Maguires seek peace

Press, 2 June 1977, Page 4

Maguires seek peace

PA Auckland To walk the streets safely, to start a new life, and to forget .. . These are the thoughts uppermost in the minds of the Maguire family who arrived in Auckland from Belfast yesterday.

The Maguires lost three of their children last August — killed by a runaway car with an I.R.A. terrorist at the wheel.

“We just want to forget everything,” said Mr Jackie Maguire. “We are just glad to be here.”

He and his wife, Anne, their son, Mark, aged seven, and sister-in-law, Patricia, were met at Auckland Airport by Anne’s brother, a North Shore busdriver, Mr M. Corrigan, with whom they will live initially. The Corrigan’s are _ the sisters and brother of Mairead

Corrigan, founder of the Peace People Movement. Mr Maguire, a mechanic, says he is looking forward to starting all over again.

“Okay, so we’ll talk about why we have come now. But then that’s it,” he said. He had written ahead to Mr Corrigan asking that they be able to slip quietly into their new country without publicity. But word got out, and a phalanx of cameras awaited them at the door of the airport arrival lounge. Coming to New Zealand will not mean turning their backs on Ireland, Mr Maguire said. “We will go back one day perhaps — but on holiday.” Bringing out young Irish people who wanted to escape the paramilitary groups was a good idea, he said. “I don’t think it will introduce the troubles here.”

He and his family are not

part of that scheme although they have close connections with it.

Mairead Corrigan, of the Peace People Movement, negotiated the “escape” scheme with the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) last year. She formed Peace People as a result of the Maguire tragedy. Patricia Corrigan, an office worker, said leaving the troubles was a relief. “At least we will be able to walk in the streets safely.” She said her brother had talked her into coming to New Zealand, but it upset their mother, who did not want to lose any more of the close-knit family. Mrs Maguire thinks hen parents will probably come to] New Zealand on a visit. I “I have always wanted to

come here — I have always fancied the idea of New Zealand,” she said.