Research by the Women's Resource and Development Agency has spotlighted the dangers of firearms in cases of violence against women in Northern Ireland. The Belfast-based group presented findings to Stormont’s Justice Committee last week. The work drew from accounts by 19 domestic abuse victims and stressed gaps in gun licensing processes.

A key catalyst was a Maguiresbridge incident last year where a man used a legally held firearm to kill a woman and her two children. This event occurred as the agency began its study in early 2025, prompted by a survivor’s outreach for support on weapons and abuse.

The survey, conducted from August to October 2025, found 47.4 percent of respondents experienced abuse worsened by an abuser’s firearms ownership. Nearly 86 percent felt unsafe with guns in the home. Most had not been consulted during licensing, and many backed reforms to vetting.

Earlier Fermanagh cases add context to these concerns. On February 27, 2008, a deliberately set fire killed Denise Gossett, 45, her daughter Sabrina, 19, son Roman, 16, and granddaughter Morgana Quinn, 16 months old, at a bungalow on Molly Road near Derrylin. A man was convicted of the murders after evidence showed prior poisoning and restraint.

In May 2017, Concepta Leonard, 51, died in her Maguiresbridge home from stabs by her former partner, who then killed himself. Her son was also stabbed while intervening. She had obtained a court order against him beforehand.

Pauline Kilkenny, 59, was found beaten and stabbed 28 times in her home near Belcoo in November 2018. Her sister discovered the body after she missed work. A man received an indeterminate sentence with a 10-year minimum for her manslaughter.

The agency outlined recommendations including expanded background checks on domestic abuse records, partner interviews, ongoing monitoring, and home visits. It also urged linking firearm access to family court custody decisions and boosting support for survivors.