Free State Violence by Raymond Murray Page B

Makem and myself, all of Armagh Parish, have participated to help wives and families.
    The 13 June, 1974, was my third appearance as a witness in the Tribunal. I was put into an embarrassing position by the prosecutor and the commissioner. It is my opinion that the prosecutor set out to smear and discredit me with the allegation of association with the guilt of men taking part in illegal activities. He presumed such guilt on the part of all Catholics for whom I have made representations and who were arrested in Armagh City. It appears to me that he could only have attacked me on the calumniatory information supplied by the police in Armagh to discredit me as a character witness.
    The commissioner astonished me by his lack of objectivity, presuming the accuracy of what might well be fictitious informers. It appears to me that he tried to get me to support the immorality of what he was doing. I was astounded at his lack of objectivity. I did not realise that the prisoner had such a poor chance. His remark that the prisoner had refused to come to the tribunal initially and therefore was an IRA man was ridiculous.
    Mr Lennon, the solicitor, said he would not expose me again to such a tribunal. I wish your department to furnish me with a transcript of my interrogation, which I wish to forward to the Lord Chancellor. I am also making a report to the International Commission of Jurists.
    The reply came on 24 July 1974 from Mr Rees’ private secretary, A. Huckle, Northern Ireland Office, Stormont Castle, Belfast.
    Dear Father Murray,
    The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your letter of 6th July in which you referred to the review by a Commissioner of the case of Mr B. J. Rafferty, who is a detainee in H. M. Prison, Maze.
    Although Commissioners are appointed by the Secretary of State they act quite independently and regulate their own procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1973. You will appreciate, therefore, that the Secretary of State is unable to comment on your criticisms of the conduct of Mr Rafferty’s review hearing in which you participated as a witness. Finally, you asked for a transcript of your cross-examination but I regret that it is not possible to provide this.
Poem – Long Kesh, 1974
    Little flies, quivering and shaking with the wind gusts,
    I look at the biological detail
    of your wings.
    Lightsome bloodless corpses,
    glittering,
    fluttering,
    slightly caught on the silent strings
    of the iron web,
    mesh of grey, distorted vision.
    Invisible men –
    your escape is wider
    wider than another day.
    Raymond Murray, 1974
    In memory of those who died in Long Kesh – Patrick Crawford, Francis Dodds, Éamonn Campbell, Patrick Teers, Hugh Gerard Coney.

III – TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT
Torture in Girdwood Park Barracks, 1971-72
    Mgr Denis Faul and I recorded the torture of men in the RUC interrogation centres in the Palace Barracks, Holywood, and in Girdwood Park Barracks, 10 December 1971 – February 1972 in a pamphlet, published in 1972, entitled British Army and Special Branch RUC Brutalities . Among the torture methods used in Girdwood Barracks, Belfast, was the use of electric shocks. Patrick Fitzsimmons, John Moore and William Johnston of Belfast related their experience to me in Armagh Prison. Patrick Fitzsimmons had been a celebrated Irish amateur boxer.

Patrick Fitzsimmons
    I was arrested on Thursday morning at 4.20am, 13 January 1972, in a house in Duncairn Gardens, Belfast. The soldiers came and arrested me and another fella. We were up the stairs. I had no shoes on. They started beating us. I was kicked down the stairs, beaten with batons. I was thrown into the back of a saracen. I was told to stop shouting or else I would get more beatings. I was handcuffed to the other fella. We were beat in the saracen. I gave them my name there.
    We went to Girdwood Barracks. We were kicked into the entrance of it. I had been hit