Families of the victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings yesterday urged the jury at the inquests on the 34 victims to recommend a full public inquiry into the atrocities.
Mr Frank Massey (80) told the inquest how he had seen pictures on the television and in the newspapers of his daughter's body covered with a Garda coat after the explosion on South Leinster Street.
Ms Anna Massey was one of only two people killed by the South Leinster street bomb on May 17th, 1974. She was 21 and due to marry that July. The night before the bombings Ms Massey and her fiance had been writing wedding invitations. Mr Massey siad he found it extremely difficult to portray the horror of the night his daughter was killed. "Thirty years has not diminished the sorrow my family suffers."
He wanted to know why the 1974 Garda investigation closed after six weeks; why suspects held by the RUC were never questioned by gardaí and how it was possible for Department of Justice files relating to the bombings to go missing.
"As the father of a beautiful murdered child I feel wholly justified in imploring the jury to recommend a full public inquiry into these atrocities. I was a man of 50, now I'm 80, my time is running out. I would like the truth and closure on this before I move on."
Ms Martha O'Neill described the scene at Jervis Street hospital where her husband Edward had been taken following the Parnell Street bomb.
"There were so many coffins lying outside the accident and emergency department, it was like a war zone. The doctor came out with a list of the dead and injured, I heard him say, 'Edward O'Neill, dead'."
Her two children, Billy (8) and Eddie (8) were badly injured in the blast, but survived. They had been with their father having a haircut, before Billy's first communion the following day. Her seven-year-old daughter Angela was to make her communion on the same day.
Mrs O'Neill was six months pregnant at the time, she had a still born baby girl six months afterwards. "My husband can have his head held high in heaven for his two lovely daughters and his wonderful boys I never had an ounce of trouble with ... Hopefully the jury will understand the need for a public inquiry."
Ms Denise O'Neill said she remembered her mother coming home from Jervis Street hospital, and asking where her father was.
"Someone said he was alright but Mammy said no, he's gone to heaven with the angels. I didn't really know what death meant. I never thought I wouldn't see him again."
She hoped the inquest would be a first step towards closure for her family. "I implore the jury and the coroner to use whatever power they have to join us in calling for a public inquiry."
Mr James Travers told how his brother, Thomas, had been outside Greacen's pub at North Road, Monaghan when the bomb exploded at 6.58 p.m. Greacen's pub was the bus terminus and Mr Travers had gone to check if his fiancée had arrived from Dublin. He was killed by the blast and was brought to the morgue at Monaghan General Hospital, where his brother went to identify him.
"I found his remains lying on the floor. The place was like a charnel house. There were body parts all over the place. Many families had an experience the same as mine." The inquests continue today with evidence of eye witnesses to the incident in Parnell Street, where the first of the bombs exploded at 5.28 p.m. on May 17th, 1974.
