Memorial to 1970s bomb attack victims ‘the first step’

A MEMORIAL to three CIE workers killed in bomb attacks in Dublin in the early 1970s was unveiled in the city yesterday.

Family members, former colleagues and friends of the three men attended the ceremony, which featured a short interdenominational service with hymns sung by the CIE male voice choir.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Michael Conaghan, performed the unveiling.

The memorial, located on the footpath in Sackville Place, off O’Connell Street, is in tribute to bus driver George Bradshaw and conductors Thomas Duffy and Thomas Douglas.

Fashioned from bronze, it depicts randomly strewn flowers and features a dedication plaque, all set into the paving stones.

The late Mr Duffy’s son, sculptor Tom Duffy, 31, designed the memorial, which bears the victims’ names.

“At the time, Mam was five months’ pregnant with me,” he said.

“I was born into the aftermath of it, so for me this is quite a pertinent day.”

He said all of the families had been consulted.

“This is about me actually doing something directly for my father and his memory, the memory of his life more than his death.”

His father and Mr Bradshaw were killed in the second of two car bombings which took place on Friday, December 1, 1972.

The first had exploded near Liberty Hall just before 8pm, causing serious injuries, but no fatalities.

The second bomb exploded at Sackville Place around 8.15pm, claiming the lives of Mr Duffy, 24, who was originally from Castlebar, Co Mayo, and Mr Bradshaw, a 30-year-old father of two from Fethard, Co Tipperary.

A few weeks later, at around 3pm on January 20, 1973, another car bomb exploded in Sackville Place, killing Thomas Douglas, aged 25, a native of Stirling in Scotland whose parents were Irish.

Mr Douglas had only moved to Ireland the previous August.

At the time, the bombs were believed to have been planted by loyalist terrorists.

However, no organisation has ever claimed responsibility and no one has ever been charged in connection with them.

At the unveiling, relatives and friends said the memorial was only the first step.

Mr Justice Henry Barron, who carried out the report into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, carried out a separate report on the Sackville Place atrocities.

That report is due to be published before the Dublin Coroner’s Court continues hearing the re-opened inquest on September 21.

Bernie McNally, chairwoman of Justice for the Forgotten, the group calling for justice for the victims of the bombings and their relatives, said: “The Barron report on the 1972 and 1973 bombings has been with the Government since late June and we are awaiting its publication with great interest.”

Anna Bradshaw, sister of George, said: “We just wish they would get on with the inquest; at least there would be something being done.”