DUBLIN, March 8, 1999 — The father of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright accused the Irish government of “selective justice” after then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern refused a meeting to discuss a public inquiry into his son’s murder. It’s a decades-old grievance that resurfaces with each release of state papers, raising uncomfortable questions about collusion and accountability.
A Father’s Fight for Answers in a Troubled Past
Table of Contents
The search for truth surrounding Billy Wright’s death continues to fuel political tensions and demands for transparency.
- Billy Wright, known as ‘King Rat,’ was murdered in Maze Prison in 1997.
- His father, David Wright, repeatedly sought a meeting with Bertie Ahern to discuss a public inquiry.
- Newly released files reveal concerns over ethics legislation and a mysterious Saudi oil investment.
- US senators, including Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, urged a public inquiry into the Pat Finucane murder.
What exactly happened inside the Maze Prison on December 27, 1997, remains a point of contention. Wright, a prominent figure in the Loyalist Volunteer Force, was shot dead by three republican prisoners. Three members of the Irish National Liberation Army were convicted of his murder in October 1998 and sentenced to life in prison. But for David Wright, the convictions didn’t tell the whole story.
In a letter dated March 3, 1999, Wright alleged that others were “actively involved” in the killing, going beyond the three convicted men. This followed an inquest in February 1999, where he testified that his son’s murder was “State arranged, State sponsored and State sanctioned.” The jury’s verdict included the unsettling phrase “person or persons unknown, unobserved and undetected,” suggesting a wider conspiracy.
Wright’s plea to Ahern was direct: he requested a meeting to “present my case fully.” He followed up on May 4, 1999, frustrated by the lack of response, despite Ahern having met with Paul Nelson, the husband of murdered human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson, “at short notice.” He also pointed to Ahern’s comments regarding the death of another human rights lawyer, Pat Finucane, shot in 1989.
“I am at a loss to understand why I am not afforded the same courtesy,” Wright wrote in a letter marked “for your urgent attention.” He feared the silence stemmed from his family’s perceived lack of connection to the Nationalist community, accusing the Irish Government of “indulging in selective justice and adopting a discriminatory attitude.”
On May 21, 1999, David Feeney from the Office of the Taoiseach responded, citing Ahern’s “heavy schedule of commitments” as the reason for declining a meeting. However, Feeney offered to arrange a meeting between Wright and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
A public inquiry eventually took place in 2010, following a recommendation from Canadian judge Peter Cory. The inquiry found no evidence of State collusion in Wright’s murder, a conclusion that continues to be disputed by some.
International Pressure for Justice in the Finucane Case
The newly released files also shed light on international pressure surrounding the death of Pat Finucane. On April 23, 2004, a group of US senators, including Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, wrote to then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, urging a public inquiry.
The senators’ letter followed the completion of the Cory Collusion Inquiry, which examined several deaths during the Troubles, including those of Finucane, Wright, Nelson, and Robert Hamill. Judge Cory found evidence in the Finucane case that warranted a “further and more detailed inquiry.”
Despite the Cory report, public inquiries were announced for Wright, Nelson, and Hamill, but not Finucane. This prompted the US senators to intervene, arguing that a delay would “undermine public confidence.” They urged Blair to reverse the decision and hold an inquiry “without more delay.”
The British government finally confirmed a public inquiry into Finucane’s murder in September of last year, with Gary Hickinbottom appointed to chair it in June of this year. The inquiry is expected to begin its work soon.
Stakeknife and Sinn Féin’s Internal Struggles
The files also reveal the fallout from the 2003 revelation of Stakeknife’s identity – widely believed to be Freddie Scappaticci – a British army agent within the IRA. The Operation Kenova report found Scappaticci was a “critical person of interest” but he died before facing charges.
The disclosure caused a “huge internal distraction” for Sinn Féin, according to senior figure Ted Howell, during a meeting with a Department of Foreign Affairs official. It also complicated efforts to persuade Gerry Adams to support policing policies.
Ahern’s Concerns Over Ethics Legislation
Looking back further, the files reveal that then-Minister for Finance Bertie Ahern had reservations about proposed ethics legislation in 1993. He opposed requirements for office holders to declare the interests of their spouses and children. Similar concerns were voiced by then-Minister for Defence David Andrews, who deemed the legislation “very extreme and quite unwarranted.”
A Billion-Dollar Oil Investment That Never Materialized
The papers also detail a mysterious $1 billion proposed investment by Saudi Arabian financiers in Ireland’s oil facilities in the mid-1990s. The plan involved a new refinery and a significant stake in the Irish National Petroleum Corporation, but officials expressed concerns about the proposals’ quality and the investors’ competence, describing some submissions as “gobbledygook.”
Diplomatic Ticket Troubles for U2’s Joshua Tree Tour
Finally, a lighter note: Irish diplomats in 1987 sought tickets for U2’s sold-out Joshua Tree tour to promote Ireland’s image in the US. The effort led to an “embarrassing situation” when some diplomats submitted overly ambitious guest lists.
[Based on documents 2025/127/100, 2025/127/92, 2025/127/106, 2025/115/737, 2025/124/247, and 2025/124/461].
What do these historical documents tell us? They reveal the enduring complexities of the Troubles and the long shadow it casts on present-day politics.
