Clough woman to lead widows group

Clough woman to lead widows group

5 April 2017

A CLOUGH woman who will become chairwoman of the War Widows Association on Saturday considers the role “a legacy” to her husband who was murdered by the IRA almost 30 years ago.

Mary Moreland will be the society’s first chairwoman from Northern Ireland in its 46 year history.

She was widowed nine days before Christmas 1988 when her husband John, a part time reservist for the UDR, was shot by two IRA men as he delivered coal in Downpatrick.

The news was broken to her as she worked in the kitchen of her son’s primary school, which was preparing for a visit from Santa.

Despite the passage of time since her loss, Mary admits she “thinks about it every day”.

“You have your family, you think about your children and their father so you do think about it,” she said.

“While you do not necessarily move on, you move forward with your life. Anyone bereaved will say you do not get over it, but you learn to live with it.

“John’s legacy is that our children have grown up into well-rounded adults and that I have moved forward and now have this new role as chairwoman of the War Widows Association. 

His legacy is that we have all moved forward.”

Mary credits her children, family, friends and the extensive support of the Third County Down Battalion of the UDR for helping her move ahead in life.

In the days after John’s death, she said the forces rallied round, making a huge effort to lift their spirits as Christmas approached.

“That very first Christmas was very sad but some chaps who served with John came round on Christmas day with a fantastic present for the children - a computer. One of them even dressed up as Santa,” she recalls.

Despite the inevitable sadness Christmas has brought since John’s murder, Mary says she continues to enjoy the festive season with family.

“I have not had a sombre Christmas since, we have the usual big family Christmas, that is John’s legacy,” she says.

Due to the amazing support she personally received, Mary says she was a latecomer to the War Widows Association, which represents widows like her and undertake campaigns on their behalf, including the recently successful Pensions for Life campaign.

She said she feels privileged to be elected chairwoman of an organisation that now has between 2,500 and 3,00 members, which is about 10 per cent of the war widow population in the UK.

“We would love it if there was no need for the association,” she said.

“As a membership group we must be unique in that we do not want more members. However, we would encourage women who are war widows to join us because of the camaraderie and support they will receive.”

“This is not my story, this is the story of the War Widows Association reaching out to war widows.”