It could have been a typical day in any rural village yesterday. A tractor chugged through Abbey lara as crows cawed overhead. The last few children drifted back into the national school after break-time. The postman went about his daily rounds.
But the grey bus and RTE outside broadcast unit told a different story. At 11.40 a.m. the bus dropped seven members of the Oireachtas sub-committee on the Abbeylara inquiry outside the village. Flanked by legal advisers and secretarial back-up, the sombre-faced delegation made its way to the scene where John Carthy (27) was shot dead after a 25-hour siege just over a year ago. About 20 members of the media traced its moves.
Moments before the politicians arrived, John Carthy's mother, Rose, and her niece returned from the village with a copy of the Longford Leader. They entered their neat, new bungalow next to the shooting scene and did not re-emerge as the delegation examined the scene and photographers moved around the driveway. When the crowds left, Mrs Carthy said she was glad that the inquiry was going ahead and hoped the truth would be told.
Opposite the house, five bunches of daffodils lay on the grass verge beside bouquets and potted plants. They marked the spot where John Carthy died. It was difficult to picture a violent death in the quiet village yesterday. "It's such a beautiful, peaceful spot, isn't it?" remarked Fine Gael TD Ms Monica Barnes. Her colleagues nodded in agreement. Just then the Angelus bell tolled at the church. Yards away, fresh wreaths had been laid at John Carthy's grave in Abbeylara Cemetery. After another photo-call, the members of the sub-committee walked to the village and returned to their bus. They had come and gone in about 40 minutes.
