Woman thinks about brother-in-law’s Troubles death every day
Rory McClay was shot dead at his front door.
A woman who had to tell her sister that her husband had been murdered still thinks about it every day.
Rory McClay was shot dead by loyalists at his front door in 1993 when he was aged 25.
Kathleen O’Rawe broke the news to her sister that Mr McClay had just died in east Belfast.
She has created an artwork reflecting her memories of the Troubles.
Ms O’Rawe said: “It is really hard for my sister.
“It is her story but this is my part that I played with her, telling her that her husband was dead.
“People keep saying to you get over it, it is over and done with, but it is not, it is still in your head every day.”
Her sister was 33 at the time of her husband’s death and had four children.
They have never found out what happened.
Ms O’Rawe said: “We are still waiting on the police to tell my sister that her husband is dead and that is 25 years ago.”
She is from Belfast and aged 57, a widow, a mother and grandmother.
She created the artwork comprising a series of photos taken at her childhood home off the Springfield Road in West Belfast. Her father’s old camera hung to one side.
During the Troubles it was a sanctuary from the violence outside.
She said: “I wanted to show my life of being in a secure home, once we went in the door was closed but when we were outside the door tragedy happened to us too.”
Her dad’s chair features in the photographic work, part of the Through Our Eyes exhibition in Belfast.
Ms O’Rawe added: “We were so loved.”
