THE traumatic impact of the wrongful conviction and incarceration of the Guildford Four upon them and their families is explored in a new television documentary.
Ceathrar Guildford: 50 bliain na mbréag has been produced for TG4 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Guildford pub bombings.
On October 5, 1974, the IRA planted bombs in two Guildford pubs, the Horse & Groom and the Seven Stars, killing five people and injuring 65 others.
Wrongfully convicted Paddy Armstrong features in the documentaryEleven people, mostly Irish, who later became known as the Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven, were wrongly imprisoned over the attacks.
They were later exonerated, with no one else subsequently charged over the bombings, however they spent years behind bars before their convictions were overturned.
In this new documentary, some of the remaining members of the Guildford Four - which consisted of Gerry Conlon, Paul Hill, Patrick (Paddy) Armstrong and Carole Richardson - speak candidly about the ongoing impact the experience has had on their lives.
Bridie Brennan and family have also contributed to the documentary“The Guildford Four were jailed before I was born but I grew up knowing they were completely innocent and will never forget the jubilation when they were finally released from prison in 1989,” programme director Sinéad Ingoldsby said.
“What I didn't realise was how the British justice system was aware of their innocence even before they were convicted and how high up the chain the criminal corruption that kept them in prison for fifteen years went,” she added.
“Fifty years on, those intimately involved in the case are struggling to cope with the trauma of what happened to them.
“They are still fighting for justice and the cover up continues.
“The case has significant ramifications for new 'suspect communities' and that is why it is still important to tell this story today.”
Alastair Logan is one of the solicitors who acted for the Guildford FourGerry Conlon’s sister, Bridie Brennan, is currently taking a civil case against various government agencies in the hope that she and her legal team will uncover the truth about their wrongful convictions and finally clear her family’s name for good.
Paddy Armstrong also features in the documentary, and there is never-before-seen interviews with the late Gerry Conlon in the programme, which airs on TG4 on December 11 at 9.30pm.
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