Michael Clifford: Osgur Breatnach's dogged 45-year search for justice

Osgur Breatnach was wrongly arrested and convicted of the Sallins train robbery in 1976. Abused by agents of the State, he describes what happened to him as torture. Forty-five years later, he is still looking for answers as to how it happened, he tells Michael Clifford

Osgur Breatnach is to petition the UN to conduct an investigation into his case which he claims involved torture. Photo: Moya Nolan

The past is always with Osgur Breatnach. Forty-five years ago, his life was interrupted and he was catapulted into a nightmare from which he has never woken up. 

He was abused by agents of the State. He describes what happened to him as torture, based on the UN definition of torture. He was wrongly imprisoned and his family life shattered. He was never given a proper explanation about what happened and today he is still trying to find out.