14/02/2011

Irish Electorate 'Targeted' Over Paul Quinn

The parents of a man who was brutally murdered in a border tragedy are aiming to make an impact on the Irish Republic's electorate.

Paul Quinn, from Cullyhanna, was battered to death by a large gang of men - said to be aligned to the IRA - in October 2007, and now his grieving parents are asking the electorate to look at some specific points.

They believe that the coming election to Dáil Eireann is an opportunity to put some points to the electorate.

Stephen and Breege Quinn have always said after Paul was murdered, that there was IRA involvement.

"We formed a support group to lobby for justice for Paul. All political parties in Ireland gave us some level of support bar Sinn Fein.

"Sinn Fein totally denied IRA involvement in Paul's murder and attempted to criminalise our dead son.

"Even their MPs and some TDs became involved in this slur," they said at the weekend.

"Both governments North and South - after being initially being misinformed - quickly denied that Paul was a criminal, as too did all the political parties bar, Sinn Fein," the campaigning parenst continued.

"We feel that this (slur) in itself is impeding the murder investigation," they said and want to take the opportunity to call on Sinn Fein and their candidates to retract this deeply hurtful and distressing slur against their son.

Paul Quinn, 21, died after being lured to a cattle shed in Co Monaghan last year and was beaten with iron bars and pick axe handles by a gang of masked men.

His parents said their son had previously been threatened by members of the IRA in south Armagh.

No one has been charged with the murder, although Ulster Unionist peer, Lord John Laird has used parliamentary privilege to name the prominent republicans involved, alleging that as many as 20 people were involved in a highly organised, military style operation.

Back in 2009, the Quinn Support Group organised an event as part of the family's campaign for justice - which was held in conjunction with the second anniversary Mass.

That October, Stephen and Breege Quinn, parents of Paul Quinn - who was murdered in Oram Co Monaghan - also met with Judith Gillespie, Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI, in Ardmore police station in Newry.

See: Quinn Murder Recalled

See: Paul Quinn Murder To Be Marked

(BMcC/GK)

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