Springhill: Inquest into 1972 shootings hears shots fired at people helping victims

Relatives of people killed in the 1972 West Belfast shooting at the opening of the inquest

An inquest into the shooting of five people in west Belfast in 1972 has been told that shots were fired at local people when they tried to help some of the victims.

Three Catholic teenagers, a father-of-six and a priest were shot dead in the Springhill estate.

The inquest is to examine whether they were killed by gunfire from the Army or republican or loyalist paramilitaries.

On Wednesday, the Coroners' Court heard evidence from two witnesses.

Thomas Reid, who was aged 11 at the time, recalled how he heard four or five shots in the estate on 9 July 1972.

Mr Reid then described how he saw three bodies lying outside a house.

He said local people were trying to go towards the bodies but "they were getting shot at".

Mr Reid said nuns were among those who were trying to help the victims at the scene.

Teenagers Margaret Gargan, John Dougal and David McCafferty, as well as 38-year-old Patrick Butler and Fr Noel Fitzpatrick, 42, were killed in the shootings.

Their families believe they were killed by the Army.

'No shooting at the army'

Mr Reid told the inquest he believed the shots were coming from a nearby Army position in Corry's woodyard.

The witness also said there was "no shooting at the Army" on the day.

He told the inquest that the only trouble he was aware of on the day was in Lenadoon where an IRA ceasefire had ended.

The witness went on to explain that the IRA returned fire the following day and "the firing went on all day".

He said he believed the IRA was using "a Lewis submachine gun" located at a local house where sandbags had been placed at a window.

During cross examination by counsel for the Ministry of Defence, Mr Reid recalled seeing a digger being used a few months earlier in an attempt to remove an army post from Corry's yard.

He said "they tried to pull the wall down, and sangar".

The inquest heard how the company (Corry's) had expressed dissatisfaction afterwards, complaining that the Army did not take action in response to this and other attacks on the yard.

Mr Reid recalled that "youths, crowds and youngsters" had been throwing petrol bombs at the yard.

When he was asked about his knowledge of people who were in the IRA around the time, he said he was "too young to know anyone in the IRA".

Later, after being pressed further on the matter, he agreed to write down three names and present the names to the coroner.

Before doing so, he said "I can write down the dead ones".

'Bullets bouncing off the street'

This issue was later raised by the coroner, Mr Justice Scoffield, who said it could potentially raise issues about self incrimination.

He said clarity was required as to whether someone might be aware of IRA membership or if their knowledge may be based on "tittle tattle".

The Coroners' Court is to consider the issue before the inquest resumes on Thursday morning.

The second witness at the inquest was Martin Pettigrew, who was 10 years of age at the time of the shooting.

He described how he saw bullets "bouncing off the street".

Mr Pettigrew, whose brother was shot and injured, said he and his friends were told to "run for your lives or they'll kill you".

He said the events of that day are "embedded in my mind, morning, noon and night".