Nostalgia: It was damnable, damnable, says Claudy GAA stalwart and councillor on 20th anniversary of bombings

'˜It was damnable, damnable'
George Peoples in Claudy in 1992.George Peoples in Claudy in 1992.
George Peoples in Claudy in 1992.

Claudy GAA stalwart George Peoples was at work when the first bomb went off.

Minutes later, he was on the village’s ravaged Main Street.

“It was damnable, damnable,” he recalls.

As a community activist and a prominent figure in the old Nationalist Party, George felt it his duty to give the lead in setting up the relief effort.

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“It started there and then. The first contribution was a £20 cheque a Belfast schoolteacher gave me that night.”

Like his near neighbour Ernie Hamilton, Mr. Peoples is now a Derry Councillor, for the SDLP in his case.

Politically speaking, he feels little has been done for Claudy in the past two decades.

70 per cent reduction in Derry drugs supply

The I.R.A. in Derry has claimed that there has been a 70 per cent reduction in the quantities of drugs available in the city following their threat two months ago to execute a number of people involved in the distribution and supply of drugs here.

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They further claimed that although almost one hundred and eighty people involved in the sale of drugs had approached their personnel to take advantage of a week long amnesty offered to them, a number of people described “as major dealers and suppliers” had not come forward and their situation was “still under review”.

Red Devils sent to hell and back

The 16-year-olds of Co. Derry caused a Milk Cup sensation on Wednesday night when they knocked holders Manchester United out of the tournament in a five goal thriller at the Ballymoney Showgrounds.

Ironically, the Red Devils sealed their own fate with an own goal - the result of a dreadful attempted backpass - which finally killed off their hopes of retaining the title they had comprehensively scooped last year.

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