A Fermanagh woman, Edith Kenny Howarth - whose family was caught up in the Darkley Church shootings in Co. Armagh 30 years ago next month - says she “would like to meet the gunmen” and tell them “how wrong they were.” Three men lost their lives in the attack at Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church, Keady, Armagh, on November 20, 1983, when Edith, her late husband Ronnie and three of their children were present to take part in the service. This Saturday evening, October 12, Edith, who was among those injured, plans to return to the country church for a Book Launch and Signing of ‘Fire on the Mountain’ - The True Story of the Darkley Church, Northern Ireland, by David Bell. The occasion marks the 60th anniversary of the Mountain Lodge Church and also 30 years on from the shootings.

Edith has contributed a piece to the book and shares her memories of the night - an event she tearfully admits she will never forget. Her late husband Ronnie was to take the meeting and the Kennys were there to perform as a singing group, known as the Kenny family, who sang at various churches. Another daughter Rachel was not with them that evening.

“We were invited to Darkley Church by Gary Anderson who lived in Enniskillen and was assistant manager in the Northern Bank at that time,” recalls Edith.

One of the elders of the church, she mentioned that he was going to bring them, but he ended up going into hospital and missed it.

She recollects: “We had only just arrived and taken our seats.” The congregation had started singing the first hymn, “Have You Been to Jesus” from Redemption Songs.

Edith’s daughter Janet was holding the hymn book when they heard the gunfire from the back of the church.

“A bullet went through the front of the hymn book,” said Edith, who recalls that a lot of bullets were fired.

The congregation “had gone to the ground,” indicated Edith, who had been “slow getting down and was struck on the jaw bone.” She continued: “I said to my husband I have been shot” and she remembers he gave her a handkerchief and told her “to still keep lying down.” Having returned to their feet, she recalls the crying and terrible upset following the incident.

According to Edith, the shooting was “all done from the back” of the church, and then outside. “They fired up and down the outside of the church,” she said.

Following the shooting, she went to the doctor’s surgery in Keady; she wanted to to get home to Fermanagh as she was concerned about her mother Bessie Wilson hearing about the shooting on the radio. She called her that evening but did not mention the incident and waited until first thing the next morning to tell her.

Edith holds vivid memories of the night - which claimed the lives of Victor Cunningham, David Wilson and Harold Brown, who had been outside greeting the congregation.

It continues to upset her and says she “would like to know why” it happened.

“I have no ill feeling against them,” said Edith, adding; “I would like to meet the gunmen and have a chat with them and tell them how wrong they were.” She says she would “point them to the Lord, which is most important. We are only here for a while.” For Edith, it does not feel like 30 years since the event, and for her this Saturday’s gathering will prove an emotional one. Joining her will be her second husband Ian, her daughter Rachel and husband David, and son Stephen, a pastor in Galway.

The compere will be Paul Clark of UTV and the guest of honour will be the Lord Mayor.

Over the years, Edith has made regular return visits to the church, where a new church has since been built, and she has always kept in touch with the congregation.

An unforgettable event, Edith admits “it still brings tears to my eyes to think of the sadness” and she refers to the families who lost loved ones.

She feels fortunate to have survived and says she thanks God every day.

In the years following Darkley, she lost her husband, Ronnie, who died from a cancer illness in 2003, aged 68, and in 2012, her 46-year-old son, Ronnie, whose “death was very sudden” and she admits: “It is still very difficult for me.” A member of Brookeborough Elim Church, she has a strong faith and says it has carried her through.

She takes comfort from the scripture reading Romans 8:31 - ‘If God be for us, who can be against us’. “It’s my favourite. It’s true when you think of it,” believes Edith.