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InvestigatesWicklow Army RangeINCOMING DUBLIN MID West TDs have said they are willing to meet with the survivors of a historic 1979 explosion in which three children died and others were injured.
Three children died and 10 others were injured when an unexploded Army shell exploded in the Glen of Imaal, a rugged, scenic area of the western Wicklow mountains on the 14 April 1979.
The Journal Investigates published an investigation into the explosion and its aftermath in September. The investigation uncovered a litany of issues with regards to health and safety on the Glen of Imaal firing range.
Survivors of the blast spoke to our team expressing anger over what happened and how they were treated by the State after. They called for the Government to apologise.
The Journal Investigates contacted the five incoming Dublin Mid West TDs to enquire whether they would be willing to meet with survivors, or the raise the matter during the incoming Dáil term. All five said they would be willing to meet with survivors.
“I’m fully aware of the need for the Government to make a formal apology and it’s something I would like to work with survivors and their families to pursue,” said new Independent TD Paul Gogarty.
But equally I don’t want to do anything that causes upset to anyone and does not have their consent.
“So I think an agreed approach is needed and in this context I’m happy to meet with people to see if we can come up with a course to action that everyone can broadly work towards,” Gogarty said.
This was echoed by sitting Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin, who was re-elected to the constituency with his party colleague Mark Ward.
He said it was important to hear “the views and concerns” of the victims and survivors. Ó Broin said it would be appropriate for the Dublin Mid West TDs to meet with survivors and their families to discuss with them “how they would like to proceed”.
“The best place to start would be to meet with them, listen to them, hear with what they have to say, and then raise it with the Dáil in the most appropriate manner,” he said.
Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins and new Fianna Fáil TD Shane Moynihan also both said they would meet with survivors if they wanted to meet.
The victims of the explosion were part of a group of children and youth leaders from St Mary’s Youth Club in Lucan who had travelled to the Glen for the Easter weekend. While out hiking, a member of the group picked up an unexploded Army shell, without realising what it was.
Later, another member of the group threw the shell against a rock and it exploded. Two boys – Derek Finn and Declan Kane – were killed instantly. Another boy – Victor Mills – later died from his injuries.
Ten children were injured (eight boys and two girls), five critically. Some of the injuries included severed and severely damaged limbs, shattered bones, burning and shrapnel damage. Others suffered long-term psychological trauma.
Following our investigation, the matter was raised in the Dáil by then-Dublin Mid West TD Gino Kenny. Lucan is located in the Dublin Mid West constituency.
“The families of the children never got an apology from the State. And considering this new information that has come forward, would this government consider giving the families of those that were affected and killed on the day, a state apology?” Kenny said at the time.
Minister Darragh O’Brien (who was standing in for Tánaiste Micheál Martin) said he was aware of the incident and would revert back to Kenny with an answer.
Kenny lost his seat in November’s election, but had received no response from the department by the end of the last Dáil term.
The Journal Investigates contacted the Department of Defence for a comment, but a spokesperson said it had no additional statement to make.
Commenting on what he would like to see from the next Dáil, Ron O’Neill – who was severely injured in the blast – said he wanted an acknowledgment from the State “that we weren’t in the wrong”.
“For [the State] to recognise that the Government at the time and the Defence Forces were at fault, and some type of an apology that would in some way ease the mental anxiety of people that were there at the time,” he said.
It’s been 45 years of physical, mental and financial hardship, and particularly for those that were injured and severely injured.
“I’d like some kind of apology and recognition from the Government to say they were in the wrong.”
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It takes away the personal aspect of the game, with no line judgement. When you go back to the times of John McEnroe and Jimmy Conor’s,and even Nick Kyrgios in the tennis matches a few years ago, it was more exciting with the line judges making a call and for the player to disagree. Then you would be waiting for “VAR” to show if it was in or out. Bring back the line judges.
Hawkeye is a great example of using technology to backup the umpires when necessary. Shouldn’t ever be replaced fully for the exact situation outlined above
Unfortunately life has being taken over by machines.
People make these machines to put people out of work so others can get bigger profits.
Just look at self cash out in shops never mind trying to see someone in a bank.
@Ivan Genockey:
I doubt it saves that much money but saves on strikes or needing people who love the game objecting… It gives more power to fewer people..
But what it really does is make Wimbledon a more sterile place… It just becomes another ATP tournament… In marketing terms it is a huge own goal, it clearly means you totally don’t understand the product you are selling.. Wimbledon is as much about drama as it is about Tennis..
Tech is only as good as the people using it. This was human error.
For the money these competitions generate, having trained linesmen should still be there, even if aided by the stuff like a Hawkeye or VAR system.
Even if the detection was turned off, they should have still had camera footage to replay.
It’s pretty weird that someone would or could have turned off that system during a game.
Wish we had it for Henry’s Le Handball.
@Notty Tee: That match ruined most of my love for the game. It wasn’t just how obvious of a foul and failing by the officials, but that it was from someone that I’d admired as being a pretty honest sportsperson.
@ben wu: Nearly all footballers try to cheat in every match by claiming throw-ins that they know should go to the other team and so on. I think it’s unfair to hold that incident against one of the greatest footballers.
@Brendan O’Brien: What are you on about? He not only handballed it once, but TWICE.
Yeah sure. We all make mistakes. But he never apologised. Keeps using the term “expressed remorse”.
No respect.
@Notty Tee: Yeah, there are a lot of soccer players that are known for diving, or feigning or faking.. Henry was not really in that cohort, but he gave away any concept of being honest in that match.
If its not activated as in this case then the problem is Human Error
VAR has destroyed football, and the TMO in rugby is heading that way. We are no seeing tries been disallowed, due to a missed infringement two or three minutes before the try, so where does it end??
@The Firestarter: I think VAR has reduced the number of wrong decisions, therefore it’s a good thing.
@The Firestarter: the biggest difference is rugby interacts with the crowd and the TV viewer, with VAR no one knows anything except the ref.
@The Firestarter: perfect systems used dishonestly.
VAR is absolute bollocks and has ruined football as a spectacle imo. It was suppposed to be for clear and obvious errors, now officials are falling over themselves to disallow everything. If you have to draw lines for 5 minutes to determine if someones elbow was a cm over the line, has the attacker really gleaned that much of an advantage? There is no consistency in handball decisions either. The charade of the refs going over to the screen as if 99.9% they are ever going to do anything but toe the jobsworth line annoys me too. Prefer the ol’ things evening themselves out over a season tbh.
The simple thing is it would remove all the errors. Removing all controversy, and ability to allow manipulation in favour of certain teams/athletes. However there is no appetite to remove that controversy, as we all know that what draws attention and keeps journalists in their jobs. When there’s an opportunity to for it to look like technology made an error it’s seized upon. Regarding the latest controversy at Wimbledon, it would be reasonable for one to suspect that that system was turned off on purpose to create a media hullabaloo.
The judge’s/referee’s decision must be final in all sport.
It’s a front for ‘Skynet’…
TMO/VAR should ONLY intervene in cases of dangerous play. Otherwise let the ref and umpires get on with it. In my own sport (rugby) it has reachec the stage where touch judges completely ignore everything apart from line outs and refs refer everything onwards to the TMO. Bring back the good old days where touch judges flagged for forward passes and off sides, etc. and refs were brave enough to award tries and give straight reds!!
In sport the most accurate system is always the best. Participants and spectators want dependable continuity. If the AI is more reliable and faster than the human, then use the AI. There are still a lot of things for a human ref to do, that AI’s can’t do yet. Some of the worst moments in sport have been the egregious errors of bad referees.
Rugby has the best field sport back up for the field ref and line refs. GAA has the best tech support but the operating skills are variable at times. Other fast ball sports need tech recheck support as tefs have just 1 split
second view, but operational skill/ reliability essential.
have your say