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All 10 victims of the Ballymurphy massacre were “entirely innocent of any wrongdoing” and use of force by the Army was “unjustified”, a coroner has ruled.
There was applause at Belfast Coroner s Court as the findings were delivered following fresh inquests into the killings in west Belfast in August 1971.
A mother-of-eight and a Catholic priest were among those who died.
Presiding Coroner Mrs Justice Keegan acknowledged it was a chaotic time but ruled that the use of force by soldiers had been disproportionate in the nine deaths the Army was found to have been responsible for.
She ruled out any paramilitary involvement by any of those killed, and described them as entirely innocent of any wrongdoing on the day in question .
Ballymurphy families welcome ‘entirely innocent’ findings by coroner
Updated: May 11, 2021, 7:14 pm
Families celebrate outside the International Convention Centre in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)
Relatives of 10 people killed in west Belfast in shootings involving British soldiers 50 years ago have welcomed a ruling that their loved ones were “entirely innocent”.
There were jubilant scenes outside Belfast Coroner’s Court as the families of those shot in Ballymurphy in August 1971 emerged to cheers from supporters.
John Teggart, whose father Danny was among those killed, welcomed the “historic verdict”.
“After 50 years they have finally had their names cleared,” he said.
The daughter of Joseph Corr, another of those killed, said the inquest verdict had gone further than she had hoped.
); My father was shot in the back and murdered : Jubilant scenes as Ballymurphy families celebrate inquest verdict
Ten people, including a mother of eight and a Catholic priest, were killed in disputed shootings involving the Army in west Belfast in August 1971. By Press Association Tuesday 11 May 2021, 5:43 PM Tue 7:37 AM 18,549 Views 16 Comments
Updated Tue 5:43 PM
RELATIVES OF 10 people killed in west Belfast in disputed shootings involving British soldiers 50 years ago have welcomed a ruling that their loved ones were “entirely innocent”.
There were jubilant scenes outside Belfast Coroner’s Court as the families of those shot in Ballymurphy in August 1971 emerged to cheers from supporters.
A cavalcade of cars has passed through Ballymurphy thanking the community for its support over the past 50 years.
The convoy made its way through the streets on Tuesday evening beeping horns, hours after a coroner ruled that the 10 people killed in the west Belfast shootings involving British soldiers in Ballymurphy in August 1971 were “entirely innocent”.
The occupants of the vehicles waved white flags with the word “innocent” on them.
Locals lined the streets cheering and clapping, and banged bin lids on the footpaths as the cars made their way past.
Banging bin lids on the streets was was done during the Troubles to warn people the Army was in the area.
Relatives of 10 people killed in west Belfast in shootings involving British soldiers 50 years ago have welcomed a ruling that their loved ones were “entirely innocent”.
There were jubilant scenes outside Belfast Coroner’s Court as the families of those shot in Ballymurphy in August 1971 emerged to cheers from supporters.
John Teggart, whose father Danny was among those killed, welcomed the “historic verdict”.
“After 50 years they have finally had their names cleared,” he said.
The daughter of Joseph Corr, another of those killed, said the inquest verdict had gone further than she had hoped.
Eileen McKeown said: “I was expecting them just to say they were innocent.