This interview with Paddy Murray, was a follow up to my visit with him on June 25, 2002. Paddy is a former IRA member and POW, who was released from jail as a result of the Good Friday Agreement, April 1998. Paddy and his family live in the Rathenraw Estate, in Antrim Town, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Ladies and Gentlemen, last June I had been to Paddy Murray's home in County Antrim where we had a very informative interview. While in Belfast I had the opportunity to be with Paddy on a couple of different occasions. Some very important things have happened in County Antrim where Paddy and his family's safety is affected right now.

DVB: Hello Paddy, welcome to ECHOES OF ERIN in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

PM: Thank you very much.

DVB: How are you keeping Paddy with all of the things happening to you right now?

PM: I am keeping well, just a wee bit worried and concerned, but other than that we are keeping well.

DVB: Paddy why don't you tell our audience a little bit about where you live and what happened in your area this week.

PM: I live in Rathenraw in the town of Antrim in the six counties of Ireland. Basically, what happened Monday morning, we woke up at half eight with the contractors. They had come in from the housing executive and started removing the trees. In Belfast there are the thirty feet peace walls of brick, concrete, and barbed wire across the top. In Rathenraw we have a natural built peace line, with trees, bushes, and shrubs.. It is nice to look at, and it keeps everyone safe as well.

The problem was that the housing executive, after getting a request from the PSNI to cut down the bushes at the front of the road, decided to come in and cut them down without consulting with the Rathenraw community. They cut down twelve trees and started removing bushes by the time we got to them. When I got there, I asked them to stop cutting them as they were putting people's lives in danger. I asked them 'What was the reason for doing this?' They admitted that the police had asked for it. I rang the housing executive, spoke with the District Manager, Michael Dalop, and asked 'what was the reason for it.' He said 'it was routine maintenance.' I said 'it wasn't routine maintenance when you are removing trees'.

I happen to be the Chairman of the Rathenraw Community Association, we deal with the housing executive on a regular basis, from a nose being broken to broken pipes in your house. We would deal with all of those complaints. I spoke with him about getting the trees removed. He said 'he doesn't need to consult with the community when it's ground maintenance.' Now that clearly was not ground maintenance.

The workmen had agreed to stop cutting until the executive came out on-site, and until I could explain and show him what was being done. The executive did arrive on-site and we had an hour and a half long meeting. After leaving that meeting, I went round to me own house, which was 400 or 500 yards from where the trees were being cut. Here I found that instead of the workmen stopping the work, they stopped work where we were, but went to the front of my house and removed another thirty trees and bushes from the front of my house. This now means they can see right into my house and it makes me a target.

DVB: Oh my, when we spoke last year we sat right in your kitchen. Do you live in the same house?

PM: No, I had to move because of the loyalist death squads who were already targeting my house. As you are aware, I have a young baby who has just turned one in May. For the safety of my family, we decided we would move. We moved round to this new house which we thought was safer with a lot of trees and cover. Now we are actually in a worse position. I don't know if you remember, in our last house, there were houses in front of it. This house doesn't have any houses in front of it. You have a clear view of us, with green fields around us.

DVB: Paddy, I expect you are still on the loyalist hit list.

PM: Very much so. Two Tuesday's ago when I went to the local garage to get petrol, there was a UDA man who came up and identified himself, I'll not tell you his name on the air, he is one of the leading UDA members in Antrim Town. He told me that only for the CCTV camera in the garage, they were going to put two bullets in my head. That was only two weeks ago. I am very much on the top of their list.

DVB: That has got to be a very difficult situation to live under. I really feel for you Paddy, although I don't have a clue because I have not experienced anything like this whatsoever. It has got to be very difficult for you, your wife and the kids.

PM: It is. What is routine, someone going to the garage or going to the shop to buy a newspaper, I have to travel to Belfast. I have a shop about one half mile away from where I live. I can't use that supermarket. In order for me to use that market, I need to bring a whole load of people with me. The last time I went to the supermarket there was almost a full scale riot that broke out in the supermarket because I was there. I now have to travel fourteen miles to do my weekly groceries.

Another problem is my child goes to St. Malachy's School, a secondary school in Antrim Town. The last two weeks before the summer holiday on 30 June. Patrick had to miss those last two weeks of school because the loyalists have been intimidating the kids going to the school for the past year. These last two weeks they have intensified it. The Headmaster had to send Patrick home for his own safety because they could not guarantee his safety at the school. He was not on his own, there were six others as well.

DVB: Are the loyalists still in large crowds at the school and still harassing the kids?

PM: Nothing has changed, they are still there. One day you could have six or seven, but the next day there could be 50 or 60 loyalists standing there. The difference this year is they have started bringing Rottweiler dogs, Pit Bull Terriers, Alisations or German Shepherds. Any dog that looks vicious they bring to the school as well.

DVB: Can the school authorities do nothing to get them away from there? Or can the police do nothing?

PM: They could do something but, are very reluctant to do anything. The police have a policy which they call "mirror policing'. The police explained to me, that one day they will be sympathetic to you and the next day we will be sympathetic to the loyalists, regardless of whether they are breaking laws. I had my car stoned and a wee lad had his nose broken about three weeks ago going to school. The police don't make any arrests. I have tried private prosecutions for harassment. The police are reluctant to anything on them either. The problem with the police and unfortunately, the school authorities is - if we deal with the hard-liners that come to the school, then the next day there will be twice as many, or more the next day. It is easier to deal with the kids than the loyalists that are coming up and causing all the mayhem.

DVB: That is unfortunate because the kids suffer by not receiving their proper education.

PM: That's right. That is the saddest part of it. Education in this part of the world is very important. We are talking about the Good Friday Agreement and all the things we were supposed to have had, things that we improve society over here. For a Catholic in this country you still need to have a very good education. The problem now is the loyalists are targeting the educational system and deliberating targeting kids from going to school, so they can't make the academic achievements that they should.

DVB: Paddy, do the Observers being there for the Orange Parades really help out?

PM: This is actually the very first year we have had American observers, or any observers. To be perfectly honest, since the American observers arrived around 5 or 6 July till now, there hasn't been one incident. The American observers go home tomorrow, (7 July). Our panic is did the loyalists call it off because the American observers were here? These are the first nights we could go to bed without having to look over our shoulder. With the observers going away tomorrow, we fear it will escalate again. But, definitely, if we hadn't had the observers here, we would have been in very serious trouble this July. They did a marvelous job.

DVB: It's the crazy season, hopefully at some point in time, these problems will fade into oblivion, but that is a pipe dream, I realize.

Paddy I need to go, I am most appreciative of your time today. Let's stay in touch, maybe we can talk periodically about what is happening with you and the Rathenraw Estate.

PM: That is much appreciated. Let me take this opportunity to thank not only your listeners, but the entire American community for everything you are doing for us. It is very much appreciated.

DVB: Give my best to your wife and we'll talk again soon.