Tribute to Martin O’Hagan
Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, recalls the murder of Martin O’Hagan 25 years ago today.
An early Saturday morning call from a former Irish Independent colleague woke me from my slumber.
“Have you heard the news? Martin O’Hagan was murdered last night. I was hoping for an NUJ statement.”
Martin O’Hagan.
Dogged.
Brave.
Courageous.
Murdered?
The questions flowed.
Where? When? By whom?
Martin and his wife Marie had gone for their usual Friday night drink at Fa' Joe's pub in Market Street, Lurgan.
On the way home he had been gunned down.
While walking close to his home, a gunman had leaned out the driver's window of a passing car and fired shots towards the couple.
Marie had escaped uninjured; Martin died at the scene.
Martin was more than a Sunday World journalist. He was also secretary of the Belfast and District branch of the NUJ and a frequent delegate to the union’s then annual Delegate Meeting. He was a familiar figure at NUJ gatherings, respected for his journalism, admired for his integrity but also for his irreverent sense of humour. It was hard to imagine him gunned down in a Lurgan ditch.
At the time I was Irish organiser, working alongside Eoin Ronayne, Irish secretary, who happened to be on leave.
I was staying in the Travelodge close to the NUJ’s office on Gray’s Inn Road having attended an informal Friday meeting. Having confirmed news of the murder on BBC News I rang John Foster, general secretary, and Tim Gopsill, editor of The Journalist, who agreed to meet me at Headland House.
I disturbed Eoin Ronayne at his hotel in Cork before contacting National Executive Council member Kevin Cooper, who had of course already heard the grim news.
As Tim Gopsill fielded media enquiries I arranged to fly to Belfast where I was met by Kevin. I was acutely aware that Kevin and his wife Imelda had suffered the loss of a friend as well as a union colleague. I met other branch members who were devastated.
Their pain was shared by Martin’s Sunday World colleagues gathering in the Morning Star pub, grief etched on their faces.
In the nearby newsroom reporters and sub-editors showed grace under pressure. Martin O’Hagan, who had broken so many front-page stories, was now the story.
It came as no surprise that Martin O’Hagan was murdered by the UVF.
Ebullient Jim McDowell, editor of the Northern edition, was in no doubt about the motivation of the murders. “Killed for telling the truth”.
In between media interviews and solemn meetings with branch officers, Kevin and I discussed how best to support Martin’s family while sending a clear and unambiguous signal on behalf of all NUJ members: no journalist should be killed for telling the truth.
We also demanded answers from Loyalist representatives who were supposed to be committed to peace under the terms of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement.
Promises of action came fast, from the Chief Constable, from the Northern Secretary, from the Prime Minister.
Tony Blair sought to assure us that all paramilitary ceasefires were under constant review.
Northen Secretary John Reid offered solidarity and promised that all resources needed would be put at the disposal of the security forces.
25 years later the promises sound hollow.
On 1 October more than 1,500 people attended Martin’s funeral in Lurgan.
NUJ members lined the streets in a moving guard of honour.
At the graveside, NUJ member and Sunday World colleague Father Brian D'Arcy described Martin as a tenacious seeker of the truth.
Martin was an avowed atheist and Fr Brian jokingly sought his forgiveness in reciting the Our Father. As he began there was an unexpected downpour of rain, prompting Brian to suggest that Martin was getting revenge for his temerity in offering a prayer.
My abiding memory of his funeral was the grief of his family, the dignity of his wife and three daughters, and the overpouring of grief among his friends, neighbours and acquaintances in Lurgan. Martin insisted on living in Lurgan and refused to bow to sectarianism of any type.
He refused to bow down in the fact of threats and intimidation and ultimately paid the highest price for his convictions.
Today as we gather in Writer's Square, Belfast, we will salute Martin O'Hagan. We will remember Marie.
And we will remember all who have died over the past 25 years in the line of duty.