In Memory of Jim Dixon – A Tireless Advocate for Innocent Victims

It is with deep sorrow and profound respect that FAIR – Families Acting for Innocent Relatives – announces the passing of Jim Dixon, a cherished friend, tireless campaigner, and courageous survivor of the Enniskillen bomb.

 

Jim’s life was irrevocably changed on that tragic day in November 1987, when the IRA detonated a bomb during a Remembrance Day service, killing 11 innocent people and injuring dozens more. Though wounded, Jim emerged from the devastation with a quiet determination to ensure that victims of terrorism would never be forgotten, and that their voices would be heard.

From those dark beginnings, Jim became a beacon of hope and resilience in the victims sector in Northern Ireland. He was a leading figure in the historic Long March which highlighted the plight of innocent victims and demanded justice. His leadership and moral clarity inspired many to join the cause and stand firm against the tide of revisionism and political expediency.

Jim’s legacy was further cemented through his founding of the Ely Centre in Enniskillen, a vital support hub for victims and survivors of terrorism. Under his guidance, the Ely Centre became a sanctuary of healing, advocacy, and remembrance, offering practical help and emotional support to those whose lives had been shattered by violence.

Throughout his life, Jim remained steadfast in his principles: truth, justice, and dignity for innocent victims. He was a man of strong Christian faith, quiet strength, unwavering conviction, and deep compassion. His work touched countless lives, and his absence will be felt across the entire victims community. Speaking of the PIRA bomb attack on Remembrance Sunday he recalled his own injuries

“My skull was fractured in a number of areas. My eyes were sitting down on my cheeks when the doctors found me. They had to put my eyes back into place. My mouth was blown out. My jaw was missing on the right-hand side. I was split open nine inches from my chin to my ear. My face and tongue were paralysed. I had nine broken ribs. My pelvis, two hips and one leg were smashed. Three surgeons told me I wouldn’t live. It’s a miracle I survived. The time I spent in hospital was horrendous. I was in intensive care for a very long time.”

FAIR mourns the loss of a true hero and extends our heartfelt condolences to Jim’s family, friends, and colleagues at the Ely Centre. We share in their grief and honour his memory with gratitude and pride.

Jim Dixon’s legacy will endure in every life he helped rebuild, every truth he defended, and every step he took toward justice.

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