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Peace People: The Northern Ireland campaign group born from tragedy

Gerry Grehan describes losing his niece and two nephews in 1976 and how it became a turning point in the campaign to end sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.

It is 50 years since a peace movement began in Northern Ireland spawned by the killing of three children.

There had been seven years of sectarian violence.

On 10 August 1976, Anne Maguire was walking along Finaghy Road North in West Belfast with her children when an out-of-control car plunged into them. It was driven by a member of the Irish Republican Army paramilitary group who had been fatally wounded at the wheel by British Army soldiers chasing him.

Six-week-old baby, Andrew, who was in his pram and eight-year-old Joanne, who was on her bicycle were instantly killed. Their brother John, just two-and-a-half, died the following day in hospital. The children’s uncle, Gerry Grehan, tells Josephine McDermott about the life-changing tragedy and how it resulted in the Peace People, founded by Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown.

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(Photo: Betty Williams (left) and Mairead Corrigan lead a peace rally in 1976. Credit: Getty Images)

Release date:

11 minutes

On radio

Fri 21 Aug 2026 07:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 21 Aug 2026 07:50GMT
  • Fri 21 Aug 2026 11:50GMT
  • Fri 21 Aug 2026 17:50GMT
  • Fri 21 Aug 2026 21:50GMT
  • Sat 22 Aug 2026 02:50GMT

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