Denis Donaldson Murdered In Donegal

I’m stunned this evening to read about the shooting of Denis Donaldson, the former Sinn Fein head of administration. According to the BBC:

…a neighbour had found Mr Donaldson’s body on the floor of his house with a gunshot wound to the head….Mr Donaldson moved out of his Belfast home last December, and had been living in a run-down cottage without electricity or running water in County Donegal.

For once, I can echo the words of Gerry Adams: “We are living in a different era, and in the future in which everyone could share”. In the back of my mind, I suspected that Donaldson might be a target, but ruled it out because, as Adams said, times have changed.

Moreover, Ian Paisley has waded in. Not to offer words of consolation to Donaldson’s family, of course. No, he’s using it to justify (yet again) his entrenched position. Congratulations, Reverend Paisley, I’m glad to see the human element didn’t win over the usual political sentiments.

Given Donaldson’s connections to both the IRA and British intelligence agencies, there will certainly be some speculation as to who was behind his murder. Details are still emerging and the full story isn’t likely to be known for a few days yet. Fingers will be pointed in all directions.

I have to say that some responsibility must lie with the Sunday World, for tracking the man down and broadcasting his whereabouts to the world at large. Surely an ill-conceived plan all for the sake of a story?

As I said earlier on, I’m a bit shocked at the events still unfolding. However, John’s words from earlier today are still ringing in my ears and my thoughts (and hopefully yours too) are with the family of this man.