Teenage booby trap bomb victim remembered on 50th anniversary of his death 

The family of a young 19-year-old farmer from Belcoo who was brutally killed by a booby trap bomb, intended for the security forces, not far from the Donegal Fermanagh border, 50 years ago, has poignantly recalled the shock, deep sadness and pain the family still endure, despite the passage of time.    

An article from the Donegal Democrat of September 7, 1973 read:  

YOUNG FARMER KILLED BY BOOBY TRAP

"A nineteen-years-oId Patrick Duffy, of Greghahadlera, Belcoo, Co. Fermanagh, was killed instantly on Wednesday when a booby trap bomb blew up as he was driving past it on his father's tractor, on the Belcoo Garrison road.

He was about to turn into a field to pick up three ricks of hay when the landmine intended for soldiers in the area - exploded, blowing the tractor to pieces and killing him instantly. Parts of the vehicle were blown over a 20 yards radius by the mine, which left a 10 feet wide crater in the road. 

A dummy bomb consisting of a cardboard box, a flashing light and a sign saying "danger - keep away" had earlier been examined and removed by security forces.

Buses and cars had passed the dummy bomb before it was realised that it was a warning about another bomb further along the road. Mr. Duffy had waited until security forces removed the dummy bomb before approaching the field. 

A British Army spokesman said that the 100lb. bomb had been planted in the gravel - covered ramp leading from the roadside to the field. 

Later the military issued a warning that there might be a further bomb on the road."

In a moving family statement from Peadar Duffy, a brother of Patrick (PJ) Duffy, marked the poignant anniversary and needless death, 50 years ago:

“50 years in some ways is a long time but in other ways, it’s little more than the blink of an eye. 

“Half a century ago my older brother PJ was cruelly taken away from us, we were close, we worked together and the farm meant everything to us, land is in our family’s blood,” he recalled.

“He was a talented youth of 19 years of age with his whole life ahead of him when that terrible thing happened.

“PJ was sociable, kind and industrious. He was loved by us all and we, younger brothers idolised him.

“The light went out for us all, especially our parents, Paddy and Rose. Our home was never the same. I was only 15 years old when this happened."

Reflecting on the events of that fateful day, Peadar commented:

“We were going to gather up ricks of hay on the buck rake to take for baling. I opened the gap and he drove across the road and into the field, and then the bomb went off. 

“The bomb explosion hurled our tractor maybe 40 feet down the roadside bank almost into the Lough. The tractor was broken in bits. But a tractor can be replaced, PJ certainly couldn’t”.

“I’ve lived with that survivors’ guilt ever since, our boy was too young to die, he had his whole life ahead of him. 

“I miss him every day and on his 50th Anniversary I will be visiting his grave and having a wee word with him, as brothers do. They say that time is a great healer, but not with a tragedy of this magnitude”.

THE FRONT PAGE OF THE DEMOCRAT FROM 1973 RECALLS THE MURDER OF PJ DUFFY

Meanwhile Kenny Donaldson, South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) Director,  a group of victims/survivors which was formed to help innocent victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland stated: 

“It was a terrible shock and trauma that the Duffy family faced and continue to face. No-one going about their day to day work should ever be killed, Patrick was doing his best to provide for the family and his death changed the direction of lives led by those left behind”.

“Peadar cared for his parents and in many ways sacrificed his own prospects of meeting someone and having a family, he selflessly looked after those who cared for him to the point of adulthood”.

“On this the 50th Anniversary since PJ was killed it is important that we all acknowledge the futility of violence, nothing was achieved other than devastated homes, with broken hearts.

"The Duffy family are well respected in the Belcoo area and beyond and our prayers and support is with them on this 50th Anniversary and in the days ahead”.