Thousands attend public demonstration in Bellaghy

Thousands of people have attended a public demonstration in Bellaghy in support of the family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown.

Mr Brown, a father of six, was abducted and shot dead by members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) as he locked gates at Bellaghy GAA club, County Londonderry, in 1997.

He was 61 years old when he died.

The family of Mr Brown have sought to have a public inquiry heard into his murder.

Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal affirmed a previous court ruling, compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry into his killing.

The government said it intends to seek a Supreme Court appeal over the ruling.

A previous court also ruled that the government’s refusal to hold an inquiry was unlawful.

There have been two police investigations and a Police Ombudsman investigation into Mr Brown’s murder.

The demonstration, which organisers called The Walk For Truth, left from St Mary’s Church in Bellaghy on Friday evening.

Thousands of people made their way to Páirc Seán de Brún.

Others lined the route clapping the car in which Mr Brown’s 87-year-old widow Bridie travelled.

Behind the car, her children and grandchildren marched with a banner demanding justice.

Sean Brown’s daughter Siobhan Brown said the level of support from people had been “unbelievable”.

“No words can explain exactly how much we appreciate the number of people that have come here from all parts of Ireland,” she told BBC News NI.

“I hope the British government will take note that the people of Ireland are speaking and the GAA people in particular are totally invested and behind the Brown family.”

Also in attendance were Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, First Minister Michelle O’Neill and GAA President Jarlath Burns.

McDonald said “all of Ireland” is behind the Brown family’s campaign for a public inquiry.

“The British government know what they need to do. They need to establish the public inquiry and allow Brown family all of these years later simply to have the truth,” she said.

O’Neill said the demonstration had sent the British government a message.

“I would say to (Northern Ireland Secretary ) Hillary Benn and the British government, take a look, take a look at what’s happened here in Bellaghy tonight.

“The message couldn’t be clearer from here, get on with it, do what is right and proper.

“Give the Browns the public inquiry, let them know what exactly what happened. That’s all they want, the truth about what happened to Sean Brown,” she said.

People from all over Ireland joined the march in support of the Brown family.

The family said it’s the largest demonstration that has been held for their fight for a public inquiry.

Mr Brown was locking the gates of GAA club Bellaghy Wolfe Tones when he was kidnapped by the Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF).

Early last year, a court heard more than 25 people, including state agents, had been linked by intelligence material to Mr Brown’s murder.

In March 2024 a coroner said Mr Brown’s inquest could not continue due to material being withheld on the grounds of national security.

He decided that redactions of intelligence material meant he could not properly investigate the circumstances of the killing.

Instead, he wrote to the then Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, requesting a public inquiry into the case.

In December, the High Court ruled that Hilary Benn must set up a public inquiry into the murder.

The government then appealed against that ruling, mounting a legal challenge to the Court of Appeal.

However, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said it was “a shocking state of affairs” that more than 25 years had passed but there had been no “lawful inquiry into the circumstances” of Mr Brown’s death.

After that ruling, Mr Brown’s family said Benn should “do the right thing”.

Mr Brown’s widow spoke directly to the NI secretary, saying: “Five judges have told you what to do, do the right thing and please don’t have me going to London.”