Farewell to Sheila, Capt's widow -- Stormont Watch

[ VoyUser Login optional ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 22:27:51 02/23/09 Mon
Author: Forum Admin
Subject: Farewell to Sheila, Capt's widow

Mourners salute wife of arms trial captain

Independent.ie WebSearch By Jason O'Brien

Tuesday February 17 2009

THE funeral Mass of the wife of a leading figure in the arms trial that rocked the nation took place yesterday -- with the chief celebrant criticising the couple's "victimisation" by the government over a period of 30 years.

Sheila Kelly was predeceased in 2003 by Captain James Kelly. Capt Kelly was an Irish Army intelligence officer and in 1970, together with former Taoiseach Charles Haughey and two others, faced arms import charges. All were acquitted, but Capt Kelly had to leave the army and said the affair destroyed his life.

His wife, a mother of six, who lived in Athlone, Co Westmeath, died last Thursday from lung cancer. She was in her 70s. "Nothing of Sheila is lost," Fr Martin Kelly, a brother of James, told mourners at St Mary of the Angels Church, in Dublin, yesterday morning. "Nothing of her love and dedication to family . . . nothing of her strength of character shown during the 30 years of victimisation when Jim was framed by government action, and so shabbily treated by the upper echelons of the Army."

The comments drew a round of applause from the congregation, which included junior minister Conor Lenihan, writer Tim Pat Coogan and journalist David Davin Power. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore attended the removal service on Sunday.

Fr Kelly said that it was appropriate that her funeral Mass was taking place in St Mary's, "near where Jim and Sheila's ordeal began nearly 39 years ago in the Four Courts".

Capt Kelly oversaw the procurement of an arms consignment from Germany, which prompted the trial, but always claimed he had government authorisation for the mission.

After his death in 2003, the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, said that "Captain Kelly acted on what he believed were the proper orders of his superiors. For my part, I never found any reason to doubt his integrity".

However, Sheila Kelly dismissed the statement as "mild-mannered" and called for a gesture from government to exonerate her husband.

That call was repeated at her funeral Mass yesterday.

- Jason O'Brien

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

[ VoyUser Login ] Not required to post.
Post a public reply to this message | Go post a new public message
Note: This forum is moderated -- new posts are not visible until approved.
* Notice: Posting problems? [ Click here ]
* HTML allowed in marked fields.
Message subject (required):

Name (required):

Expression ^{(Optional mood/title along with your name) Examples: (happy, sad, The Joyful, etc.) help)}

E-mail address (optional):

* Type your message here:
>Mourners salute wife of arms trial captain > > Independent.ie WebSearch By Jason O'Brien > > >Tuesday February 17 2009 > >THE funeral Mass of the wife of a leading figure in >the arms trial that rocked the nation took place >yesterday -- with the chief celebrant criticising the >couple's "victimisation" by the government over a >period of 30 years. > >Sheila Kelly was predeceased in 2003 by Captain James >Kelly. Capt Kelly was an Irish Army intelligence >officer and in 1970, together with former Taoiseach >Charles Haughey and two others, faced arms import >charges. All were acquitted, but Capt Kelly had to >leave the army and said the affair destroyed his life. > >His wife, a mother of six, who lived in Athlone, Co >Westmeath, died last Thursday from lung cancer. She >was in her 70s. "Nothing of Sheila is lost," Fr Martin >Kelly, a brother of James, told mourners at St Mary of >the Angels Church, in Dublin, yesterday morning. >"Nothing of her love and dedication to family . . . >nothing of her strength of character shown during the >30 years of victimisation when Jim was framed by >government action, and so shabbily treated by the >upper echelons of the Army." > >The comments drew a round of applause from the >congregation, which included junior minister Conor >Lenihan, writer Tim Pat Coogan and journalist David >Davin Power. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan and Labour >leader Eamon Gilmore attended the removal service on >Sunday. > >Fr Kelly said that it was appropriate that her funeral >Mass was taking place in St Mary's, "near where Jim >and Sheila's ordeal began nearly 39 years ago in the >Four Courts". > >Capt Kelly oversaw the procurement of an arms >consignment from Germany, which prompted the trial, >but always claimed he had government authorisation for >the mission. > >After his death in 2003, the then Taoiseach, Bertie >Ahern, said that "Captain Kelly acted on what he >believed were the proper orders of his superiors. For >my part, I never found any reason to doubt his >integrity". > >However, Sheila Kelly dismissed the statement as >"mild-mannered" and called for a gesture from >government to exonerate her husband. > >That call was repeated at her funeral Mass yesterday. > >- Jason O'Brien

Note: This forum is moderated -- new posts are not visible until approved.

Notice: Copies of your message may remain on this and other systems on internet. Please be respectful.

[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT+0
VF Version: 2.94, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums^(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2008 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.