Remembering the dignified response to Loughinisland massacre by Jack Charlton and his team following historic win
Jack Charlton (Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile)
The Loughinisland massacre overshadowed the Republic of Ireland’s historic 1-0 win against Italy at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
The sectarian slaughter of six Catholics watching the game in the Heights Bar soured what should have been a night of celebrations for Ireland fans on both sides of the border and in America.
Joyous scenes over Ray Houghton’s winning goal in New Jersey’s Giants Stadium quickly turned to sadness as legendary Irish manager Jack Charlton and his players responded to what happened with sensitivity and respect.
The England World Cup winner and former Leeds United stalwart called an impromptu meeting in Newark Airport before the squad’s post-match flight to Orlando, where they were to play their next match.
Cancelling a large beer order, he declared it would be a dry plane and there would be no celebrating.
Charlton later conducted media interviews outside the Orlando Hilton, where a tricolour flew behind him at half-mast.
The talk should have been about one of Ireland’s greatest ever victories.
Instead, the sombre exchanges focused on the UVF gun attack on a small country pub in Co Down.
Barney Green (87); Dan McCreanor (59); Malcolm Jenkinson (53); Eamon Byrne (39); Patsy O’Hare (35), and Adrian Rogan (34) died when the loyalist terrorists casually removed two AK-47s from under their coats and sprayed the bar with bullets.
The slaughter of the innocent football fans cast a cloud over the Republic’s match against the Italians at Euro 2012 in Poznan, which fell on the 18th anniversary.
Players wore black armbands during the game after the Football Association of Ireland approached Uefa on behalf of the victims and their families.
Officials described it as a “particularly poignant” match because it was taking place on the exact same date of June 18.
The then FAI chief executive John Delaney, who had been in Giants Stadium in 1994 on the night of the atrocity, praised the normally rigid Uefa for facilitating the tribute.
“What happened in Loughinisland in 1994 was an awful tragedy and deeply moving for all football fans,” he said.
“I would like to thank Uefa for assisting us in commemorating this atrocity and take the opportunity to remember all those who lost their lives in the Troubles.”