Families of the five people killed in the 1972 Springhill Massacre in west Belfast are preparing for a new inquest into their loved ones' deaths. The shootings occurred on July 9, 1972, when British soldiers opened fire in the Westrock housing estate, killing five civilians: Margaret Gargan, 13; Paddy Butler, 37; John Doughal, 17; David McCafferty, 15; and Fr Noel Fitzpatrick, 42.
Margaret Gargan was shot in the head while running an errand for her father at the local community centre. Her brother Harry recalled the chaos: 'We went out the front door and had to crawl on our hands and knees towards the Meehans, we could hear all the shooting.' The initial inquest in 1973 returned an open verdict after the British Army claimed all five were IRA gunmen, a claim disputed by families.
The massacre has been overshadowed by other tragedies such as the Ballymurphy Massacre and Bloody Sunday. Martin Butler, whose father Paddy was killed, said: 'People around here knew about Springhill, but see on the outside, no one seemed to have ever heard of it.' The area, known as 'Tin Town' due to its temporary post-war aluminium bungalows, was one of the poorest in Northern Ireland.
Many survivors found it too difficult to speak about the trauma for decades. Now, with a new inquest approaching, families hope for answers and recognition of the true events of that night.
