Man reunites with hero pastor who saved his life

A Good Samaritan has revealed the emotional moment when he reunited with the man whose life he helped save, following a bomb attack 50 years ago.

Former Royal Marine Commando and CID detective Derrick McCourt (83) was medically discharged from the RUC before coming the pastor of Ballykeel Pentecostal Church, where he served for 25 years. Antrim man Mark Kelly is on the board of the WAVE Trauma Centre, has run a number of businesses, was general manager of Antrim Community Enterprises Ltd and has spent his life advocating for victims of the Troubles, young people and those with disabilities, being awarded an MBE in 2000.

But in 1976, their worlds collided in the most horrific of circumstances. Derrick was heading home from a shift at Glengormley police station, while Mark had joined pals for a quick drink at a local bar to celebrate scoring three goals at a recent GAA match. .

20 seconds after he drove past the Glen Inn, Derrick saw a flash in his mirrors and heard the deep, bone-shuddering boom of an explosion. He quickly turned his car around and saw 'smoke billowing and the contents of the pub all over the road.’

"I was the first police officer on the scene and I was confronted with a picture of devastation.” he said.

“I was made aware that there might be victims inside the debris. I made my way through the rubble and smoke, breathing in the smell of cordite and burning flesh, which never left me, and was suddenly confronted with a body, covered in furniture and bricks. This turned out to be Mark, then only 18 years old, who had been sitting on a bench seat, literally on top of the bomb, which had been planted earlier in the evening. The light was poor, but I could see that both of his legs were missing from the knee down and his bones were exposed. I realised that Mark was still alive. I took off my tie and made a tourniquet around his right leg above what was left of his knee. It was then I was joined by a uniformed police officer who I knew, and he attended the remains of Mark's left leg. Mark came around and began to talk and we we just comforted him as best we could. We then found a wrecked interior door and we used it as a stretcher and carried Mark to safety."

Emergency services then arrived and the uniformed officer took Mark to hospital. Miraculously, Mark survived. But such was the carnage on the streets of Northern Ireland on a daily basis in the 70s, Derrick went on home and never thought of Mark again. Early in 1977, the former Royal Marines commando Derrick was caught up in another bombing which killed his neighbour's young child, and sent him flying through the air and into another garden. During his police career, he held countless dying people in his arms and was first on the scene at some of the worst atrocities.

"Some of the scenes I don't want to remember, but I can't stop remembering," he said.

"Because I was a Christian, I was often sent to deliver the worst news and I spoke words that changed many a person's life."

And then, less than a year after the Glen Inn attack, Derrick himself was horrifically wounded in a shooting, which eventually ended his police career. He went on to become a well-respected pastor and had three children with his late wife of 58 years, Betty.

He continued: "Back in those days we were having three or four murders during the night and like many others, I was involved in so many horrendous incidents, there was no counselling, no back up, nothing. When I was injured so badly myself, priest even came to give me the Last Rites. What happened that night when I met Mark was just buried somewhere at the back of my head."

But a recent chance glimpse at an article about the work of the WAVE Trauma Centre brough the memories of that night flooding back.

Derrick said: "I read about the outstanding work Mark had done with youth work and helping other victims of the Troubles. For his endeavours he was awarded the MBE. When I saw that he was a double amputee, and had been involved in a pub bombing, I wondered if it might be that young man I had come across 50 years ago. And it was! I called the WAVE Trauma Centre and they confirmed it was him and they put us in contact."

The pair met at Derrick's house after 50 years and went out for coffee.

Said Derrick: "It was memorable occasion. This man rose from the ashes of adversity and is an example of how to cope in dire circumstances'."