5 January 2026 - Commemoration Held Fifty Years On from Kingsmill

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Placing a wreath at a 50th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at the location of the Kingsmill massacre. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

Around 70 people attended a Commemoration Service this morning at the scene of the Kingsmill massacre which saw ten Protestant workmen murdered at Kingsmill near Whitecross, 50 years ago today - 5 January 1976.

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The men all Glenanne Mill employees were travelling to their homes in Bessbrook in a work minibus when it was stopped by gunmen around 5.30pm on the 5th. The gunmen singled out the sole Catholic occupant of the bus and told him to walk. The other men were ordered to line up against the side of the minibus and the gunmen shot them dead. One person Alan Black survived, despite being shot 18 times.

Organised annually by FAIR the 50th anniversary service was conducted by Rev. Graham Middleton from Tullyvallen Free Presbyterian Church.

Grandaughter of Kenneth Worton, Kenzee Brush puts a wreath on the Kingsmill Memorial. — Grandaughter of Kenneth Worton, Kenzee Brush puts a wreath on the Kingsmill
Memorial.

Rev Middleton spoke of how we need to keep the memory of the ten men alive and warned about the rewriting of history "Friends 50 years is a long time indeed but I'm sure that those who have been caught up in a personal way, it seems like just yesterday. And the danger with such a time passing as that, things could be forgotten, and added to that, there is the persistent rewriting of history so that the facts and the horror of this night that we're remembering today can be lost sight of."

He added "despite this common rewriting of history, what took place here 50 years ago was utterly unjustified. There was no justification for this terrorist act, and despite those who lie and apologise for terrorism saying that there was no alternative we have to remember the facts of what took place here. Ten innocent men taken out of their work bus, unarmed and brutally done to death. There can never be any justification for that. It's the truth. It's cold blooded wicked and evil murder."

Pictured at a 50th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at the location of the Kingsmills Massacre. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie — Pictured at a 50th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at the location of the
Kingsmill Massacre. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

Rev Middleton concluded "there is a day of accounting coming soon, the Lord will judge those not only who committed this wicked act, but also those who have covered it up for years"

The names of the ten men who died were read out: John Bryans, Robert Chambers, Walter Chapman, Reginald Chapman, Robert Freeburn, Joseph Lemmon, John McConville, James McWhirter, Robert Walker and Kenneth Worton.

There followed a minutes silence for the men who died followed by wreath laying. Piper Bert Harkness played a lament.