It has been brought to my attention that in a recent blog on this site about the murders of two Fermanagh farmers near Newtownbutler on 23 October 1973, I failed to acknowledge my sources for the article published. This was an oversight on my part for which I apologise. For the record, I relied mostly on a book “The ‘pitchfork’ murders -uncovering the cover-up” by historian and author Brian MacDonaill. This detailed study was published in 2012 by the Louis Leonard Sinn Fein Cumann, Newtownbutler. In his publication Brian refers to the research carried out by investigative journalist Martin Dillon and published in ‘The Dirty War’ first published by Hutchinson in 1990 and then in paperback by Random House in 1991.
I also relied on a short summary in Lost Lives (p286) compiled by David McKittrick, Seamus Kelters, Brian Feeney and Chris Thornton, first published by Mainstream Publishing in 1999.
I have always taken a keen interest in this case and have supported the Naan/Murray families over many years.
My main concern in writing the blog was to write a short summary of the case in order to highlight the cover-up by the British and local RUC and how this promoted the false narrative that local Protestants were responsible.
The research carried out by Martin Dillon, Brian Mac Donaill and others into this and other cases of murder by British soldiers and agents is an invaluable resource for future generations. Their invaluable work should have been acknowledged in my blog.
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