'Times have changed, I have moved on': Co Derry man convicted of terrorism offences from the 1970s
A Co Derry man who was sentenced in connection with terrorism offences dating back to the 1970s has said he has moved on with his life and has poured his energy into his music and writing instead.
Joe Kelly, from Dungiven, was sentenced to six years imprisonment, suspended for five years, on October 8 after being convicted of possession of explosives and possession of firearms with intent to allow others to endanger life.
The offences date back to February 16 1976 when Kelly was said to have electronic detonators and pressure mats in his possession.
He was also accused of having two Walther pistols and a Browning pistol in his possession on the same date.
Speaking following the recent sentencing, the 73 year-old acknowledged his involvement in republican activity following Bloody Sunday when British soldiers shot 26 unarmed civilians during a protest march in the Bogside area of Derry in January 1972.
“I was in Derry on Bloody Sunday but I didn’t see any shooting. I was young then and I would have been taken to all the civil rights marches. After Bloody Sunday, we felt we had to defend ourselves, all we were looking for was equal rights. An army was put together and they gathered up sympathisers, recruiting as many as they could. After that it was a defence mechanism. We just thought we had to defend ourselves because we thought ‘are we going to be the next ones killed?’
“A peace agreement was supposed to have been made when there was a ceasefire in 1975/1976. Anyone who was armed was arrested in different places they were staying and they ended up in jail.
“My friends, without naming anybody, and a few of us got together and thought that the defence situation wasn't really working so we had to form some ways of protecting the people.
“We were encouraged to break the ceasefire in 1976, and they arrested a lot of people who they suspected of being involved and that’s how I ended up in jail.”
In May 1976, Kelly was being held in Long Kesh prison when he escaped along with nine others and travelled to the Republic.
Extradition proceedings were launched but Joe remained in the south of Ireland until 2003 when he returned to Dungiven.
On June 12, 2024 police attended his home and arrested him on foot of a bench warrant.
“I wasn’t sentenced for anything back then (in 1976), I was just being held in jail when I escaped.
“After getting out of prison, I went away, and I was away for years. I thought it was safe and I thought everything was over and done with. The Good Friday Agreement was signed, so I came back home.”
Joe says he ‘has not been involved in any activity’ since he left jail in the seventies.
“Those days are behind us now. There's better days ahead of us, I hope. The military end of it is over because it never really worked, it was just tit for tat, that is what it was.
“I’m glad it’s all over, I just want to put it all behind us and would like to see the fighting on the streets about who’s who stopping. Grow up and get on with your lives. This running about shooting and bombing won nothing.
“Really, at the end of the day, I have no bitterness against any person standing up for their rights if they are right, I understand, but I'm home now to have a bit of peace.”Joe has spent the last 40 plus years focusing on his writing and says it gives him ‘great contentment’.
“I started writing in 1983. I was always into music, I grew up with it and I messed about with instruments. I used to listen to the older people singing and I would have listened to the history of the songs so I decided it was something I would love to do. When I started taking an interest in writing I wasn’t involved in any organisation, I was finished with everything so I filled the gaps out with music, writing and working with animals. I am very content now.
“Hopefully the paramilitary activity can stop because it just doesn’t work any more. Let’s get together and get on with a decent life the best we can. Times have changed, I have moved on. I am very content with life and getting on with my writing. I lived through a nicer time when I started writing,” he added.