TUV’s Stormont event to honour victims of terrorism and share untold stories

A special event at Stormont will bring together survivors and families affected by terrorism to mark European Day for Victims of Terrorism, with powerful personal testimonies set to highlight the lasting human cost of violence.

The annual commemoration, organised by Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), will take place in the Senate Chamber at Parliament Buildings at 11am on Monday 9 March, with refreshments available from 10:30am.

Announcing the event, TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said the day has been observed across Europe for more than two decades and holds particular significance for Northern Ireland given its history during the Troubles.

“Every year since the Madrid bombings in 2004 across Europe one day in March has been set aside as a Memorial Day to the victims of terrorist attacks. TUV has hosted an annual event to mark this occasion in Stormont.

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston speaking at last year’s event in Stormont Parliament Buildings

“Over the years, there have been highly successful events attended by victims of Republican and Loyalist terrorism from across Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Republic and continental Europe.

“This year’s event to mark European Day for Victims of Terrorism will be held in the Senate Chamber in Parliament Buildings at 11am on Monday 9th March.

“The event will take the form of a minute of silence in memory of murdered victims, followed by four victims telling their stories so that we might hear some of the untold accounts of the consequences of terrorism,  republican,  loyalist and Islamic.

“I believe this will be a worthwhile effort and in previous years I received very positive feedback from those who attended. It is but right that one of the regions of Europe most savagely ravaged by terrorism should mark this important day.”

The programme will feature four speakers whose lives have been profoundly shaped by acts of violence, each sharing a personal account of loss, survival, justice and resilience.

Travis Dylan Frain OBE BCA DL

Among them is Travis Dylan Frain OBE BCA DL, who survived the 2017 Westminster Bridge terrorist attack.

During a university study trip to London with classmates from Edge Hill University, he was struck by a vehicle driven by Islamist terrorist Khalid Masood. The attack killed five people and injured more than fifty, leaving Frain seriously injured.

Following his recovery, he became a leading advocate for victims of terrorism. In January 2018 he helped co-found the charity Survivors Against Terror, campaigning for improved state support for those affected by attacks and lobbying government for policy changes.

In November 2024 he was commissioned as the youngest Deputy Lord-Lieutenant in the United Kingdom.

John Sproule

Also speaking will be John Sproule from Castlederg, whose brother Ian was murdered in a Provisional IRA attack at the age of 24.

The Sproule family maintain that the Irish Government bears responsibility through what they believe was a Garda intelligence file passed to the Provisional IRA which was used to justify the killing.

For around 15 years, John Sproule has campaigned for justice for his brother, engaging with senior politicians and policing authorities both north and south of the border.

Denise Mullen

Denise Mullen will share the story of her father, Denis Mullen, who was murdered by the UVF in Moy, County Tyrone when she was just four years old. The killing forms part of the series of attacks linked to the Glenanne gang.

Mullen has continued to campaign for truth and accountability in the case, raising it across Ireland and in Britain.

A former SDLP councillor and later an Aontú councillor, she remains involved in a wide range of community initiatives focused on building a more equitable society.

Pastor Stephen Thompson

The event will also hear from Pastor Stephen Thompson, who will reflect on the long shadow of violence through his family’s experience during the Troubles.

In 1976, Thompson’s aunt, Yvonne Dunlop, a young mother of three, was murdered in Ballymena. The loss reshaped the family’s future, with Thompson’s grandparents stepping in to raise her children while coping with the grief that followed.

The trauma of the killing influenced major life decisions, including his family’s move to England during his childhood in search of safety and stability.

Today Thompson speaks about the enduring impact of violence across generations and the role faith played in his own journey from anger to forgiveness. His reflections focus on the human cost of conflict and the possibility of healing without denying the reality of pain or the need for justice.

The event will begin with a minute’s silence in memory of victims before the speakers share their experiences.

At a glance

• A Stormont event on Monday 9 March will mark European Day for Victims of Terrorism.

• The commemoration, organised by TUV, will take place in the Senate Chamber at Parliament Buildings at 11am.

• The programme will include a minute’s silence followed by four personal testimonies from victims and families affected by terrorism.

• Speakers include Westminster Bridge attack survivor Travis Dylan Frain and campaigners John Sproule and Denise Mullen.

• Pastor Stephen Thompson will reflect on his family’s loss during the Troubles following the murder of his aunt in Ballymena in 1976.

• The event aims to highlight the human impact of terrorism across republican, loyalist and Islamist attacks.