What a distinguished gentleman Stephen Travers is. He has maintained his dignity despite all he has been through and isn’t bitter or resentful. God bless you.
I remember all this happening. At the time I was working for Annesley Motors in Ballybough in Dublin, and I happened to be working on one of the VW vans belonging to the Miami Showband. I had to work a bit late in the evening and when I drove it out of the workshop, I remember a couple of young trendies looking guys waiting to pick it up. I remember thinking I envy those young guys, they have exciting jobs, they do not have work under cars all day. The next day my workmates told me what happened to the band, and I see the pictures in the newspaper of the very van I was working on the evening before, I wondered if those young guys standing waiting their van were among the dead. What a sad day for Irish music and for these young guys who only wanted to bring happiness to young people North and South.
Stephen is a gentleman he has fought for years for the truth behind the slaughter of his innocent band m8s. Stephen what a guy. Keep fighting Stephen. Its crazy to think the British soilders and there agent wanted to murder these innocent men in cold blood both Catholic and prodasants. Normal family men not caught up in this nonsense. These boys brought hope joy and happiness in the clubs they played. Rip to all them men that died. The Miami Showband lives on in memory to many thousands who seen them play. I here they were as famous as the beatles when they were in town.
A very interesting interview. Thank you Mr Travers for your courage in telling us about this obscenity committed against you and your friends, innocent musicians, trying to bring joy into peoples lives. I am a huge music fan, not relevant really any decent person would find this story sickening, but as a music fan it really hits me.
Thank you Stephen for your very thoughtful and dignified account of the massacre. It is captivating. I hope you, your fellow band members, and the families get the justice you deserve.
The Miami showband was targeted by loyalists death squads backed up by udr regiment in this attack plus Dublin and Monaghan attacks go straight to the heart from the British state
**TIMESTAMPS** 00:00 Intro, joining the Miami Showband 08:40 Stephen’s lack of awareness about the conflict in Northern Ireland 14:40 Lead up to July 31st 1975 19:25 THE NIGHT OF THE ATTACK 31:40 English officer arrives (“posh accent”) 39:00 UVF B*MB DETONATES PREMATURELY 47:00 How many gunmen were there ? 54:20 Thought on the Legacy & Reconciliation Bill (recorded before bill passed) 58:40 The weeks after the shooting 1:06:45 “I understand why I was shot” 1:07:50 Finding out who was behind the attack and who carried out the attack 1:14:30 WHO WAS THERE ON THE NIGHT (ROBIN JACKSON & ROBERT NAIRIC ?) 1:26:30 Would Stephen meet & speak with his would-be killers & NETFLIX DOC 1:39:40 Mentally accepting that there was British military involvement in his shooting
And the ghost of Robert Nairac still hovers in the depths of Ravensdale forest...disappeared near Forkhill on a sultry night in May 1977..his red Toyota Toledo abandoned in the car park. A cartridge of the Bellamy Brothers played earlier in the car..Robert Nairac was the great enigma but was he there that night outside Newry when the music died ? Or was it Julian Ball who died in a mysterious car crash circa May 1981, in Oman 🇬🇧🛡🇬🇧
your biggest sin in NI was that you provided an opportunity for protestant boys to meet catholic girls ,When Billy met Roisin .Then they got married .I was born in a very segregated town ,now i live in a town where protestant boys married catholic girls from my segregated town .I of course escaped to London ,met my future wife in Kilburn .............emifrated to new zealand .Now i,m back ...well done Stephen as the Maori say Kia Kaha
You said something that was and is still very insightful. The political mindset is that a split society wins votes. The future of NI is now in the hands of the young and all those not taught to think like the generations were taught for decades. I think as the years slip by the future for NI gets better because the young born after the GFA are bit by bit the future
Totally agree we the nationals of the past conflict have a big problem with the way we were treated by our southern neighbours. . Paid by british government s to turn a blind eye since 1921
My da played in the show and and even drummed for Van for a year. They were all outside of the troubles. Musicians that is. It was a mixed community but he has some stories from back then
Anne Cadwallader said that the Brits use the 3 D’s to keep their records secret and to avoid accountability: Denial, Delay and keep delaying until all those seeking justice are Dead.
Very cruel and evil the show band brought people together in this country the british state didnt want to happen they are guilty of ruthless murder and protect thier hit men to this day
It make you wonder why they tatgeted the band.... Ok I'm not from the northern hemisphere so i don't have a ",dog in the fight"... But im asking this with all due respect: were they being forced to carry stuff for the IRA?
They were picked out as high profile by UVF and Robert Nairac who organised the attack on the band. They wanted the British army and Irish Guardai to fortify the border. This would have stifled the Provisionals from crossing the border unimpeded.
