Been two in the back out the scullery window's e police done that-they ho got out but they got they got away from updidn't get any of them. gusting—it was terrible. i they say...? me into the sitting room ouch Kathy she was just e was a girl—-they didn't thought she was a boy. I don't touch her. And he H she is. And Freddie hurt anybody but don't was so annoyed he was hey were going to go to And they went out of er children. wo young children? in of the head. ble to identify these low. You see, what's the could identify them and red to identify them? e done to my father. Be2 on me sola. and l went room, and they kept my idy's got a bald head you with hair can get a good protect him, but they were m. And I put my arms up d the back of my dress, nder my arms there, you bulled it. And I went and when they got her from to go to my Daddy. And m caught the back of my ing on top of the firest swung me round and -and he wouldn't let me nished beating my Daddy lay him just on the floor was just of pool of blood ght he was dead— was so bad a beating I didn't an it sounds fantastic, but purself.
Did they say anything eh the door? friend were locking the knew we were in there em in there at any time it, so I didn't hear them get the whole f'ing lot at hall and the ordinary re standing in it and they id especially went for the MF I'm not sure why they came in here in the first place?
Because all the people from the street had run in -that's the only thing we can think of. Why else would they do it?
MF But they quite clearly attacked not the people who had run in, but the family?
One fellow, Paddy Harpin, was outside the door with my Daddy—and they got him. His blood's on the footpath outside there. He couldn't move they kicked him. They just stood there laughing and threw him in the road, and they kicked him under the kerb you know at the side of the footpath- -and they kicked him until the could kick no HOTC... BE What kind of clothes were they wearing-the men who came in?
The policemen? Policemen's clothes.
Oh yes, they were uniforms all right BE Had they crash helmets orSome of them had. Actually there was only one that did not have a crash helmet.
BE You couldn't tell whether he was a senior man?
I know who he is BE Do you know his name?
No- -I don't know his name BE But he's from Derry?
Well, he's stationed in Derry. ide the police barracks and I know quite a few o them. I couldn't say for sure they were all Derrybut I know one of them definitely is from Victoria Barracks in the Strand road—I know for a fact. BE Could you describe him—what does he look like?
I could describe him, but I'm not going to if you don't mind.
MF How did it end up?
It ended up with the police just cursing. Every body was laying bleeding as hard as they could and they just walked out. They just walked away from it all. Everyone in our house couldn't have got out, because the whole street was round-you know what I mean. Only if they had gone up stairs. my Mummy was in bed and if they'd hurt her it would have been worse-my Mummy and my Daddy would have been in hospital, and we'd have been left. But we had to go out over the back wall and ring an ambulance the front door. They wouldn't even let us go to the Preighbour: Is your father in hospital now?
The was detained last night.
MF Did they hang around outside the house after they came out?
Not particularly about this house but they were in this area you know.
BE What time did all this happen?
Twenty past nine- -about MF Did they just beat in the door, or did they knock?
They beat the door down. They didn't knock at any time. They tried to get in the window, but it's everybody they got. maddidn't have to have stitches. work, you know.
Civil Rights-never.
come in?
You see. I work bemany people in the hall...
to get out of the way?
They and that. -we couldn't get out bleeding, you know.
mother's now?
thing had cooled downknow move them. and eventually got it open and they just felled FG Did any of them smell of drink?
I couldn't say-none of them came that near. The bottom half of them was nearer us-you know what I mean, because they were kicking us. FG Did they look mad or drunk?
They didn't seem drunk, but they were definitely -anybody who could hurt our children like they did last night, there's something wrong with them. They're not normal people.
MF Were the children taken to hospital? No, Dr McLean was very good—he came up, and they were all in bed. They all slept after that. The doctor looked at them and he said there was no one serious-they were all cut a bit. No they BF Was your father actually out in the street? No, my father was at the door- -he just looked out down the street. He never took any part in Civil R Mummy was out in the big march, you know. I was always working on these marches, but I've seen the carry on in the Strand Road...from my My Daddy never goes out on FG Did he actually open the door for the people to No, he opened the door to go and look down the street to see what was happening there, and the people come in as the police rushed up the street. The rushed up, and this man that I told you came to the door, was blocking Harry and my Daddythey could neither get out or in, you know. And then the whole street was just at this door and everybody just swarmed in. I opened the room door and was shoved out-I've never seen so FG Where they panicking, or were they just trying were just getting out of the way. They weren't chaotic or anything like that-they were just getting out of the road. Then a few of the men that we know stayed behind and they were up in the top room, I didn't even know this until later on and they were washing the blood off the children you know, our children that had their heads hurt They weren't very bad, but they were A neighbour: Are your family over at your grandWell, at that time, when my Granny came, every-we didn't need to send them away. My Mummy's brother and my brother and me and my Mummy and my boyfriend all stayed here last night-there was enough, you Neighbour; Did Bernadette Devlin take the children over to your grandmother's?
Bernadette came and she wanted to take them away, but seeing that they were all sleeping, and Dr McLean said they were all right, so she didn't
The Black Dwarf 20th April 1970 Page 10