Sunday, June 23, 2013

Peace to you, John Kelly


John Kelly
One of the eye-opening developments in the ongoing transformation of the conflict in Northern Ireland has been the journey of John Kelly, whose brother was murdered during Bloody Sunday in 1972. He's been running the Museum of Free Derry for many years. 

Some years ago, when first meeting him, a colleague ( Richard Clark) asked, "you seem pretty angry. What would it take for you to forgive the British?" 

He replied then: "I'll never forgive the bloody British bastards." 

Two years ago, after the Saville Inquiry exonerated his brother (and all the protesters), he was elated, was joyous. And this time, a calm seemed to have descended upon him. "The main priority for me was the declaration of innocence. And once we got that there, it eased the pain of it. But now we're waiting for the next part [the criminal trial] of the process to be finished and hopefully, at the end of that process, I can walk away. And say that I done my best."

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