Dublin Coroner formally reopens 1974 bomb inquests

The inquests into the fatal 1974 loyalist bombings in Dublin and Monaghan were formally reopened by the Dublin Coroner's Court today.

The Court set a date of September 18th for interim hearings for submissions on points of law. This hearing will set a date for a full commencement of the inquests.

The inquests relate to the death of 26 people in Dublin in three bomb explosions on May 17th, 1974, and Thomas Croarkin (35) who was injured in the Monaghan bombing but died in Dublin on July 23rd, 1974.

The Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, said this morning he had established from the Attorney General's office that he had jurisdiction to reopen the inquests and intended to do so.

The initial inquests into the victims of the Dublin bombings were held in Coroner's Court at Store Street, Dublin 1, 29 years ago. These were adjourned immediately after they began at the request of the gardaí who had not completed their investigation.

Dr Farrell said the decision to reopen the inquests "was not easily or lightly made" as a "lifetime had passed". The Coroner said he was aware great care was required not to intrude on the families of the deceased and to carry out the inquests as expeditiously as possible.

However, he said the decision to reopen the case was supported by all of the families, more than 30 of whom were in the court today, including some of those who were injured in the bombings.

Dr Farrell also said he had written to the Garda Commissioner requesting the Garda files into the Dublin Monaghan bombings. He also asked if anyone else had information relating to the case that they contact the Coroner's Court where a statement will be taken.

Mr Conor Ó Dúalacháin SC and Mr Patrick Gageby SC, appearing for Justice for the Forgotten group, said they expected the hearings to require ten working days.

Justice for the Forgotten is a support group for the victims of the bombings set up in January 1996 and contains the majority of the bereaved families and many wounded survivors.

Mr Gageby said it would be in the public interest to delay the start of the inquests until after the publication of Mr Justice Barron's independent investigation into the bombings which is due in September.

However, this point was disputed by Ms Miriam Reilly, BL, representing other interested family members. She suggested the inquests should not await the publication of the Barron Report as the report may never be formally published.

She said that due to the complex nature of the material, three to four weeks was likely to be required for the inquests.

The Garda Commissioner was represented by Mr Fergal Foley SC.

After the hearing, relatives responded with relief that the inquests had been reopened coloured by frustration that they were faced with further delays.

Mr Frank Massey, from Sallynoggin whose 21-year-old daughter Anna was killed in the bombings, was exasperated as what he called "more red tape".

"They have all the information. After 29 nine years, 29 years. all the information they need is available. And we're still waiting".

The victims of the Dublin bombings were: John O'Brien (23); Anne O'Brien (22); Jacqueline O'Brien (17 months); Anne Marie O'Brien (5 months); Anne Massey (21); Anne Byrne (35); Simone Chertrit (30); John Dargle; Patrick Fay (47); Antonio Magliocco (36); Anne Marren (20); Colette Doherty (21); Christina O'Loughlin (51); Edward O'Neill (39); Marie Phelan (20); Maureen Shiels (44); Breda Turner (21); Marie Butler; Breda Grace (35); Mary McKenna; Siobhán Rice (19); Dorothy Morris; John Walsh (27); Elizabeth Fitzgerald (59); Josephine Bradley (21) and Concepta Dempsey (65).