Political Prisoner and Activist.∼Gerry Conlon was a member of the Guilford Four that spent 14 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of being IRA bombers.
Gerry Conlon was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up in the poor, but close-knit community on the Lower Falls Road. He described his childhood as a happy one. His father was Giuseppe Conlon, a factory worker. And his mother was Sarah Conlon, a hospital cleaner.
When Gerry was 20 years old, he went to England to seek work and to escape the everyday violence he was witnessing on the streets of Belfast. He was living with a group of friends in London when he was arrested for a deadly 1974 bombing in the city. Gerry along with fellow Irishmen Paul Hill and Paddy Armstrong, and an English woman by the name of Carole Richardson, became known as the "Guilford Four", and was convicted in 1975 of planting two bombs in 1974 in the London suburb of Guilford, which killed five people, and injured dozens more. The four were sentenced to life in prison.
Gerry Conlon continued to protest his innocence, insisting that police had tortured him into making a false confession. In October of 1989, his position was vindicated. The Guilford Four went to the Court Of Appeals in London that ruled police had fabricated the hand written interrogation notes used in the conviction. There was crucial evidence proving that Gerry Conlon could not have carried out the bombings had not been presented at the original trial.
A group of Conlon's relatives, collectively known as the "Maguire Seven", were convicted being part of the bombing campaign and also spent time in prison. Among them was his father Giuseppe Conlon, that traveled from Belfast to London to help his son mount a legal defense, and he died in prison in 1980. Later in 1991, the Maguire Seven were also exonerated. Because scientists had falsely asserted that the hands of each defendant had tested positive for nitroglycerine.
After emerging from the Court Of Appeals as a free man, Gerry Conlon stated the following: "I have been in prison for something I did not do. I am totally innocent. The Maguire Seven are innocent. And let's hope the Birmingham Six are freed." Gerry Conlon was represented by human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, that also secured the release of the Birmingham Six.
Gerry Conlon had an articulate voice to communicate to the world his experience of injustice in his book, "Proved Innocent" that was published in 1991. After that book, he became a leading character in the film, "In The Name Of The Father", where his character was played by Sir Daniel Day-Lewis.
After his release from prison, Gerry Conlon had problems adjusting to civilian life. He suffered two nervous breakdowns, attempted suicide, and became addicted to drinking alcohol and doing various drugs. He eventually recovered and began to campaign for various miscarriages of justice in Great Britain and around the world.
Towards the end of his life Gerry Conlon battled lung cancer for a lengthy period before his death on June 21st, 2014 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is survived by his partner, daughter, and two sisters, Ann & Bridie Conlon.
Gerry Conlon had his funeral service at St. Peter's Cathedral in West Belfast. He was later laid to rest and buried at Milltown Cemetery. Family and friends paid their respects for the person they loved.
Gerry Conlon was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up in the poor, but close-knit community on the Lower Falls Road. He described his childhood as a happy one. His father was Giuseppe Conlon, a factory worker. And his mother was Sarah Conlon, a hospital cleaner.
When Gerry was 20 years old, he went to England to seek work and to escape the everyday violence he was witnessing on the streets of Belfast. He was living with a group of friends in London when he was arrested for a deadly 1974 bombing in the city. Gerry along with fellow Irishmen Paul Hill and Paddy Armstrong, and an English woman by the name of Carole Richardson, became known as the "Guilford Four", and was convicted in 1975 of planting two bombs in 1974 in the London suburb of Guilford, which killed five people, and injured dozens more. The four were sentenced to life in prison.
Gerry Conlon continued to protest his innocence, insisting that police had tortured him into making a false confession. In October of 1989, his position was vindicated. The Guilford Four went to the Court Of Appeals in London that ruled police had fabricated the hand written interrogation notes used in the conviction. There was crucial evidence proving that Gerry Conlon could not have carried out the bombings had not been presented at the original trial.
A group of Conlon's relatives, collectively known as the "Maguire Seven", were convicted being part of the bombing campaign and also spent time in prison. Among them was his father Giuseppe Conlon, that traveled from Belfast to London to help his son mount a legal defense, and he died in prison in 1980. Later in 1991, the Maguire Seven were also exonerated. Because scientists had falsely asserted that the hands of each defendant had tested positive for nitroglycerine.
After emerging from the Court Of Appeals as a free man, Gerry Conlon stated the following: "I have been in prison for something I did not do. I am totally innocent. The Maguire Seven are innocent. And let's hope the Birmingham Six are freed." Gerry Conlon was represented by human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, that also secured the release of the Birmingham Six.
Gerry Conlon had an articulate voice to communicate to the world his experience of injustice in his book, "Proved Innocent" that was published in 1991. After that book, he became a leading character in the film, "In The Name Of The Father", where his character was played by Sir Daniel Day-Lewis.
After his release from prison, Gerry Conlon had problems adjusting to civilian life. He suffered two nervous breakdowns, attempted suicide, and became addicted to drinking alcohol and doing various drugs. He eventually recovered and began to campaign for various miscarriages of justice in Great Britain and around the world.
Towards the end of his life Gerry Conlon battled lung cancer for a lengthy period before his death on June 21st, 2014 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is survived by his partner, daughter, and two sisters, Ann & Bridie Conlon.
Gerry Conlon had his funeral service at St. Peter's Cathedral in West Belfast. He was later laid to rest and buried at Milltown Cemetery. Family and friends paid their respects for the person they loved.
Political Prisoner and Activist.∼Gerry Conlon was a member of the Guilford Four that spent 14 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of being IRA bombers.
Gerry Conlon was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up in the poor, but close-knit community on the Lower Falls Road. He described his childhood as a happy one. His father was Giuseppe Conlon, a factory worker. And his mother was Sarah Conlon, a hospital cleaner.
When Gerry was 20 years old, he went to England to seek work and to escape the everyday violence he was witnessing on the streets of Belfast. He was living with a group of friends in London when he was arrested for a deadly 1974 bombing in the city. Gerry along with fellow Irishmen Paul Hill and Paddy Armstrong, and an English woman by the name of Carole Richardson, became known as the "Guilford Four", and was convicted in 1975 of planting two bombs in 1974 in the London suburb of Guilford, which killed five people, and injured dozens more. The four were sentenced to life in prison.
Gerry Conlon continued to protest his innocence, insisting that police had tortured him into making a false confession. In October of 1989, his position was vindicated. The Guilford Four went to the Court Of Appeals in London that ruled police had fabricated the hand written interrogation notes used in the conviction. There was crucial evidence proving that Gerry Conlon could not have carried out the bombings had not been presented at the original trial.
A group of Conlon's relatives, collectively known as the "Maguire Seven", were convicted being part of the bombing campaign and also spent time in prison. Among them was his father Giuseppe Conlon, that traveled from Belfast to London to help his son mount a legal defense, and he died in prison in 1980. Later in 1991, the Maguire Seven were also exonerated. Because scientists had falsely asserted that the hands of each defendant had tested positive for nitroglycerine.
After emerging from the Court Of Appeals as a free man, Gerry Conlon stated the following: "I have been in prison for something I did not do. I am totally innocent. The Maguire Seven are innocent. And let's hope the Birmingham Six are freed." Gerry Conlon was represented by human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, that also secured the release of the Birmingham Six.
Gerry Conlon had an articulate voice to communicate to the world his experience of injustice in his book, "Proved Innocent" that was published in 1991. After that book, he became a leading character in the film, "In The Name Of The Father", where his character was played by Sir Daniel Day-Lewis.
After his release from prison, Gerry Conlon had problems adjusting to civilian life. He suffered two nervous breakdowns, attempted suicide, and became addicted to drinking alcohol and doing various drugs. He eventually recovered and began to campaign for various miscarriages of justice in Great Britain and around the world.
Towards the end of his life Gerry Conlon battled lung cancer for a lengthy period before his death on June 21st, 2014 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is survived by his partner, daughter, and two sisters, Ann & Bridie Conlon.
Gerry Conlon had his funeral service at St. Peter's Cathedral in West Belfast. He was later laid to rest and buried at Milltown Cemetery. Family and friends paid their respects for the person they loved.
Gerry Conlon was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up in the poor, but close-knit community on the Lower Falls Road. He described his childhood as a happy one. His father was Giuseppe Conlon, a factory worker. And his mother was Sarah Conlon, a hospital cleaner.
When Gerry was 20 years old, he went to England to seek work and to escape the everyday violence he was witnessing on the streets of Belfast. He was living with a group of friends in London when he was arrested for a deadly 1974 bombing in the city. Gerry along with fellow Irishmen Paul Hill and Paddy Armstrong, and an English woman by the name of Carole Richardson, became known as the "Guilford Four", and was convicted in 1975 of planting two bombs in 1974 in the London suburb of Guilford, which killed five people, and injured dozens more. The four were sentenced to life in prison.
Gerry Conlon continued to protest his innocence, insisting that police had tortured him into making a false confession. In October of 1989, his position was vindicated. The Guilford Four went to the Court Of Appeals in London that ruled police had fabricated the hand written interrogation notes used in the conviction. There was crucial evidence proving that Gerry Conlon could not have carried out the bombings had not been presented at the original trial.
A group of Conlon's relatives, collectively known as the "Maguire Seven", were convicted being part of the bombing campaign and also spent time in prison. Among them was his father Giuseppe Conlon, that traveled from Belfast to London to help his son mount a legal defense, and he died in prison in 1980. Later in 1991, the Maguire Seven were also exonerated. Because scientists had falsely asserted that the hands of each defendant had tested positive for nitroglycerine.
After emerging from the Court Of Appeals as a free man, Gerry Conlon stated the following: "I have been in prison for something I did not do. I am totally innocent. The Maguire Seven are innocent. And let's hope the Birmingham Six are freed." Gerry Conlon was represented by human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, that also secured the release of the Birmingham Six.
Gerry Conlon had an articulate voice to communicate to the world his experience of injustice in his book, "Proved Innocent" that was published in 1991. After that book, he became a leading character in the film, "In The Name Of The Father", where his character was played by Sir Daniel Day-Lewis.
After his release from prison, Gerry Conlon had problems adjusting to civilian life. He suffered two nervous breakdowns, attempted suicide, and became addicted to drinking alcohol and doing various drugs. He eventually recovered and began to campaign for various miscarriages of justice in Great Britain and around the world.
Towards the end of his life Gerry Conlon battled lung cancer for a lengthy period before his death on June 21st, 2014 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is survived by his partner, daughter, and two sisters, Ann & Bridie Conlon.
Gerry Conlon had his funeral service at St. Peter's Cathedral in West Belfast. He was later laid to rest and buried at Milltown Cemetery. Family and friends paid their respects for the person they loved.
