Nine victims of IRA attack on RUC station remembered at church service 40 years on

The memorial service held at Sandys Street Presbyterian Church commemorated the nine RUC officers killed in a 1985 mortar attack in Newry, marking the highest casualty incident during the Troubles. Attended by bereaved families, MPs, and representatives from police forces, the service featured speeches reflecting on the tragedy's lasting impact. Former RUC assistant chief constable William Stewart shared emotional recollections of the day of the attack and acknowledged the ongoing pain experienced by victims and their families. The event, organized by the South East Fermanagh Foundation, served as a poignant reminder of the violence in Northern Ireland's history.

"Today in this church I am very conscious that there exists many who have been forced to face terrorism at very close quarters, whether as bereaved families, as injured survivors, as former colleagues of those murdered or injured, or indeed eyewitnesses and first responders."

"As I turned the key in my front door, I could hear the phone in the hall already ringing. No mobiles, of course, in those days. I picked up and immediately recognised the voice."

Read at Irish Independent