Killing of Majella O'Hare
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Short description|Irish schoolgirl shot by a British Paratrooper}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Majella O'Hare
| image =
| birth_date = {{circa}} 1964
| birth_place = Ballymoyer, Northern Ireland
| death_date = 14 August 1976 (aged 12)
| death_place = Whitecross, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
| death_cause = Gunshot wounds
| known_for = Being killed by a British soldier
}}
Majella O'Hare ({{Circa|1964}} – 14 August 1976) was a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was shot in the back by a British paratrooper while walking to church in Whitecross, in August 1976.
Killing
On 14 August, 1976, Majella, along with some friends, was going to St. Malachy's church in Whitecross. As the group passed a security checkpoint, British paratrooper Pvt. Michael Williams shot Majella twice in the back with a general-purpose machine gun, from around 20 to 30 yards away.{{Cite web |title=Ministry of Defence says sorry for killing of Majella O'Hare {{!}} Military {{!}} The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/mar/28/ministry-defence-apology-majella-ohare |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=amp.theguardian.com}}
Majella's father Jim and her brother Michael O'Hare were allegedly harassed by the British paratroopers when attempting to give aid to Majella.
Majella was airlifted to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.{{Cite web |title=Majella O'Hare: Call for independent investigation into death of schoolgirl |url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/majella-ohare-shot-independent-investigation |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=www.amnesty.org.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Newry Memoirs - Remembering The Murder Of Majella O'Hare |url=http://www.newrymemoirs.com/stories_pages/rememberingmajella_1.html |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=www.newrymemoirs.com}}
Trial
Williams was initially charged with murder by the RUC, but this was later reduced to the lesser charge of manslaughter. In 1977, during his trial, Pvt. Williams claimed in his defence that a IRA sniper had shot at him, and that Majella had been caught in the cross fire, although there was no evidence to corroborate this claim. Nevertheless, he was acquitted of manslaughter by the judge, Maurice Gibson, sitting alone without a jury in a Diplock court.{{Cite web |title=Brother of girl shot by British soldier ‘devastated’ killer may be granted amnesty |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/brother-of-girl-shot-by-british-soldier-devastated-killer-may-be-granted-amnesty-1.4557740 |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}
In 2011 the British government formally apologized for both the killing of O'Hare and the acquittal of Williams.