Derry Journal Review of the Year 2022: December

The meeting was held at the request of the Pat Finucane Centre, in advance of the 50th anniversary.

Barney Kelly, Frank McCarron, Michael McGinley, Charlie McCafferty and Charles Moore were killed when Annie’s Bar in the Top of the Hill area of the Waterside was attacked by UDA gunmen, just a few days before Christmas.

No-one was ever convicted for the murders or any other offence connected to the incident.

In a statement issued following the meeting via the Pat Finucane Centre, it was stated: “At the meeting, the PSNI apologised to the families for the lack of engagement by the RUC in the aftermath of the attack."

Ireland was ‘united in grief’ following the death of Private Seán Rooney from Newtowncunningham, an Irish soldier from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) killed in an attack.

Numerous tributes were paid to the 23-year-old and a minute’s silence was held in his memory in Dáil Eireann.

Private Rooney was killed when a convoy of two Armoured Utility Vehicles (AUVs) carrying eight personnel travelling to Beirut came under fire in southern Lebanon.

The longest-serving Sinn Féin councillor in Derry and Strabane Paul Fleming, who stood down after more than two decades, said it was ‘the honour of his life’ to serve the people of Derry.

Colr. Fleming had served on the Council since 2001 and was elected Mayor of Derry for the year 2009/10.

Speaking after a convention, where Strathfoyle native Alex Duffy was selected for co-option as the new councillor for the Faughan area, Mr Fleming said: “It has been the honour of my life to have represented the people of Derry, and Faughan, for 21 years as a Sinn Féin councillor.

Nigel Goddard voiced support for a Derry addiction centre, saying his officers spend a huge amount of time helping people in crisis in the city.

Chief Superintendent Goddard said addiction - often stemming from social deprivation – is probably the biggest challenge facing the police service in the city.