Write On! | Palestinians deserve our support | Springhill/Westrock Massacre – 50 years ago:

Write On!Last Thursday was World Book Day. This year is the 25th anniversary of the event. This reminded me of the volume of publications produced by former republican prisoners.Palestinians deserve our support also: There are two photographs in this week’s column. One is of a school. Totally destroyed. Levelled. Classrooms reduced to rubble. The work of students scattered across the ground. The other is of a hospital. Mickey and Minnie Mouse and other favourite Disney characters look down over floors strewn with the flotsam of war. Life saving equipment destroyed. Walls and floors shattered by shrapnel. Both buildings were the target of rockets indiscriminately fired at civilian targets.Springhill/Westrock Massacre – 50 years ago: On 9 July the people of Springhill and Westrock will mark 50 years from the massacre by British troops that left 5 local people dead. Three of those shot by British snipers were children. John Dougal was aged 16. Margaret Gargan was aged 13. David McCafferty was aged 15. Fr. Noel Fitzpatrick was based at Corpus Christi Church, in Springhill and Paddy Butler was killed by the same bullet that struck Fr. Fitzpatrick as the two tried to pull victims to safety.