations in the world at the time. The 'troubles' would not have lasted as long if they were not so organised, well armed, and strategically adept. The irony is that in the end it was said that 1 in 3 IRA 'volunteers' were spies working for the British. Some at a very senior level in the IRA structure. That is one of the reasons they accepted the ceasefire and Good Friday agreement in the end. They knew their time was up, basically.
 
Thanks for posting these parmoboy. Hard watching but brilliant as well. If that makes sense.

A remarkable woman. Not sure if I could be so forgiving as to befriend someone who killed my father.

Said the same thing when I went to see Chris McGlades one man show Forgiveness at The Westgarth. I know Chris and he dropped me back of in Redcar after the show and we spoke at length about him forgiving the man who murdered his dad.

There is some amazing people out there.

Like Owen Jones.
Agree a remarkable woman who we could all learn much from as far as forgiving. Amazing story. No time for Owen Jones at all. I would empathise more with Patrick Magees charisma personally. In my opinion Jones is an outspoken, narcissistic, self opinionated man who views life through very blinkered glasses. He did conduct a very good interview though, I accept that.
 
I remember the killing of the 2 soldiers who got caught up in the IRA funeral very well, was only thinking about it the other day.

The images still haunt me off the mob mentality that day. A truly frightening and horrible thing to witness.
I recall it vividly. It was nothing short of barbarism and man stooping to the level of a feral animal. In their defence the IRA said they thought the soldiers were armed spies who were going to attack the funeral. No justification for the savagery that followed though.
 
I recall it vividly. It was nothing short of barbarism and man stooping to the level of a feral animal. In their defence the IRA said they thought the soldiers were armed spies who were going to attack the funeral. No justification for the savagery that followed though.
Barbarism is the right word for it. It affected me deeply at the time.
 
Barbarism is the right word for it. It affected me deeply at the time.
Father Alec Reid, who has since died, was the priest who knelt to administer the last rites to both soldiers as they drew their last breath in the car park. He had tried to protect them from the gunman by laying beside them wrapping his arms around them but they ordered him to stand up, or he would be shot too. Not many people know that inside his coat pocket was a letter from Gerry Adams to the British government. He had just met Adams before the funeral. The letter outlined the IRAs demands for peace and a ceasefire. The envelope was stained by the soldiers life blood.
 
I remember the killing of the 2 soldiers who got caught up in the IRA funeral very well, was only thinking about it the other day.

The images still haunt me off the mob mentality that day. A truly frightening and horrible thing to witness.
I've read lots of different theories as to why they were there that day. Some say one soldier had just started his tour and was taking over from the other lad, who was giving him an unofficial handover tour. Some also believe they were members of the Joint Communications Unit, also known as "the det" and they were there to gather intelligence on Republicans.

Nevertheless, they didn't deserve what they got. They showed incredible courage not firing at the crowd who surrounded the car.

I asked Harry if he feels remorse all these years later and he just told me not to get into it. It was difficult to gage whether he is remorseful but he did say he's a believer in reconciliation.
 
Reconciliaiton is a key element in the peace process and I think if that's going to be achieved, dialogue is very important.

I think 'building bridges for peace' was a great initiative, which Jo set up.


For some time now I've actually been chatting online to Harry Maguire, one of the men convicted of killing the two corporals at an IRA funeral in the 80's. I'm sure many of you of a certain age will remember it.

He's invited me to travel over once we're out of lockdown and offered to show me around Belfast and the troubled spots. I'm still in two minds about whether I would feel comfortable doing it but it's been very interesting chatting to him and hearing his story.
You`ll be under surveillance from the minute you fly out [as Im sure you know].
 
I've read lots of different theories as to why they were there that day. Some say one soldier had just started his tour and was taking over from the other lad, who was giving him an unofficial handover tour. Some also believe they were members of the Joint Communications Unit, also known as "the det" and they were there to gather intelligence on Republicans.

Nevertheless, they didn't deserve what they got. They showed incredible courage not firing at the crowd who surrounded the car.

I asked Harry if he feels remorse all these years later and he just told me not to get into it. It was difficult to gage whether he is remorseful but he did say he's a believer in reconciliation.

My response wasn’t from any political or patriotic stance, the fact it was British soldiers getting killed, I’d have felt just the same if it was any nationality in that situation.

It was like watching a pack of animals fighting over food. Horrific.
 
My response wasn’t from any political or patriotic stance, the fact it was British soldiers getting killed, I’d have felt just the same if it was any nationality in that situation.

It was like watching a pack of animals fighting over food. Horrific.

The initial reaction of the crowd was understandable. Michael stone had attacked a funeral just a few days before, so naturally Republicans believed the two corporals were two loyalists who were there to launch an attack, and them both being armed.

I know there was a story that they thought they were SAS due to one of the soldiers carrying an ID card which read "Herford" and they mistook it as being "Hereford", the headquarters of the SAS. I can't help but feel they just said that though to try and justify the murders.
 
I've read lots of different theories as to why they were there that day. Some say one soldier had just started his tour and was taking over from the other lad, who was giving him an unofficial handover tour. Some also believe they were members of the Joint Communications Unit, also known as "the det" and they were there to gather intelligence on Republicans.

Nevertheless, they didn't deserve what they got. They showed incredible courage not firing at the crowd who surrounded the car.

I asked Harry if he feels remorse all these years later and he just told me not to get into it. It was difficult to gage whether he is remorseful but he did say he's a believer in reconciliation.
I doubt he would feel remorseful. I’m a catholic of Irish heritage and I have nothing but hatred for the provos. Any organisation that can bomb innocents enjoying a pint in Guildford or Birmingham, children shopping in Warrington, respecting the war dead at Eniskillen and God knows how many other sick acts cannot in my eyes call themselves an army. They were backstreet gangsters. Cowards of the highest order.
 
I doubt he would feel remorseful. I’m a catholic of Irish heritage and I have nothing but hatred for the provos. Any organisation that can bomb innocents enjoying a pint in Guildford or Birmingham, children shopping in Warrington, respecting the war dead at Eniskillen and God knows how many other sick acts cannot in my eyes call themselves an army. They were backstreet gangsters. Cowards of the highest order.

I think he trusted me because my Mam is an Irish Catholic from Enniskillen, so I told him that I could see it from both sides.

He was quite amicable but does still appear to have some entrenched bigoted views. He spoke about how he hates people accepting MBEs due to what the British Empire represents, and that the British army's behaviour in Ireland was dreadful. Also, that Brexit proves the Empite mentality is alive and well.

I was very honest and also pointed to the atrocities the IRA carried out and he said I was entitled to my opinion. I think he respected me for my honesty and we were able to have a civilised debate.
 
Back
Top