Majella O'Hare (c. 1964 – 14 August 1976) was a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was shot in the back by a British paratrooper while walking to church in Whitecross, in August 1976.
Majella O'Hare | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1964 |
| Died | 14 August 1976 (aged 12) Whitecross, County Armagh, Northern Ireland |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
| Known for | Being killed by a British soldier |
Killing
editOn 14 August, 1976, Majella, along with some friends, was going to St. Malachy's church in Whitecross. As the group passed a security checkpoint, British paratrooper Pvt. Michael Williams shot Majella twice in the back with a general-purpose machine gun, from around 20 to 30 yards away.[1][2]
Majella's father Jim and her brother Michael O'Hare were allegedly harassed by the British paratroopers when attempting to give aid to Majella.[3]
Majella was airlifted to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.[1][4]
Trial
editWilliams was initially charged with murder by the RUC, but this was later reduced to the lesser charge of manslaughter. In 1977, during his trial, Pvt. Williams claimed in his defence that a IRA sniper had shot at him, and that Majella had been caught in the cross fire, although there was no evidence to corroborate this claim. Nevertheless, he was acquitted of manslaughter by the judge, Maurice Gibson, sitting alone without a jury in a Diplock court.[1][3]
In 2011 the British government formally apologized for both the killing of O'Hare and the acquittal of Williams.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Majella O'Hare: Call for independent investigation into death of schoolgirl". www.amnesty.org.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Ministry of Defence says sorry for killing of Majella O'Hare | Military | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Brother of girl shot by British soldier 'devastated' killer may be granted amnesty". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Newry Memoirs - Remembering The Murder Of Majella O'Hare". www.newrymemoirs.com. Retrieved 1 November 2023.