Three young men, all CIE workers, died in car-bombings in Dublin in the early 1970s and yesterday their families came to the Coroner's Court glad that at last there was some recognition for their loved ones.
As their lawyer, Mr Cormac Ó Dúlacháin SC, pointed out in the courtroom, the deaths of the three men were less known in the public domain than those of the Dublin bombings in 1974.
He also poignantly described the families' "very lonely 30 years" in which they had not had the company of other victims' relatives.
Yesterday, they walked in a group of over 30 from the offices of the Justice for the Forgotten to the Coroner's Court. They had travelled from Dublin, Co Mayo, Co Tipperary, Scotland and England to attend.
Among them was the family of Mr Thomas Douglas, from Scotland, who worked in Dublin for four months before his death.
His brother, Mr Andy Douglas, who had come from Stirling said: "We welcome the reopening of the inquests although it has taken over 30 years."
Another brother, Mr Martin Douglas, from Preston, England, commented: "Nothing has been done by the Irish and British governments and they never acknowledged that we existed or that our brother existed. We feel good that it is now going ahead."
Another of those killed in December 1972 was Mr Thomas Duffy, a bus conductor originally from Castlebar, Co Mayo.
His widow, Ms Monica Duffy, yesterday said she felt it was a step in the right direction. "It is the start of something for us. We've been waiting over 30 years for this, it's a life-time for us."
It would be about closure in one way, Ms Duffy said. Nothing had been done for 30 years. Although there was going to be a report in September, it was the exception as the deaths had been ignored by politicians. There never was a proper investigation.
A brother, Mr Pat Duffy said: "I'm glad it's come to a head; we've waited 31 years. It will bring things to a close."
Mr George Bradshaw, a bus driver, was killed in the same bombing in December 1972.
His sister, Ms Rose Bradshaw, who came up from Fethard, Co Tipperary said: "We've felt terrible up to this very day. I'm glad its reopening and that we're getting somewhere."
Another sister, Ms Anna Bradshaw said she felt it was the beginning of the end of something and it was good it was reopened.
She said she had heard the planned memorial for the victims at Sackville Place was not going to be funded.
Later, a Dublin City Council spokeswoman said the funding for the memorial had not yet been approved.