Witnesses not shown photographs of suspects

Two witnesses who said they could give clear descriptions of men who may have been involved in the 1974 Dublin bombings were never shown photographs of suspects by gardaí, the inquest has heard.

Mr Derek Byrne, who was injured in the blast as a 14-year-old, and Mr Rory Mooney gave statements a short time after the bombings.

While both gave detailed descriptions of men who had been driving vehicles believed to be associated with the blasts, neither was asked to view photographs of suspects.

Mr Mooney said he was never contacted by any authorities after he made his statement.

Mr Mooney had been driving down O'Connell Street in the direction of Parnell Square at around 3.15 p.m on the day of the bombings.

There was a metallic blue Hillman Avenger ahead of him which was travelling at around 20 m.p.h. He said he took note of the car because he was annoyed by how slowly it was travelling.

He remembered the letters DIA on the number plate, and that it was long and narrow unlike Irish registrations.

The driver was between the age of 37 and 44, had greying hair and was clean shaven with a fresh complexion. He appeared to be "working class", said Mr Mooney.

The passenger was aged 19 to 21, with "coral-coloured fair hair" and was pale faced.

He got the impression they were not familiar with Dublin by the way they were driving.

Mr Mooney told the Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, that he had a good memory for faces but had never been asked to look at photographs.

"I have never been contacted since this incident ... I was not shown any photos, and haven't been to this day."

He said that, at the time, he would have known the driver if he saw him again.

When asked if he would recognise him if he saw a photograph now, he said he doubted it because it was too long ago.

Mr Byrne was a 14-year-old petrol pump attendant at a garage on Parnell Street.

At 5.25 p.m. on the day of the bombs he was manning the pump when he saw a dark-red Morris 1100 pull into Parnell Street from Marlborough Street.

A man got out of the car and appeared to wipe the handle with a white handkerchief.

The man then ran across the road "very fast" into George's Street.

Mr Byrne went into the garage to get change for a customer, and when he returned there was a loud explosion and he was knocked to the ground.

"When I opened my eyes I saw the customer lying in the road with holes in his face ... A man put a coat over my head; he thought I was dead."

Mr Byrne remembers being interviewed by gardaí in Jervis Street Hospital about two weeks after the event.

He gave a detailed description of the driver of the Morris car. He said he was never shown photographs by gardaí, and was not asked to provide a photofit picture to a Garda artist.

A number of other witnesses, including, Mr Kevin Brown and Ms Carmel Dowling, placed a blue or blue-green Avenger car with DIA on the licence plate at the site in Parnell Street where the bomb exploded.