Kelly’s bar blast victim inquest ‘will go ahead despite disclosure delays’

A fresh inquest into the death of a Belfast man in a loyalist bomb in 1972 will go ahead next month as scheduled despite disclosure delays, a coroner has vowed.

John Moran, 19, died in the aftermath of the gun and bomb attack at Kelly’s Bar on the Whiterock Road.

The pub had been packed with people watching a televised football match between England and West Germany on May 13 when a car bomb exploded.

Mr Moran was working as a barman and died 10 days later of injuries sustained in the explosion.

A preliminary hearing at Belfast Coroner’s Court heard of ongoing pressures to produce police and army documents amid a number of legacy inquests which are ongoing or preparing to start.

Fiona Doherty, acting for the Moran family, said she was concerned around when they will receive all the material for the inquest.

“It seems to us that it would really only be fair that we have all the material by April 25, that’s four weeks before the inquest is due to start.

“I don’t know what queries may arise from it, I hope none … that’s not too much to ask,” she said.

Coroner Joe McCrisken described that as a “not an unreasonable date to work toward for disclosure”.

He said while he understands the pressure on disclosure processes, he is confident that deadline will be met to allow the inquest to be opened on May 23 as planned.

“I am confident this will all come together,” he said.

“We’ve got two date, we’ve got May and we’ve got June … on May 23 we have a court room, we have everyone who is available, I’m available … when we say, we’ll be here in that court for May 23, I will be in that court on May 23 waiting to start … I will be there and this inquest will be opening.”

A further review hearing of the case will be heard on April 27.

Another man, Thomas McIlroy, also died in the attack, and Gerard Clarke died of his injuries 17 years later.

Sixty-six other people were injured.