Statement by Minister McEntee on the 50th anniversary of the Reavey and O'Dowd killings and the Kingsmill Massacre

This week marks the 50th anniversary of two of the worst sectarian atrocities of the Troubles: the Reavey and O’Dowd killings and the Kingsmill massacre.

On 4 January 1976, six Catholics, John Reavey, Brian Reavey, Anthony Reavey, Joseph O’Dowd, Barry O’Dowd, and Declan O’Dowd were murdered, minutes apart, in two separate incidents in Armagh. The next day ten Protestants, John Bryans, Robert Chambers, Walter Chapman, Robert Freeburn, Reginald Chapman, Joseph Lemmon, John McConville, James McWhirter, Robert Walker, and Kenneth Worton, were murdered at Kingsmill.

My thoughts this week are with the victims’ families and with Alan Black, the sole survivor of the Kingsmill massacre.  

It remains deeply regrettable that no one has been held responsible for these attacks to date and I would like to commend the victims’ families for their unwavering courage and determination in their quest for truth and justice.

I call on anyone with information relating to the attacks to contact the authorities.

ENDS

Press Office

5 January 2026