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Welcome to the Sixth Page of the Ludlow family's website for the Seamus Ludlow Truth and Justice Campaign.
Last updated:16/01/03
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A photograph of Seamus Ludlow (47), Thistlecross, Mountpleasant, Dundalk, County Louth, who was abducted and murdered by Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR)/Red Hand Commando on 1/2 May 1976.
His Loyalist killers were never brought to justice while Seamus was smeared as an informer allegedly shot by the IRA. These lies continued until 1998, when the full awful truth of Loyalist/UDR involvement and a police cover-up to protect the guilty, began to emerge. Seamus Ludlow's family are demanding public inquiries to uncover the full truth behind this grave injustice.
Seamus Ludlow came from a close-knit Catholic family with roots in counties Louth and Meath. He was a bachelor and a forestry worker who lived in his lifelong home at Thistlecross, just south of the Irish border. He lived in his life-long home, along with his elderly mother Mrs. Annie Ludlow and his married sister Mrs. Nan Sharkey, her husband John (who is now deceased) and their family.
Seamus got on very well with all of the Sharkey children, with whom he had a very close and loving relationship. Jimmy Sharkey, the nephew who roomed with Seamus, and was particularly close to him, has been actively involved in the Ludlow family circle's long search for truth and justice
This is a photograph of Seamus Ludlow's mother Mrs. Annie Ludlow, who died 9 January 1978, aged 81 years. Mrs. Ludlow was very ill at the time of her son's murder and the family feared the possible consequences for her health if she was told the full awful truth of her son's death. To spare her the heartbreak that would come from knowing the true facts of Seamus Ludlow's death, the family decided to tell her that Seamus had died in a road traffic accident. Mrs. Ludlow went to the grave without being told that her son had been murdered.
One sister Mrs. Eileen Fox, lived with her husband Tommy (now deceased), and their family in a newly-built bungalow within a few yards of the Ludlow-Sharkey home. Tommy was a close friend and a workmate of Seamus. Another married sister, Mrs. Kathleen Donegan and her husband Kevin (now deceased), lived with their family in Dromintee just across the border in County Armagh. Seamus visited his sister in Dromintee on several occasions, and he often helped out with gardening work.
Two brothers Kevin and Paddy Ludlow, and a half-brother Barney Larkin (all married with families) lived in Dundalk. Kevin Ludlow has remained at the forefront of the Ludlow family's search for truth and justice throughout the last 24 years, helped by his nephew Jimmy Sharkey.
Sadly, Paddy Ludlow, and Barney Larkin, and their wives also, are now dead. They died before the fulfillment of their dearest wish, of uncovering the truth behind the murder of their brother Seamus. They went to their graves denied the truth that is now emerging. Their families today remain committed to the campaign for truth and justice, with Brendan Larkin and Brendan Ludlow playing particularly prominent roles on behalf of their individual branches of the Ludlow family.
At the time of Seamus Ludlow's murder, his mother, the widowed Mrs. Annie Ludlow was aged 79 and she was very ill. Mrs. Ludlow, whose maiden name was McArdle, came from the nearby Kilcurry, Faughart and Monascreibe area of County Louth. Before her marriage to the late James Ludlow, a Meathman, she was married to a man named Larkin from the Killeavy district of South Armagh. Mrs. Ludlow died less than two years after her son's murder without ever being told the full awful truth of his death. The family had made a collective decision to spare her from knowing that her son Seamus had been murdered.
Instead, they told her that he was a victim of a fatal road traffic accident on the dangerous N1 Dublin-Belfast road which passes by the front gate to the Ludlow-Sharkey house at Thistlecross, Mountpleasant. It was a difficult decision to make but in the circumstances it was the only decision that could be made. How could anyone tell a very ill woman that her only son, who in many ways was still her child, had been murdered and that terrible things were being said about him.
Seamus Ludlow was a man of simple pleasures who lived only for his beloved mother, and his family including many nephews and nieces who loved him. He was very contented in his outdoor job at nearby Ravensdale Forest, where he worked with his brother-in-law Tommy Fox and his nephew Jimmy Fox. Seamus was a hard worker who could often be seen gardening or digging deep wells for water throughout the district. He was fond of playing the harmonica, with which he excelled, and he enjoyed many other social activities. Seamus also took pleasure from the social enjoyment he found among friends in local public houses in Dundalk or along the border. Known to be a very kind man in his community, Seamus Ludlow was often to the fore in local charitable activities including playing the role of Santa Claus for local children at Christmas time.
Right: Seamus Ludlow seen as his family
fondly
remembers him in happier times. Here he is dressed as
Santa, with his sister-in-law Kitty Ludlow (now deceased), the
wife of his brother Paddy, and nephews Peadar and Brendan. This
photograph appeared in The Sunday Press, 9 May 1976. The photograph
links to the text of two national Sunday press reports from May 1976. (Picture
from a cutting kindly supplied by Monsignor Raymond Murray.)
The Sunday Press, 9 May 1976, commented on Seamus Ludlow's charitable activities:
". . . Seamus Ludlow, a 48-year-old worker in a timber yard, was the man who for many years acted as Father Christmas to hundreds of young children in the Border town. He used to go from door to door in the big Marian Park estate for a number of years distributing presents on behalf of the local tenants' association. And he was also the number one Santa Claus in demand for functions and parties throughout the town.
"But it was not only the children of Dundalk who were appalled by his mystery murder last week. For Seamus Ludlow was a man with no enemies, who worked tirelessly on behalf of charitable organisations and was a friend to anybody who needed his help..".
Seamus Ludlow's nephew, Jimmy Fox (then aged 16), who worked with him at the timber yard of Mr. Danny Phillips (now deceased), at Ravensdale, was quoted: "Uncle Seamus never got into arguments and was an honest hardworking man. If they had known him for half a day they would never have killed him. He was full of fun and trickery."
This photograph of the Seamus Ludlow memorial plaque, at the scene of the crime, links to the Text of the independent Report produced by British Irish RIGHTS WATCH (BIRW).
Seamus Ludlow was not a republican nor was he involved in the political situation just over the border. Indeed, Seamus Ludlow was a member of Fine Gael, the major party in the ruling coalition government at the time of his death. The family is particularly dismayed that his party in government appears to have allowed his death to be covered up. Indeed, it seemed strange that, despite claims that he was murdered by the IRA, no members of that notoriously anti-republican coalition government were present to show solidarity at his funeral at nearby Calvary Cemetery, at Ravensdale.
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Return to Home Page.
Go to Bulletin Board.
Go to Profile.
Go to Seamus Ludlow's Last Day,
or Family excluded from Seamus Ludlow's inquest,
and The Victims Commission Calls for a Private Inquiry.
Go to Map of Killers' Route into Dundalk.
See also Argus newspaper 30 August 1985,
The Dundalk Democrat reports the publication of investigative journalist Joe Tiernan's controversial new book, The Dublin and Monaghan Bombings and the Murder Triangle
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© 2003 the Ludlow family. All rights reserved.
Revised: January 16, 2003
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