SEFF Victims & Survivors

04/11/2026

Stephen McGuire - 4th November 1971

SEFF remembers Stephen McGuire who was murdered by Provisional IRA terrorists.

Stephen was 19-years-old, single, a Guardsman soldier with the Scots Guards from Hamilton, Lanarkshire in Scotland.

On 14th September Stephen was on sentry duty at the Henry Taggart army base when he was shot and fatally wounded by a Provisional IRA gunman.

Stephen died in the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow after he was flown there by the RAF.

He had been kept alive by a respirator. He was paralysed by the bullet that struck his spinal column. The funeral was attended by more than 500 mourners.

The funeral was held at the Catholic Church of Our Lady and St. Anne's in Cadzow, Hamilton.

Stephen was buried with full military honours. His family held a daily bedside vigil until he died. He would have been 20-years-old later in the month.

SEFF’s thoughts and prayers are with all innocents impacted by the murder of Stephen.

04/11/2026

Do come along tonight and invite others.

SEFF ANNUAL ACT OF REMEMBRANCE - SOUTH DOWN

Wednesday 4th November, 7.30pm

St John’s Parish Hall, Rathfriland

SEFF warmly invites everyone to join us this Wednesday evening for our Annual Remembrance Service, an opportunity to come together as a community to remember those whose lives have been tragically taken through terrorism and to honour their memory.

The evening will include two deeply moving personal accounts from those directly affected by the Troubles.

Gordon Herron will share the heartbreaking story of how his grandparents, William and Elizabeth, and his aunt, Noeline Herron, were murdered in the firebomb attack on the family business in Dromore 50 years ago. An horrific atrocity that devastated a family and left a lasting impact on the local community and beyond.

Steve Belam, who served as a young soldier with the Royal Green Jackets, will recount the tragic events of 40 years ago when his friend and comrade, David Mulley, was murdered while on patrol together in Lower Square, Castlewellan. Steve will provide a personal and poignant account of that fateful evening.

The service will conclude with an epilogue delivered by Rev Ian Linton, followed by supper and an opportunity for fellowship.

We warmly welcome everyone to come along, participate in the communal Act of Remembrance and stand together in remembering those who have lost their lives.

Lest We Forget

04/11/2026

Ivan Clayton - 4th November 1974

SEFF remembers Ivan Clayton who was murdered by UDA/UFF terrorists.

Ivan was a 48-year-old Roman Catholic civilian, married with four children who was a security doorman at the Club Bar on University Road, Belfast.

He was shot at 10:00pm by UDA/UFF gunmen. As Ivan was standing security duty outside the bar, two gunmen fired at him.

Ivan was from Garron Crescent, Finaghy. One of Ivan’s friends told the inquest that he had been standing talking to him when the killer pulled out a handgun and opened fire.

Ivan suffered stomach wounds and died a short time later. The court was told by two nurses that 15 minutes prior to the shooting, three youths told them not to go near the pub.

SEFF’s thoughts and prayers are with all innocents impacted by the murder of Ivan.

**Unfortunately we don’t have access to an image of Ivan to add to this tribute post.

04/11/2026

John Brian Martin and Stephen Fyffe - 4th November 1983

SEFF remembers John Brian Martin and Stephen Fyffe who were murdered by Provisional IRA terrorists.

John was a 27-year-old Protestant, married with two children, an RUC GC police inspector from Pinley Park, Banbridge.

Meanwhile Stephen was a 28-year-old Protestant, married with one child, and a Sergeant in the RUC GC, from Ballygowan.

Both men were murdered in a bomb explosion in a lecture room at the Ulster Polytechnic at Jordanstown.

John, who was an Inspector died instantly and Stephen who was a Sergeant was fatally wounded and died later that day.

Sgt William McDonald was the third officer that had been fatally wounded but died nine months later.

Stephen had been married to a policewoman and had a 14-month-old son at the time of his death. Of the more than 30 people who were caught up in the explosion, four of them were police officers who were seriously injured.

The civilians caught up in the explosion had varying levels of injuries. The policemen had been attending a criminology lecture as part of a Higher National Certificate course. Prior to the class, the room had been searched but nothing was found.

The device was fitted with a 12-hour timer and was placed in a ceiling panel and went undetected. Around 11:30Am, the bomb exploded.

The inquest was told by the senior policeman in charge of the investigation that the "IRA's intelligence for the operation had been very good".

The coroner said he was completely lost for words. He said he was disgusted by an article in the Republican News which had the headline "RUC taught a lesson".

He said: "The IRA's idea of teaching the RUC a lesson was to deprive three women of their husbands and five young children of their fathers".

The depravity of The Provisional IRA and their supporters and apologists was particularly horrific in this case.

SEFF’s thoughts and prayers are with the families of the three RUC GC Officers who had their lives stolen through the actions of Provisional IRA terrorists, and all others injured.

04/11/2026

Frank McKee - 4th November 1971

SEFF remembers Frank McKee who died as the result of an attack upon him by Provisional IRA terrorists.

Frank was a 58-year-old Roman Catholic civilian, married with three children, who was a bread server attacked and robbed on the Newtownhamilton to Dundalk Road in South Armagh while he was delivering bread.

When Frank arrived at a house, his face was covered in blood. He said: "they beat me up at Finnegan's Lane".

He then went to the bathroom where he collapsed and died. Frank had three sons and lived on Violet Hill Avenue, Newry.

Police found a bullet hole in his van and his cash bag with £100.00 was missing.

Frank was the victim of a robbery in a strongly republican area and coupled with the fact that a gun was used, it was the view of the authorities that the Provisional IRA were responsible.

A post-mortem showed that Frank died of a heart attack.

SEFF’s thoughts and prayers are with all innocents impacted by Frank’s tragic killing.

**Unfortunately we don’t have a pic of Frank to add to this post.

04/11/2026

03/11/2026

Image tonight from St Aidan’s Church of Ireland. Grange. Please do get along over the next few days.

Thank you to those working and volunteering throughout this week down at the Exhibition.

Kenny + Team

03/11/2026

The family of William Clarke, UDR CGC (through his son Derek) share their perspective within today’s Irish Times.

Many will not necessarily share Derek’s perspective but he absolutely has the right to share his perspective as the son of an innocent man murdered by The Provisional IRA.

03/11/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1G9JvCpGk7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The murders were unjustified and unjustifiable and were motivated by sectarian and ethnic hatred.

We were pleased to work alongside the Belfast Telegraph in helping secure contact with the families of the innocents murdered.

03/11/2026

Samuel McConnell - 3rd November 1976
(50th Anniversary)

SEFF remembers Samuel McConnell who was murdered by Provisional IRA terrorists.

Samuel was a 59-year-old Protestant civilian, married with children, who was a haulage contractor from Sycamore Road, Dundrod.

When Samuel answered a knock on his front door, republican gunmen shot him at least five times.

The attack took place around 7:40pm by a man and a woman who were armed with revolvers. Samuel died on the way to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

The inquest was told by a detective that Samuel’s murder "was a purely sectarian attack on a decent, hard-working member of the community who was a member of the Orange and Black Orders, but was not connected to any paramilitary organisation".

The Irish News reported that Mr McConnell was a former member of the B Special.

SEFF’s thoughts and prayers are with all innocents impacted by the murder of Samuel.