Only a Gypsy!

IN A CORNER OF the playing fields in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, there is a little shrine with images of the Virgin Mary, Jesus, photographs of Johnny Delaney, plastic flowers, toys, and birthday balloons. Johnny's name is written in ribbons on the wire fence. This is where Johnny Delaney was killed on 28 May, 2003, only a few days before his 16th birthday.

Racial violence

With four friends he was visiting at the time, he went to a local shop where a group of youths verbally abused them. When they tried to defend themselves from the racial insults, they were physically attacked. As they were running away Johnny fell on the grass and, while he was lying there, he was brutally kicked in the head and body. He died in the arms of a local resident who tried to resuscitate him. Witnesses recall that in an attempt to justify the attack, one of the youths said He deserved it; he was only a Gypsy.
When the news appeared in The Guardian with the headline 'Brutal Death of Travelling Child', the photo of Johnny smiling and the sadness of his mother touched my heart. It seemed such a senseless death, and I asked the Delaney family if we could visit them.
It was a sunny Saturday in June when Carlos Reyes-Manzo and I drove to Liverpool to visit the Delaney family at the Tara Park site near the docks. The place is sheltered behind a high wall and the community of Irish Travellers live in two rows of mobile homes. In one, Pat and Winnie Delaney live with Johnny's two brothers and four sisters. Two children were playing with a puppy, while others were racing on bicycles, the older girls looking after the younger children. You could feel that a tragedy had enveloped the community.

Bereaved family

Winnie, surrounded by her daughters, welcomed us into her home. Johnny was smiling from a photograph protected by a crucifix. Over a cup of tea they told us how they had often been subjected to racial attacks. They couldn't accept that Johnny had been murdered so brutally just for being a Gypsy. I believe that if this had happened in another community, there would have been a big outcry, one of Johnny's aunts told us.
While we were talking Johnny's cousin, Margaret 8, came running in, radiant and dressed in white, her blond curly hair held back by a tiara like a fairytale princess. She had just received First Holy Communion at Our Lady of Reconciliation Catholic Church. Her cousin Miley Doran 17, asked especially to be photographed with her. A few weeks later Miley became very ill and died in hospital on 10 August. His mother Margaret, Winnie's sister, also lost a son and the family's suffering multiplied.
At Miley's funeral Mass the sadness and music mingled with family and friends' memories of Miley. There was a final goodbye at the site, the funeral car stopped in front of Miley's home and they played out his favourite song, If tomorrow never comes by Ronan Keating. We were all overcome by the feeling of the moment. The car continued slowly through the site, then everyone rushed into their cars and quickly disappeared on their way to Ireland where Miley was buried in the family grave.

Funeral postponed

After a lengthy delay, Johnny's body was finally returned to his family by the Chester Crown Court coroner. His family announced that the funeral was to take place in Ireland on 26 September.
As we were driving up from London, two silver Rolls Royces joined the M6 at Junction 9, one carrying a coffin, and sped past us into the distance. We realized that they were carrying Johnny's body. When we arrived at Our Lady of Reconciliation the silver Rolls Royces were waiting there with Johnny. Floral tributes came from family, friends and organisations including a large mobile phone made from silver flowers.
Winnie and Pat arrived with their children. It is impossible to describe the suffering of his parents at this moment. If the youths who killed Johnny could feel how his family felt at that moment I doubt there would be any more racist attacks. The coffin was carried on the shoulders of his father, brother, uncles and cousins. The Mass began with an Irish traditional, The fields of Athon Rye, and they played, If tomorrow never comes, also Johnny's favourite.
The following morning after Mass there was a final goodbye from the Community, and then we set off with Johnny on his journey to Ireland. On the way we stopped at the playing fields in Ellesmere Port where Johnny was murdered. After a short moment of prayer we continued on our way to Holyhead, and took the ferry to Dun Laoghaire. After disembarking we made our own way to Bagenalstown in County Carlow, and arrived in time for the reception of the body at St Andrew's Church. Accompanied by the organ, and a small but strong choir everyone sang The Lord is My Shepherd, Ave Maria and recited one decade of the Rosary.
Esther Roberts the organist at St Andrew's told us The Delaneys and Dorans are very loyal to their dead. They come over for funerals and for the Cemetery Mass in June every year. The graves are beautiful.
When we walked through the town we could feel the antagonism towards Travellers among locals. The landlady of a hotel, who had offered bed and breakfast to two families for the night, told us she was very worried that there could be trouble.
Rays of sunshine lit the church, filled with family and friends from all over the UK and Ireland who came to attend the funeral Mass. After the service, Pat Delaney led the group carrying his son's coffin to the car, and there was a short drive to the cemetery, the final resting place of the Delaneys. Family and friends gathered round the grave while Johnny was gently lowered, and after a final blessing everyone threw handfuls of soil to say farewell to Johnny.

Charged hearings

After a series of delays, the trial of the two accused youths opened at Chester Crown Court on 17 November. It was cold and raining, and Johnny's family waited nervously outside before entering the court. The entrance was guarded by two police officers, in the corridors there were more police officers with body armour. They were anticipating a mob of Travellers to riot in court. The courtroom was severe and dark, on one side sat the family of the accused, on the other Johnny's family.
In the afternoon the court heard an account of events that led to Johnny Delaney's death. Witnesses' accounts described how the confrontation began when Johnny and his friends were called Gypsy bastards. Johnny was kicked to death as he lay on the ground of the playing fields after falling in the attempt to run away from the group of youths.
After the two youths, both aged 16, were found guilty of manslaughter, the judge, Mr Justice Richards said, I make it clear that I do not regard this a racially motivated killing, as was opened by the prosecution.
Detective Chief Inspector Jed Manley however, of Cheshire police, said he still considered the killing had been racially motivated. It was recorded as a racially motivated incident on the first day of the inquiry under the definition given by the Lawrence inquiry because of certain comments made at the scene of the incident.
Outside the court Pat Delaney, Johnny's father, said, There is no justice here. They were kicking my son like a football. Are they going to let this happen to another Gypsy? Every travelling person is going to be upset by that verdict. As far as we're concerned it was a racist attack. I have lost my son for life. This has left a big hole in our family. He was a very polite lad who never did anything wrong. He didn't deserve this.
After the verdict, Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality said, There has been some measure of justice in this ruling, though it is extremely hard to see how this particular killing wasn't motivated in some way by racial prejudice. It would be most disturbing if the attack wasn't considered racially motivated because the victim wasn't black or Asian. The extreme levels of public hostility that exist in relation to Gypsies and Travellers would be met with outrage if it was targeted at any other racial group.
On the anniversary of Johnny's death, on 28 May, we joined family and friends in Ellesmere Port for a commemoration Mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church where Johnny's sister Nellie read a poem written by his sisters and cousins. Later, in the relentless rain, the community gathered in the playing fields to remember Johnny in a service led by Fr. Philip McGovern. Pat Delaney unveiled a plaque in memory of his son and overcome by emotion said, This is a very sad day.