DESPITE its image of peace and good community relations, the Donaghmore area has witnessed a series of horrific murders by the security forces, loyalist and republican paramilitaries.

International demands for a Public Inquiry followed the killing of a local teacher, Teresa McAnuff, home on holiday from England. She was shot dead by masked �Specials,� during a raid on her family home in the townland of Shinn.

After the musicians had been ordered off, a bomb was placed on the showband�s van in the darkness. It exploded prematurely, killing two of the gang. Their comrades opened fire on the band members, killing three and critically injuring a fourth, who survived and raised the alarm.

Meanwhile, the Provisional IRA publicly apologised for shooting dead Glenn John Martin�s GFC player/manager, Sean McShane, in a bookie shop at Monaghan Street, Newry in 1983. The murder, which evoked widespread anger and condemnation, was explained as a case of �mistaken identity�.

The Donaghmore area had been the scene of numerous house raids in 1921, so the McAnuff family at Shinn were not surprised by loud knocking on the front door on that fateful night in July. Their home had already been searched several times.

Indeed, an Inquest was later told that, two weeks earlier, James McAnuff had been fired on through a window, as he was going to open the door, and that �awful language� had been used. He was told to �come out, so that you can be shot.�

Three masked men had entered the house, one firing a revolver, the bullet lodging in a wall. The intruders had searched the house, despite being told that there were no weapons. James was threatened that, if he reported the incident, the gang would �return and burn the house over your head.�

Teresa McAnuff (aged 30), who was the Superintendent at St Anne�s Nursery School in Bradford, was home on a ten-day holiday. Also in the house on the fateful night in July, were her widowed mother, - confined to her bed, - a brother, James and a cousin, Jim Haughey.

Awakened by loud hammering on the front door and barking of the dogs, James had come down the stairs, and found his sister already in the kitchen. There was a �terrible lot of shouting and shooting around the house,� the inquest was told.

When lamps were lit inside the house, there were shouts from the darkness outside: �Lights out; lights out.� But James told his sister to keep the lamps lit.

A voice called through the broken window-pane for the �man of the house� to come outside, so that he could sign a document to the effect that he �would not take part in any ambush or encourage murder.�

Another voice shouted: �Send him out. He was in the ambush on Sunday evening.� But James responded that he could prove that he had not left the farm, after returning from church that day,�

Teresa McAnuff told the gang that her brother was willing to sign the document, if it was passed through the window-pane. But they insisted: �Bring him out; bring him out.�

She opened the front door and told the raiders to come in, as all the occupants were unarmed. A number of men then entered, the leader having his face painted as a disguise. He also spoke with an assumed accent. A document was produced for James to sign.

Teresa stated that she agreed with its contents, that she was opposed to violence and murder, and hoped that it would soon cease. The man in charge asked if the house had been raided, and was told that it had been searched several times. But there were spontaneous shouts from the rest of the party: �It must be searched again.�

At this stage, James McAnuff noticed that one of the intruders was twitching nervously at the trigger of his rifle, and was making a threatening movement. A companion tried to restrain him, at which point a shot rang out, extinguishing the lamp. But the one in the kitchen remained alight.

The Inquest was told that, after the shot was fired, Teresa staggered towards the churn. Her brother dashed over and caught her in his arms. The officer in charge turned to the others and demanded: �Who did that?" There was no response.

Ordering his men out of the house, the officer warned James McAnuff: �We will come back and burn your house, if you report this matter.�

On seeing two youths at the front door, James appealed to them: �For God�s sake, get a priest, - this lady is dying.� Shortly afterwards, there was a knock on the door, which he had barred. When it was opened, two men �peeped in� and then departed, without saying a word.

Dr H.J. Grant from Newry told the Inquest that he had examined the victim�s body and discovered a bullet wound, which had entered the right breast bone, with an exit wound close to the spine. Death had been due to shock and haemorrhage.

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