Patrick Kielty has spoken of the murder of his father during The Troubles, saying he cannot forgive the loyalist gunmen responsible. The comedian and television presenter made the remarks in a new BBC documentary marking the twentieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
In the programme, My Dad, The Peace Deal And Me, Kielty revisited his childhood in County Down, where his father Jack, a builder, was shot dead in 1988 by William Bell, David Curlett and Delbert Watson. The three men were released in 2000 under the terms of the Belfast Agreement.
Kielty said his father 'died for nothing', describing him as someone who was not a political figure and who employed people from both sides of the community. He added: 'I am not going to go and shake the hands of the people who killed my dad. I’m not going to give them a hug and tell them it is ok.'
The 47-year-old also revealed that he turned down recruiters from the IRA in the aftermath of the murder, refusing to let the tragedy influence his own life. After the documentary aired, he shared a photograph of his father on Instagram with the words: 'Our Dad x Here’s to the future…'
