In 48 hours they're due to pick up a 'People of the Year' award in Dublin
but the McCartney sisters have nothing to wear. "After the week we've had,
dresses are the last thing on my mind. I'd go in jeans if I could," says
Catherine.
It's been one of the toughest periods for the sisters since their brother
was murdered. A close family friend, John McKay, was badly beaten by
loyalists as he walked home from a function for Robert.
He was critically ill in hospital but his condition has improved. "Big John
is a gentleman, Thank God he will be okay," says Paula.
She could hardly believe it when, a few days later, Provisional IRA members
beat another friend of their brother's, Jeff Commander, with sewer rods and
iron bars: "One of them produced a knife. If local people hadn't intervened
and stopped the attack we'd be standing over another grave."
When Paula arrived at the scene, a woman pointed at her and shouted: "We
should beat the face off her."
Then, there was a picket outside the home of Bridgeen Hagans, Robert's
fiancée. "It's like living in an open-air asylum," says Paula. "This is a
very sick society. Wherever you turn there's violence, you can't get away
from it."
Receiving the award will be a "big morale booster", she says: "When we walk
into that room we'll know everyone there is a friend, which means the world
to us. We're so honoured to win.
"It shows the people of Ireland want justice for Robert. It's just a tiny
minority in the Short Strand who don't. They need to catch themselves on, to
have a good think about their actions and morals."
Bridgeen Hagans says her children Conlaed, 5, and Brandon, 2, were petrified
by the picket at their home. "There were 40 or 50 protestors outside the
door. The kids were vomiting with nerves. They asked me if the crowd were
'coming in to get us'. I was shaking.
"The crowd started cheering. I just closed the blinds, turned up the TV and
locked the door. They scared the life out of us. Some of the women
protestors have kids in Conlaed's class at school; other women on the picket
work at the school. It'll be great to get away to Dublin for the award. I'm
delighted there are people on our side."
Sometimes, the sisters and Hagans become disheartened. Almost eight months
later only Terry Davison has been charged with Robert's murder and Jim
McCormick with the attempted murder of Brendan Devine.
"The police tell us 15 people were involved in the stabbings and clean-up
operation and that five can be charged with murder and 10 with other
offences. So we've still a long way to go," says Catherine. "Sometimes the
slow progress discourages us," admits Paula, "but it doesn't deter us. Not
for one second have we thought of giving up."
Indeed, the assault on Commander, a father of five, has made the sisters
even more determined. "After all that has happened, these IRA men brought a
knife to the scene. Have they learned nothing?" Paula asks.
The Sunday Tribune has been given the names of the six men who beat
Commander. It is alleged four of them were also involved in the McCartney
murder or clean-up operation. Another two IRA men, including the senior GHQ
staff figure who gave the order to kill McCartney, were also present but
didn't participate in the assault on Jeff Commander.
"It was really brutal," says Paula. "Jeff's wife Sinead was screaming at
them to stop, she even ripped the t-shirt off the back of one of them.
Another of the attackers shouted at her 'Fuck up. You'll take it and you'll
like it.'"
One of the gang was himself shot in the foot in an internal IRA punishment
attack two years ago – he had broken into a woman's bedroom wearing a
balaclava.
"If they do this to Jeff in a street, in full view of witnesses, what
wouldn't they do?" asks Catherine. "I don't accept these people are defying
the IRA. They're not stupid men. They know they'll get away with it."
Catherine is worried about Bridgeen who has become "our sixth sister".
"She's very vulnerable because she's in that house on her own with two kids.
She is buying a new house in north Belfast but it won't be built until
January and these people want her out of the Short Strand now."
Paula says all these daily challenges mean they can't afford to think of
Robert too much: "It would be so emotionally draining and we need every
ounce of strength."
Yet small, ordinary things bring him to mind: "He loved action movies and
I'll hear about a new one released and think 'Our Robert will have to go and
see that' and then I remember, he's not there."
Last weekend's benefit function was held in the Edge nightclub where Robert
was a bouncer. "It was organised by the Liverpool supporters' club, Robert
was their number one fan," says Paula. "At the end of the night, the DJ
played his favourite song, 'Mary's Prayer' by Danny Wilson. It was very
moving."
Robert McCartneys' parents who have stayed out of the campaign – their
daughters say it would be too traumatic for them – were due to attend the
awards' ceremony in Dublin. "But this week's events have left them too upset
to go, though our aunts and uncles are coming down with us," says Paula.
On the eve of the trip, Paula finds an outfit: "I lifted it from the rack,
didn't even have time to try it on. It's a wee navy skirt and camisole and a
velvet jacket. I'll dress it up with diamond earrings."
The sisters and Bridgeen will be off again in a fortnight to pick up another
award in Berlin. "Our campaign has taken us all over the world," says Paula.
"We've been to Washington, Strasbourg, Brussels and London. Everybody has
been great. But where we need results is at home in Belfast – that'll be the
real test of our campaign."
