Hugh Henry Martin grew up at Carnan, Stewartstown and in February 1944 he married Georgina Elizabeth Ruddell, over the next 10 years they had 8 children, 2 boys and 6 girls, sadly one of the girls, Hazel, died at 1 day old.

He always put his family first and worked diligently all his adult life. His Church and faith were always important to him which kept him strong during many troubled times.

He spent his adult life giving service to his country (Northern Ireland). At 21 he joined the Home Guards and served from 1940 to 1944, he then joined the Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) and served 30 years until it was disbanded. In October 1970 he joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve (RUCR) part time and was stationed in Stewartstown, after 4 years he signed up full time and continued to serve through very difficult times.

His family, his service to his country and his Christianity are all symbolised within the square on this Memorial Quilt.

He was brutally murdered by cowardly terrorists at Carnan, Stewartstown on 2nd June 1977. Two young colleagues travelling in the same patrol car also lost their lives.

“Not just today but every day in silence we remember”

Alfie was married to Mary for almost 25 years. They had six children, three boys and three girls. He also had three brothers and three sisters with whom he was very close.

Alfie joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in 1969, before this he worked for the Water Board, he also had a small farm which he worked on. Alfie was an Orangeman and was a very keen fisherman.

He was murdered on his 50th birthday in a landmine explosion outside Loughmacorry, near Omagh along with his colleague Constable John Smyth.

Mary was a very genuine, caring person, she was also a Christian and lived a life of caring for her family and helping others out whenever she could. She stayed at home raising her six children, she loved cycling and walking. She never recovered from losing her soul mate. Mary died a year later of a broken heart.

The hands on the quilt are of four of their grandchildren who they never got to meet.

This square was made on behalf of one of their daughters Jean

Husband of the late Robina and father to Philip, Glenn (Late), Beth, Billy, Derek, Dougie, Sandra and Audrey.

Jim, a 50-year-old Protestant civilian, a widower with 7 children and a bus driver was a former member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). Mr. Gibson stopped his Ulsterbus to let children off at the Annaghmore crossroads when 2 masked men approached.

One of the gunmen entered the bus and opened fire. A 13-year-old girl was sitting in the front of the bus and said: “suddenly I heard shots. I saw Mr. Gibson. His head fell to 1 side and the bus was still moving because he had tried to drive on. The bus then went into the ditch. It was horrific”. Her 11-year-old brother said: “I was sitting in the 2nd seat from the back. I heard shots, about 7 or 8, and then 1 of the children in the front of the bus jumped up and told everyone to lie down and keep cool. A boy who was 14 managed to open the back emergency exit and we all crawled out”. A woman living nearby said: “I heard the crack-crack and I thought it was the bus backfiring. Then I looked out and he was slumped on the wheel. I was horrified. All the youngsters on the bus were in hysterics. I took 3 of them ... 2 boys and a wee girl into the house. They were in a bad state and they were all screaming”.

Mr. Gibson’s family said that his movements must have been watched because out of 29 weeks, he drove the bus only 1 week. Mr. Gibson was from Coagh but was living in Dungannon at the time.

Callously murdered on 2nd December 1982, whilst driving Catholic children home from school in Clonoe near Coalisland.

The tartan on our square is the ‘Gibson Tartan’

David grew up in Gortnaglush, Dungannon, the youngest son of Walter and Minnie Wilson and brother of Kenneth, Wilfred and Eric.

He married Hilary Dobson in September 1972 and they had two daughters Claire and Alison. He was a wonderful husband and father.

David was a faithful member of Donaghmore Upper Parish Church serving on the select vestry and as a church warden in 1985. He was a member of Newmills Silver Band, Newmills LOL 183 and Bloomhill RBP 1147.

David was a member of Newmills Boys Brigade for many years and was Lieutenant in the Company section 1969 - 1970, and Captain 1975 - 1976.

David ran his own hardware business in Castlecaulfied village from February 1974 until his murder in Donaghmore by IRA gunmen on 17th May 1986.

This memory square was designed by David’s wife Hilary, daughters Claire and Alison and was made by Betty Burrowes (a family friend).

‘Never a day passes without a thought of you’

Ned was born in Coagh, County Tyrone 11th July 1965, the youngest son of Stewart and Betty. He had two brothers Evans and John also two sisters Lyn and Alison. Alison died at the age of 18 as the result of a car accident.

Ned’s education was spent in Tamlaght Primary School, Cookstown High School, and Omagh Training Centre.

At 16 years of age Ned met Wendy from Omagh when they were at a dance. The 50cc motorbike represented on this quilt square signifies his mode of travel while courting Wendy. Of course a nickname was given as it was only a 50cc, it was referred to as Ned on his flying 5-0 as it would have taken him 2 hours to get from Omagh to Coagh and of course there would have been a few stops for a smoke break during the journey.

Ned and Wendy were married on the 14th April 1984 in Edenderry Presbyterian Church Omagh with their reception in Hanover House, Coagh which his Uncle Bryson owned at the time. The significance of the roses on the quilt is for their daughter Marlene who was born in March 1985. On this occasion the nurses teased Wendy about the young man bringing 4 red roses behind his back and 3 meant I love you…..Wendy’s reply was that 4 meant I love you forever.

The collerette represents the orange lodge Tamlaght LOL 160, of which Ned was a member following in his father and brothers footsteps.

As like any other young couple they struggled with family life, there was tough times financially as neither of them had jobs. In his short life he had a variety of jobs, from joinery, bacon factory, bar, until finally he was successful in employment with Cookstown Council.

In 1987 things improved and they decided to buy a house via co-ownership and then Ned made the decision to join the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) part time. Ned was so proud when he brought home his kit bag, Wendy never got to see him in his uniform as 8 weeks after he joined 26th April 1988 the Provisional IRA (PIRA) terrorists murdered Ned while he was at his full time job in the council, collecting bins at 15 Aneeter Road, Coagh. He was 22 years of age.

Our small family has never been the same but has survived despite the PIRA terrorists trying to destroy us. We will never get over the loss of Ned, husband, father, son, brother, friend but we have learnt to live with it and remember him every day.

God has been kind enough to bless us with Mia, born 13-4-2015 a granddaughter for Ned and Wendy. Mia knows all about her granda Ned and how he was murdered

Leslie was born at Urbal lane, Coagh the son of James and Eleanor Dallas. He had 3 sisters and 4 brothers. He was educated at Coagh Primary and Cookstown Secondary School. On leaving school he trained as a car salesman, first with Sam Bell Motors, Cookstown and then with Joe Reid Car Sales, Portglenone before he started his own business Dallas Motors, Main Street, Coagh. He married Hazel Sommerville from Newmills and they had 2 children Elaine and Alan.

Leslie enjoyed playing football and snooker, but his main love was motor sport. He had success in Auto test events, rallies and hill climbs, and then took up Hot Rod Racing. He excelled in this sport with many wins including World of Wheels Grand Prix at Newtonabbot, the UK and Scottish Open Championship in Cowdenbeath, national Hot Rods Association Championship at Ipswich. This success culminated in his winning the European Championship in 1986. The family enjoyed travelling with him to these events.

He enlisted with the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) on 26th January 1972 and served in ‘G’ Company in Cookstown. He resigned later that year. On 7th March 1989 Leslie and Hazel had just returned from Cookstown and stopped at the garage to wait for the children arriving on the school buses. As they were chatting to two friends Ernie Rankin and Austin Nelson a car approached from the Urbal Road a gun man got out and sprayed Leslie’s car and garage with more than 50 rounds of automatic fire. Hazel was lucky to survive but the three men died at the scene. Minutes later the school buses arrived carrying Leslie’s children, Elaine and Alan, they both had to witness the horrific scene of their father’s murder.

Leslie was buried at Coagh Presbyterian Church and is commemorated in the church and in Coagh Orange Hall.

This square was designed by his wife Hazel.