A Short Strand mother whose sons were wrongly implicated in the murder of Robert McCartney has called for an end to a campaign of abuse against her family. Tensions have been high in the nationalist enclave ever since the Short Strand man became the victim of a savage knife attack on the night of January 30.
Gwen Brennan, whose two sons were in Magennis's bar on the night of the killing but had left by the time of the fatal stabbing, says her sons are now being subjected to vicious verbal abuse. Mrs Brennan, who works with special needs children, says that since Mr McCartney's death the unfounded rumours surrounding her sons' involvement have taken over her life.
"It is the first thing that I think about when I wake, and the last thing before I go to bed. I can't wait to get to work to take my mind off it," says the visibly distressed Clandeboye Gardens woman.
The names of Mrs Brennan's sons came into the public domain after they appeared in press reports alleging they were members of Sinn Féin who were suspended from the party for the duration of the investigation. This was true of one of her sons, but not of another who is not a party member. Mrs Brennan felt that the story was interpreted by some as proving their involvement in the murder.
"It was absolutely horrendous because it was bad enough that it was thought that they were involved by some people in the district, but worse when it was in black and white and available for everyone to see."
Mrs Brennan was horrified by the brutal murder and attended the vigil which was held in the Short Strand the following week to show her solidarity with the family. She wants to see justice for Robert McCartney, but says that her sons are innocent, face no charges and have cooperated by providing statements to the Police Ombudsman.
She feels that a whispering campaign is unfairly implicating them in a crime in which they were not involved.
"Let the legal system deal with it. We can then get on with our lives and let the truth come out. Innocent until proven guilty isn't too much to ask for."
In the weeks following the murder the republican movement carried out an investigation, and passed on a number of names to the McCartney family.
As far as the movement was concerned neither of Mrs Brennan's sons were involved. However, despite no charges having been brought and the assurances of the republican movement, some people in the community are still intent on labelling Mrs Brennan's sons as murderers.
"People have been shouting at my family that we are murderers, stabbers and scumbags. One guy, a few weeks after, said to my son 'I heard you drove the men who used the knife away'.
"One of my sons works in a summer scheme and children would come up to him and say, 'My mummy says you are a murderer'.
"On another occasion another resident called him a 'murdering B' when he was organising an event for kids during the festival, in front of everyone – the whole community was there.
"I didn't even go to it myself, I stayed out of the way. What do you do when people bawl at you in the street? I don't want to be involved in any fight. I just want justice to take its natural course."
Mrs Brennan says that some in the community who snubbed her sons in the few weeks after the murder are now talking to them again and she is hopeful that this is a sign that the community is coming to realise their innocence.
To facilitate a reconciliation with those people in the community with whom there is friction, she is willing to enter into mediation through a third party.
"I find it terribly stressful and hurtful for people, albeit a small minority of them, to think that of you.
"I don't know who is behind it but it is orchestrated and someone is keeping it all simmering.
"I just want this over."
