The McCartney Sisters
From a humble street vigil to meeting President Bush, the McCartney sisters' incredible
display of courage in standing up to the IRA has inspired people across the world.
Paula McCartney and her sisters, who live in a Catholic enclave in East Belfast,
broke the traditional Republican vow of silence when their brother Robert was brutally
murdered outside a pub in January.
Paula, Gemma, Donna, Catherine, Claire and Robert's fiancée Bridgeen Hagans - who
have 17 children between them - ignored endless threats of violence to launch their
own high-profile campaign to get their community to name the killers.
Robert, 33, was stabbed and beaten to death after an argument in a bar in Belfast.
His family openly accused the IRA of a cover-up, claiming evidence was cleaned from
the bar, CCTV was interfered with and witnesses intimidated.
The women's fight for truth began in earnest with a street vigil. "We were wondering
if people would turn out," says Paula. "But we were walking down the street and
more and more people were coming out of their doors and that was very moving and
comforting."
However, it was only after the family appealed for witnesses over the radio that
their story became a global issue.
Their fearless battle for justice earned worldwide support and has taken them to
the White House and the European Parliament, where they have met politicians and
leaders, including President George W Bush.
"We impressed upon the President the importance of getting justice for Robert,"
says Paula, "and he said he was 100 per cent behind our campaign."
Bridgeen, the mother of Robert's two young children, joined his sisters in their
fight and, like them, has had to pay a high penalty for her defiant campaigning.
Her home was heavily stoned as she and her sons slept and she has received hate
mail containing pictures of her children covered in excrement. In the end, the intimidation
proved too much and she moved house.
Police warned them that "criminal elements" had threatened to burn them out of their
homes. But Paula says, "We are very, very determined. We will not rest until the
murderers of Robert are brought before a court of law."
The sisters insist they are merely restoring the value of life through justice.
Catherine adds, "We need to ask, 'How many people have there been before Robert?
And who will it be in the future?' They did it because they had got away with it
in the past."
Two men were remanded in custody in June in connection with Robert's murder.