Family of tragic Grimley couple from Madden pay tribute to Darkley church for financial support during anniversary of deadly INLA attack

Relatives of a south Armagh couple who died after a tragic road accident have paid tribute to support from a Protestant church which was marking the 40th anniversary of a deadly terrorist attack. Watch more of our videos on Shots! and live on Freeview channel 276

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By Philip Bradfield Published 23rd Nov 2023, 12:37 GMT

Updated 23rd Nov 2023, 18:06 GMT Patrick Grimley, from the village of Madden in south Armagh, was killed in a four vehicle collision near Markethill on 4 November as he returned from celebrating his 40th birthday in Dundalk. His wife Ciera passed away a week later from injuries sustained in the same accident, leaving the couple's three children, Tadgh (14) Mya (13) Cadhla (11), without parents.

Also suffering fatal injuries in the collision was her friend, Ciara McElvanna, 44, a married mothe- of-four from Armagh. Lorraine Grimley, whose husband is Patrick's uncle, said they have been overwhelmed by the support they have received so far from the Madden community and further afield. Lorraine said that a donation was made to the family before the GoFundMe appeal was launched by a Protestant church where three members were shot dead 40 years ago on 20 November.

She said it shows that such a horrific loss impacts everyone, no matter where they are from.

Patrick and Ciera Grimley passed away after a road accident in Markethill on 4 November. A fundraising website for their chilren, Tadgh (14) Mya (13) Cadhla (11) has raised GBP311,000 so far. This last family photo was taken on a night out only hours before the couple died.

They sent their children home early in a different vehicle.

Three men, Harold Browne, Victor Cunningham and David Wilson, were all killed when the INLA opened fire on Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church near Darkley, Co Armagh, in 1983 as the congregation of men, women and children sang hymns inside. "Grief is grief no matter your breed or denomination," said Lorraine. "Before the GoFundMe, here in Madden, the people here -- religion doesn't come into it -- we all have different interests but we're all trying to rear our own children and this has affected the Madden people. "What stuck out with us with Darkley is they had a memorial and they thought of us in their grief.

They lost parents that night too so it just made it more inspiring to come down to the family with the donation," the Belfast Telegraph reported. The couple's home village of Madden is only 7.5miles north of the Mountain Lodge Church.

Patrick's brother, Liam, told UTV: "It's very, very tragic."It is like your worst nightmare, multiplied by 1,000.

You think it will never happen to me."Especially Patrick, he was like the leader in our house. There was no way it could be him."Patrick's family describe him as a worker, a natural born leader and sport-mad. He was the secretary of his local GAA club.

But his great love was his three children and wifeTuesday marked their 14th wedding anniversary."That's another milestone, that just comes up on you," he added.Liam said the children had been slowly recovering.

They held a small celebration yesterday for Cadhla's 11th birthday."Small wee things to help give them some normality... it is a lot to understand."

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