mother of disappeared victim dies

[Harry]

Mother of Disappeared victim dies
By Tara Mills
BBC Newsline







The mother of one of the so-called Disappeared has died at the age of 82.


Ian Paisley met Mrs McVeigh last November


Vera McVeigh campaigned tirelessly for the return of her son's body.

Columba McVeigh was 17 when he was kidnapped and murdered by the IRA in 1975 in their home village of Donaghmore, County Tyrone.

He was one of nine people killed by the IRA and secretly buried.

Mrs McVeigh had been ill for some time and suffered a massive stroke last week and died in hospital on Wednesday.


Visited the site



In 1999, the IRA said it would try to help locate the bodies of nine of the Disappeared, including Columba McVeigh. Only four bodies were ever found.

Extensive searches for Columba McVeigh's body were carried out in 2003 at a bog in Emyvale, County Monaghan.

They started after the IRA said it had given information about the whereabouts of the body to the Irish government.

Mrs McVeigh visited the site, saying she hoped it would allow her to lay her son to rest.

Mrs McVeigh is survived by her two sons, Eugene and Oliver, and daughter Dympna.

Eugene McVeigh told the BBC: "We would love it if there was a conclusion to this and if we could just bury a body beside her, because that's what she would have wanted.
Columba McVeigh disappeared in 1975


"That hasn't happened in her lifetime, which is regrettable, but if it happened in ours it would give some finality to the rest of us.

"But we're no different from other people who've been dealt a personal blow."

Oliver McVeigh added: "The last eight or nine years certainly took their toll on my mother, but she hung on in hope. She wanted Columba in the family grave and then she'd be happy to follow him.

"But I wouldn't be her son, if I didn't keep the campaign going. It will be more vigorous than ever. I just hope that the people who refused to come forward to help, including some locals, are proud of themselves."

Mr McVeigh said the time of her death was ironic given the historic events at Stormont on Tuesday.

'Great sadness'

DUP leader Ian Paisley, who met Mrs McVeigh last year and made an appeal for information on the whereabouts of her son's body, has contacted the family to pass on his condolences.

"It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Mrs McVeigh," he said.

"I have been in touch with Mrs McVeigh's family to express my heartfelt sympathy. I also told her family that I will not allow the issue of the whereabouts of Columba and the other bodies to drop off the agenda.

"I will continue to work to bring about a resolution of this sad and difficult problem."

SDLP Mid-Ulster assembly member Patsy McGlone said he had always been struck by Mrs McVeigh's "bravery and her fortitude".

"The disappearance of her son and the lack of information of what happened to him took its toll on her over the years, but she never lost hope that his body would finally be returned to the family so that they could grieve properly.

"The most fitting tribute and lasting memorial to this extraordinary woman would be the return of Columba's body."

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness also extended sympathy to Mrs McVeigh's family.

"The McVeigh family have suffered a grave injustice," Mr McGuinness said.

"I want to repeat the call for anyone with information about Columba McVeigh to bring it forward to me, to the family or the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains."

[Wasp]

And to think that those involved with that organisation that put this poor woman through years of hell are being paraded like statesmen and men of peace. Shame on them all.

[Wasp]

setanta said:

What would you have them do WASP?

You are joking aren't you. If not then your post is not worth even a comment on.

Back to topic, I cannot help but think of the pain that woman went through along with others especially when she didn't even have a body to bury. At least now the woman is at peace and her years of torment are over for her. I hope and pray that she is in a much happier place, re-united with her son.

[Jim]

wasp said:

And to think that those involved with that organisation that put this poor woman through years of hell are being paraded like statesmen and men of peace. Shame on them all.

Its bloody impossible to please some people, isnt it? FFS man, is it not about time you accept SF have moved on, shouldnt you move along with them?

Theres absolutely nothing martin mcguinness would be able to say on this because honestly he probably just doesnt know. Only the people that took part in the murder would know, and they could be dead or in jail for all anyone ELSE knows. Thats how it is.

[Wasp]

Oh so Martin and Gerry wouldn't know who done it? Who hid the body etc etc?? Or would Martin and Gerry's comrades in the areas that the disappeared were from know? Jim I am not looking to be pleased by anyone, do you think it should all be brushed under the carpet with all the other stuff republican terrorists have done and just focus on what the Brits done??

Maybe if it was our mother we would look at it differently.

[Jim]

I dont know if mcguinness and adams know who done it, they probably dont. for all they know the guys who did it could be dead considering it was done more then 25 years ago.

[Wasp]

Jim the fact you said probably shows that you are not so sure either. If it was a member of your family would you be happy with a probable answer??

[Jim]

the fact that i said probably shows that i dont know because im not a member of the IRA its just more logical to believe that the two of them wouldnt know.

i'd be happy with the answer from mcguinness which was above because i wouldnt expect him to know every murder that the IRA done. it would come down to the people that done it, which could be dead themselves for all i know.

[Harry]

Its always worth remembering where some of our so called government officials have come from. This goes for both sides as we all have our skeletons in the closet. With the so called War On Terror being waged, what example will NI give to any young fanatic muslims or anyone else who is thinking about committing terror acts to push their own agenda down others throats?? Will the legacy of NI be that terror never pays, that terror won't get you access to high level talks with top government officials, that terror will even get you a few million quid??

This isn't aimed at Republicans and i'm talking about Loyalists as well here. What have we given to the wider world in the pursuit for peace?? Have we given the example that peaceful talks is the only way or that a mixture of violence coupled with political agendas will get you into powerful positions you could only of dreamed of??

[Jim]

harry said:

Its always worth remembering where some of our so called government officials have come from. This goes for both sides as we all have our skeletons in the closet. With the so called War On Terror being waged, what example will NI give to any young fanatic muslims or anyone else who is thinking about committing terror acts to push their own agenda down others throats?? Will the legacy of NI be that terror never pays, that terror won't get you access to high level talks with top government officials, that terror will even get you a few million quid??

This isn't aimed at Republicans and i'm talking about Loyalists as well here. What have we given to the wider world in the pursuit for peace?? Have we given the example that peaceful talks is the only way or that a mixture of violence coupled with political agendas will get you into powerful positions you could only of dreamed of??

If you're talking about islamic terrorism in england then no, because the entire population isnt involved in it. Northern Ireland had an overbearing majority and an angry minority, both with their men in balaklavas, there were no other groups, england doesnt have nearly as much problems as we did even at the beginning of the troubles.

I dont see your point at all mate, if you're talkin about the IRA getting high talk with top govt officials then why not? They were a much bigger threat then any islamic terrorist could hope to be because it was a long term thing.

You're talking about paramilitaries as if they got up one day and decided to bomb the shite out of a place that was happy on a sunny day and its just not true. Paramilitaries existed for a reason, they where a reaction to the political climate of this place, the fact that they took part on negiotations with government showed how serious this was, why ignore the problem? Notice now that the political climate changes, they disappear?

[Wasp]

The fact remains McGuiness was a leader in the organisation that abducted and executed a child, he was only 17 and how long was it before they gave info to pinpoint the grave?

If any child was abducted and executed and there body hid in some unknown grave, there would be uproar and I couldn't see those involved in the same organisation ever being allowed in government, but because they were terrorists and repeated such crimes it is looked at differently. Spineless cowards the lot of them, between abducting a woman and a child then executing them just shows exactly what kind of animals we are talking about, infact that is an insult to the animal kingdom.

Was this a crime or was it just wrong???

[Jim]

He's not the leader of the IRA though. Thats just it. You're taking for granted that McGuinness is the leader of the IRA, and its just not true. He may be high up in SF and thus know many IRA men, that doesn't mean he has encyclopediac knowledge of every murder commited by the IRA.

Thats like saying David Ervine knew every murder committed by the UVF, which he didnt.

[Harry]

Jim i'm not talking about anyone just getting up and taking up arms out of the blue. I'm well aware of the circumstances that created the troubles. I'm asking a question or peoples opinions.

In NI today we have people in government who have been involved in terrorism, we have people in government who didn't finish school but actually learnt their education in Long Kesh, we have people in government who have carried bombers coffins, we have a first minister who has spouted nothing but hatred all his living days and yet he is where he is. I support the government and devolution, i believe we are better off today than we ever have been and the future of our next generations looks alot better.

I'm simply trying to look at things from an outside view and see what other groups/movements might learn or copy from us. Have we set an example to the world that no matter how bad it gets if there is the will then anything is possible, have we shown that no matter what people have done in the past if they can help in shaping a better future then they should be given the chance???
Or have we maybe encouraged other groups around the world to continue with armed campaigns/ armed resistance etc etc, have we shown them that viloence pays or can be used to hold governments to ransom??

I'm really interested in peoples views on how peace in NI is viewed around the globes, the good and the bad

[Jim]

I know what you are trying to say but our situation can't be put in place for other groups because the same situations dont exist. There are probably two regions/countries in the world that would identify a bit with us and even then its a bit on the extreme side.

What we've set an example for is that people involved in paramilitary activity for political reasons where able to get support eventually and finding a way that worked without needing to use guns.