Northern Ireland

Brother of murdered RUC officer hopes Lost Lives film will help prevent any more names being added to Troubles chronicle

Constable John Larmour (42) who was murdered in 1988. Picture by Pacemaker
Constable John Larmour (42) who was murdered in 1988. Picture by Pacemaker Constable John Larmour (42) who was murdered in 1988. Picture by Pacemaker

I READ with interest that local Belfast production company DoubleBand Films has produced a special film adaptation of the book ‘Lost Lives’ that chronicles the circumstances of every death that occurred during the recent ‘Troubles’.

Actors such as Liam Neeson, Jimmy Nesbitt, Bronagh Waugh, Adrian Dunbar, Roma Downey and many others have provided poignant narration to the disturbing backdrop of this unique film.

Their participation will hopefully give a dignified and sympathetic long lost voice to the many names in that long list of lost lives. Names too easily forgotten by many who were lucky enough to never experience that dreaded knock on their door telling them their loved one had been killed. But for those unlucky families who did get that knock on their door the names that litter the pages of that colossal catalogue of death and heartache can never be forgotten.

Broken-hearted mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and even children. They are probably the first names they think about every day they wake and every night before they go to sleep. Their birthdays, the empty chairs. The mounds of earth where they lay anniversary flowers and still talk to them through silent tears. All constant reminders of their unending pain and grief that never goes away.

The ‘Troubles’ sounds like a casual description of some minor medical ailment that will heal in time instead of the grotesque and barbaric events we lived through that for many will never heal. Reading through the pages of ‘Lost Lives’ and the over 3,700 names confirms that all murder is wrong and sadly every mother’s tears are the same.

I’ve just opened my old copy of ‘Lost Lives’. There on page 1148 is my brother John’s name. It will be 31 years this October 11 since John was brutally and callously murdered in my family run ice cream parlour, Barnam’s World of Ice Cream in Belfast. Coincidentally the same date this new film will be premiered in the Queen's Film Theatre.

Now in my 70th year and as I re-read the entry, I am realistic enough to realise time is running out and I might never see the full truth revealed. This is the main reason why I wrote my own version of the truth in my book ‘They Killed the Ice Cream Man’ in 2016. To keep my brother’s memory alive and ensure that John Larmour is not just a statistic and a name on a page of ‘Lost Lives’ and easily forgotten.

I’m glad that this new film will help shine a light on those many other names in ‘Lost Lives’. However it is easy to forget that there are many more names whose deaths are not recorded and deserve to be remembered.

The many family members like my mum and dad who died prematurely from broken hearts despite what their death certificates state. I buried my dad on the same date, October 11, one year after John and my mum a few years after my dad died. Their names are not listed in ‘Lost Lives’ but the gunman who shot my brother effectively killed them as well. I often wonder does he ever think of my mum and dad.

Does he ever look back on his life and perhaps genuinely regret the choices he made and the senseless hurt and pain he inflicted on my family? And for what? Was it worth it? Has he any real remorse for what he did that night in 1988?

And not forgetting the thousands of living victims. The ‘walking dead’. Those lucky enough to survive a shooting or bombing. Many would disagree with the word ‘lucky’ as they continue to endure a life of emotional turmoil and physical pain. The injured survivors forced to hold out a degrading begging bowl asking for help in the form of a meagre, yet deserving pension to help them through their final years.

Although I am critical of those in authority for failing to solve John’s murder or provide me with the truth, we must never forget that the real blame lies at the door of the bombers and gunmen on all sides who willingly carried out their violent deeds. We all are responsible for our own decisions in life. Many never chose the path of violence.

And still we wait for answers. How many more years before the putrid truth about what we did to each other is allowed to spill out for all to see? Many victims’ family members have died waiting for truth and justice. Many more will die waiting for answers. If the truth remains hidden the old emotional ‘Troubles’ wounds will never properly heal and we run the risk of condemning our children and grandchildren to make the same mistakes we made.

As we have seen all too clearly with the recent killing of young journalist Lyra McKee, there are still impressionable young people who can be cynically manipulated by a new breed of Godfather. The sad and sobering book of ‘Lost Lives’ is long enough – hopefully this film of its contents will help prevent any more names being added.

George Larmour, Author of: ‘They Killed the Ice Cream Man’