McCartney family 'heartened' by Bush meeting

US President George Bush told the family of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney today that he believed their campaign could bring peace in Northern Ireland.

After meeting Mr Bush at the White House, the five McCartney sisters said they had been heartened by what they had heard and encouraged that things could soon change.

“George Bush had an understanding of our case and was 100% behind us on it,” Paula McCartney said.

“He said that he believed the result of this could bring peace in Ireland.”

The sisters and Mr McCartney’s fiancée Bridgeen Hagans said they had come to the US hoping to dispel any romantic vision held of the Troubles.

The support they have received has encouraged them that they have, at least in part, achieved that goal, they said.

Catherine McCartney added: “People did not need us to explain our case, they knew what it was about.

“And if anyone has listened to what we have been saying then at least that romantic view has been damaged if not dispelled.”

Speaking outside the White House after the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebration, Paula added that she was confident President Bush would use his influence in whichever possible way he could.

“He seemed quite confident – he obviously knows things we don’t – that things will change.

“We are very happy with what he said and certainly heartened.”

She said that people in America were not linking Mr McCartney’s case to the Northern Ireland conflict or to Republicanism but were simply viewing it for what it was, as a crime, a murder that had to be solved.