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Gerry Conlon and the Guildford Four were released 25 years ago today

“I’m a totally innocent man.”

Gerard Conlon - Old Bailey, London PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

ON 19 OCTOBER 1989, Gerry Conlon stormed out of the Old Bailey in London, with his sisters Bridie and Ann, and delivered an extraordinary, impromptu speech that has become iconic in recent Irish history.

I’ve been in prison 15 years, for something I didn’t do. Something I didn’t know anything about.
I’m a totally innocent man – I watched my father die in a British prison for something he didn’t do.
He is innocent, the Maguires are innocent, let’s hope the Birmingham Six are next to be freed.

Conlon, who died in June, had his wrongful 1975 conviction for the Guildford pub bombings quashed that day, along with Paul Hill, Paddy Armstrong, and Carole Richardson.

Conlon’s father Giuseppe, who had been in ill health even before his wrongful conviction, died in prison in January 1980.

Crime - Murder Charges Dropped - Guildford Four - Paul Hill - Belfast Paul Hill, speaking in 1994 after his wrongful conviction for the murder of a British soldier in Belfast was quashed. PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

The IRA bomb attacks, on 5 October 1974, killed five people, including four British soldiers.

Speaking at Conlon’s funeral, his solicitor Gareth Peirce said his words that day “set something in motion that forced us, the rest of the world, Britain, to hold a mirror up to ourselves and see precisely who we were and what we had done,” the Irish Times reported.

The Maguire Seven – including Giuseppe Conlon, five members of Conlon’s extended family, and Maguire family friend Patrick O’Neill – had their convictions quashed in 1991.

Gerry Conlon funeral The coffin of Gerry Conlon is carried by, among others, Guildford Four member Paddy Armstrong (front right), and Birmingham Six member Paddy Hill (front left) PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Conlon was, in the words of Peirce, plagued by “demons” after his release, and a Cambridge University psychologist in 1996 said he and members of the Birmingham Six were suffering from persist post-traumatic stress disorder.

He became a leading activist through the Miscarriages of Justice group, however, campaigning up until his death.

Richardson, who was just 17 when convicted, lived in almost complete obscurity after being released, until her death in 2012, at the age of 55.

Crime - Guildford Four - Carole Richardson - London A post-release photo of Guildford Four member Carole Richardson, who died in obscurity in 2012. PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Hill married Courtney Kennedy, the daughter of Senator Robert Kennedy, but their marriage ended in 2006.

Armstrong now lives in Dublin with his wife Caroline, the Irish Independent reported during the summer.

The Guildford Four and Maguire Seven were officially exonerated by British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2005.

Here is Gerry Conlon’s short, iconic speech from outside the Old Bailey, 25 years ago today:

Donach mc kenna / YouTube

Read: People eulogising Gerry Conlon had ‘no time for him’ when he was in prison>

Politicians express their condolences on the death of Gerry Conlon>

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41 Comments
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    Mute Paddy Flynn
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    May 15th 2020, 7:26 PM

    No D4 accent yet, stay strong!

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    May 15th 2020, 7:57 PM

    @Paddy Flynn: Roight on !

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    Mute Conor Nolan
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    May 15th 2020, 8:10 PM

    @Paddy Flynn: Or Folksrowk with it mony roindabites

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    May 15th 2020, 11:22 PM

    @Paddy Flynn: Dalkey is 26km from D4. Not to split hairs or anything.

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    Mute Jun Stone
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    May 16th 2020, 6:59 AM

    @Paddy Flynn: that’s cos it’s not D4, it’s Co. Dublin!

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    Mute Ro-your-nan
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    May 16th 2020, 6:55 PM

    @Conor Nolan: reverse classism – fantastic. Everyone should be like you.

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    May 15th 2020, 7:32 PM

    Can we just keep him?

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    Mute Trish O'Leary-Dunne
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    May 15th 2020, 8:35 PM

    @Seán Ó Briain: yeah.swap him for bono!

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    Mute Anne
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    May 15th 2020, 10:16 PM

    @Trish O’Leary-Dunne: I’m happy to have both.

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    Mute Dermot Quinn
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    May 15th 2020, 7:54 PM

    Fair play to him. He always comes across as being fairly sound. He stuck miles from home and knows he’s in a privileged position, so hes just rolling with it.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    May 15th 2020, 7:36 PM

    Ah hes a class act

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    Mute tuco
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    May 15th 2020, 7:40 PM

    He can grow spuds and get home from Mars by himself.his no chance in getting out of dublin with a supervalu bag.

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    May 15th 2020, 7:53 PM

    @tuco: that’s very good on the ball

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    Mute Mairtin Antaine O Conaill
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    May 15th 2020, 8:07 PM

    @tuco: no he didn’t!!! Jessica Chastain had to jump out of the space ship with a rocket pack on her back to catch him while they flew past.

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    Mute Stephen O'Sullivan
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    May 16th 2020, 9:38 AM

    @tuco: hats off, actual LOL at that.

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    Mute Sean Dermody
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    May 15th 2020, 7:29 PM

    Ah isn’t he only a great guy all the same..

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    Mute Aine O Connor
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    May 15th 2020, 9:30 PM

    I remember meeting Matt Damon , Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg during the making of Saving Private Ryan near Taghmon Co Wexford in 1997 where some scenes were filmed. Filming was mostly in Curracloe and took two months. Matt Damon played the part of Private Ryan.They were all very friendly and allowed us to take photos with them.

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    Mute Winston Smith
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    May 15th 2020, 8:18 PM

    Honorary Irish passport…

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    Mute kevin mc cormack
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    May 15th 2020, 8:27 PM

    Fair play to him he’s making an effort and well done class of 2020 every we’re

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    Mute Sean Dermody
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    May 15th 2020, 7:30 PM

    Ah isn’t he only marvellous all the same..

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    Mute Jen Gordon
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    May 15th 2020, 8:55 PM

    @Sean Dermody: we got it the first time … still looking for attention ?

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    Mute Sean Dermody
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    May 15th 2020, 9:14 PM

    @Jen Gordon: Really sorry Mammy, thought I didn’t post the first one so I did it again. How many lines are you going to give me. I must never seek attention…

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    Mute Sean Dermody
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    May 15th 2020, 9:15 PM

    @Jen Gordon: Doesn’t let you delete posts which is strange

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    Mute Jun Stone
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    May 16th 2020, 7:02 AM

    @Sean Dermody: I think you can hide posts?

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    Mute Johnny 5
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    May 15th 2020, 8:57 PM

    Surely he’s calling himself Mattie by now, no?

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 16th 2020, 6:26 AM

    @Johnny 5: or Damo

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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    May 15th 2020, 9:59 PM

    Fair play to actor matt damon

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    Mute Stan Kowalskis
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    May 15th 2020, 8:58 PM

    Matt for President.get rid of the hobbit.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 15th 2020, 10:15 PM

    @Stan Kowalskis: Well he’s a lovely guy no doubt about it, but he thinks that Leo is our president & he’s gone back to being a doctor on the “ front line “ . You have to wonder where he gets his info from!!

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    Mute SkepticalHippoEyes
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    May 15th 2020, 11:49 PM

    Thinking about schoolgirls the dirty fecker

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    Mute Type17
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    May 16th 2020, 8:46 AM

    @SkepticalHippoEyes: He’s only wishing them well, it’s you who brought up (your own?) dodgy thoughts in relation to schoolgirls….

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    Mute Maurice Dodd
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    May 16th 2020, 12:05 AM

    Totes awks why he’s still here?
    Kinda why not fukd off home loike?

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    Mute Atlas' burden
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    May 16th 2020, 5:28 AM

    @Maurice Dodd: stop being a knob, they obviously can’t

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    Mute Neil Reilly
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    May 16th 2020, 4:08 PM

    @Atlas’ burden: whoosh!

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