Ian Jordan grew up in a farming family in Scotshouse, Co. Monaghan. In 1981 the family relocated to Newtownbutler, Co. Fermanagh, while retaining their holding in Scotshouse. Ian’s father purchased the property at Newtownbutler, which was once the home of UDR member, Bertie Hutchinson, who had emigrated to Canada as the result of intimidation. As Ian explains, the Jordan family were then in the eye of the storm, receiving threats on a continuous basis. He recalls his trips to school by bus and the hatred directed at him and his Protestant fellow students by their Catholic peers. In 1986, his mother’s brother, John McVitty who was a part-time member of the RUC, was shot in the back while working on his farm, and this tragedy had a profound effect on the family. Other traumatic events Ian experienced include the use of three of his contemporaries as human bombs during the Troubles. He also mentions the fact that his brother, Robert, would regularly give a lift in his car to his Catholic student colleague, Barry McDonald, who was later caught with guns in his car in England. Ian recalls an occasion when he attended the wake of a Catholic neighbour and was told that his grandfather was involved in an incident during a raid on Ian’s home in Scotshouse during the Troubles of the 1920s. He details his beliefs about the IRA’s lack of conscience with regard to their actions during the recent Troubles.
This collection, carried out by Irish Life and Lore on behalf of Cavan County Library Service, is funded by the EU Special EU Programmes Body Peace IV fund under the objective to build positive relations with people from different backgrounds and communities to support peace and reconciliation.
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