SEAMUS LUDLOW
25TH COMMEMORATION - APRIL 29, 2001

 REMEMBERING SEAMUS LUDLOW -
REMEMBERING TO FIND JUSTICE

   Seamus Ludlow was a 47-year-old Catholic bachelor who lived at Thistlecross, Mountpleasant, Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland.  Seamus was murdered on the 2nd of May 1976. He was killed for resembling another person, as local people say that the sleeves of the murdered man's coat were ripped out by those looking for a tattoo on both arms to verify that they had "gotten" the correct person, but to their dismay they indeed murdered an innocent man.
 
THE COMMEMORATION:

On the 25th Aniversary of the murder of Seamus Ludlow, his family, individual and group supporters are involved in a commemoration ceremony for the slain County Louth man.   On April 29, 2001, the commemoration will begin at 4.00pm at the memorial at the place where the body was found, in a lane off the Bog Road, near his Thistlecross home, just north of Dundalk, and in the vicinity of the Ballymascanlan Hotel.  The opening speeches will be by Ed Moloney, Kevin Ludlow, Michael Donegan and Jimmy Sharkey.  Wreaths will be laid by relatives of Dublin and Monaghan bombing, Castleblaney Bombing, Dundalk  Bombing and by relatives of Seamus Ludlow.  Prayers will be read by, Monsignor Raymond Murray and Fr. McCreesh.

         It is expected that members of other families demanding justice for the victims of the
         Dublin, Monaghan, and Dundalk bombings and other loyalist  murders south of the
         border will attend.

        There will be a special anniversary Mass at the nearby Ravensdale Church at 7.00pm
        the next Wednesday, on the 25th anniversary precisely.  Seamus is interred in the
        nearby Ravensdale Calvary cemetery.


REMEMBERING SEAMUS:

Seamus lived at his life-long home with his elderly mother and his
married sister and her family. Seamus worked with his brother-in-law
Tommy Fox (now deceased) as a forestry worker in the vicinity of his
home.  Every week when he got his wages, he dutifully handed them to
his mother and she gave him back an "allowance".

He was educated at the nearby old Faughart National School.

Seamus, who was ordinarily a quiet man, had a great love for children
in his large family circle. Seamus Ludlow was a man with no enemies,
who worked tirelessly on behalf of charitable organisations and was a
friend to anybody who needed his help.

He was the man who for many years acted as Father Christmas to hundreds of
young children.  He used to go from door to door in the big Marian
Park estate for a number of years distributing presents on behalf of the
local tenants' associates. He was always playing jokes on the children, who
adored him.

Who killed Seamus and why?

Recent revelations of an RUC and Gardai cover-up dating from the 1970's show how in fact it was known all along that Seamus Ludlow was the victim of a Loyalist/British Army  murder gang. It is now known that the RUC in Belfast handed a file on the killing to the Gardai in 1979. This file contained the names of at least three of the suspects who were arrested by the RUC nearly 20 years later, in February 1998.  It has also emerged, from statements made by one of the suspects, Paul Hosking, than a 19-year-old member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), that he was questioned about the murder by the RUC Special Branch , some eleven years later in 1987.
In a report given by a Mr. Paul Hosking, the fourth man in the car that tragic day, Mr. Hosking gives his report to the RUC Special Branch a full account of the murder, including the name of the person who he said did the actual shooting, and yet it was not until 1998, a year after the case was reopened that the four were arrested for this murder.  Mr. Hosking stated the murder was carried out by three (3) UDR soldiers who were also members of the Loyalist Red Hand Commandos, and he also stated in the National Press that the Garda were aware of their identities in 1979.

The  decision by the Northern Director of Public Prosecutions not to press charges over the murder brings a very strong belief by many that there has been a cover up by both the Garda and the RUC for over two decades.


What we must ask is:
 

Will the British and Irish authorities ever accede to the Ludlow family's demands for a full and public inquiry, where the family and its legal representatives will have the right to view files and papers, and to subpoena and question witnesses regarding the murder of Seamus and what seems to be a cover-up on both sides of the border?
REMEMBERING TO FIND JUSTICE - HOW YOU CAN HELP:
 
We, the supporters of the family of Seamus Ludlow and the Seamus Ludlow Campaign, believe a full inquiry can be achieved.  Your assistance is needed in writing to and asking the public officials who have the power to institute such an inquiry, to begin such a proceeding immediately.  Seamus deserves to be remembered for the kind of person he truly was - a man with a family, home, community ties and love for his land.

Justice for Seamus can be realized with your help.

For more information on the Seamus Ludlow Campaign, please click on the link below:

http://www.seamusludlow.com/index.html
 

SUPPORT THE SEAMUS LUDLOW APPEAL FUND

Bank of Ireland
78 Clanbrassil Street
Dundalk
County Louth
Ireland
Account No. 70037984

  Thank You.