9th September
Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
Wednesday 9 September 1971
A British soldier was killed trying to defuse a bomb near Lisburn.
Thursday 11 September 1975
Harold Wilson, then British Prime Minister, together with Merlyn Rees, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, held a meeting with Margaret Thatcher, then leader of the Conservative Party, to brief her about a number of matters including Northern Ireland.
[On 3 May 2006 the Irish News (a Belfast based newspaper) published details of confidential cabinet minutes that had been taken at the meeting. The minutes reveal that the British government was aware of collusion between the security forces, particularly the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR), and Loyalist paramilitaries.]
Thursday 9 September 1976
The leaders of the main churches in Ireland issued a statement supporting the Women’s Peace Movement.
Wednesday 9 September 1992
Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), together with Peter Robinson, then deputy leader of the DUP, walked out of Strand Two of the political talks (later known as the Brooke / Mayhew talks). The politicians left because Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution were not the first item on the agenda for the talks. Two members of the DUP remained in the talks as ‘observers’.
Friday 9 September 1994
John Taylor, then Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), said that he believed that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) ceasefire was “for real”.
Monday 9 September 1996
The ‘General Head Quarters’ (GHQ) faction of the Irish National Liberation Army announced that the group was disbanding. This decision followed the killing of Hugh Torney on 3 September 1996.
This marked the ending of a feud within the INLA which started with the killing of Gino Gallagher on 30 January 1996.
This latest feud had claimed six lives.
The Stormont talks resumed after a break during the summer. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the United Kingdom Unionists brought a complaint against the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) and the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) for breach of the ‘Mitchell Principles’ because of their failure to condemn threats made against Billy Wright and Alex Kerr; both Loyalists from Portadown, County Armagh.
The Irish Times (a Dublin based newspaper) published the details of a poll, one of the results of which showed that two-thirds of people in Northern Ireland thought the Stormont talks would fail.
Tuesday 9 September 1997
Sinn Féin Signed Mitchell Principles
Petrol bombs were thrown at the homes of two Catholic families in the Protestant Ballykeel estate in Ballymena, County Antrim.
[One of the families, who had been living on the estate for 33 years, decided to leave their home following the attack.]
Representatives of Sinn Féin (SF) entered Stormont, Belfast, to sign a pledge that the party would agreed to abide by the Mitchell Principles.
[See 11 September 1997 for the reaction of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).]
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), and the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) all refused to attend the session at Stormont. The PUP and the UDP held meetings with Adam Ingram, then Security Minister, to discuss the situation of Loyalist prisoners
. A number of UDP supporters took part in a protest outside the gates of Stormont. Madeline Albright, then Secretary of State of the United States of America (USA), asked the Attorney General to suspend the extradition to Britain of six men who were former members of the IRA.
Thursday 9 September 1999
Patten Report Published The Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland was released and was accompanied by a statement from the author Chris Patten. Patten called on Catholics to join the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). It contained recommendations for a radical overhaul of the police service in the region. The proposed changes to the ethos, composition, training and structure of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) met with a mixed reaction. David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), described it as “the most shoddy piece of work I have seen in my entire life”, and there were strong objections from rank-and-file RUC officers.
The UUP also issued an initial statement on the report. Many criticisms related to the proposed change to the name and symbols of the RUC. Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), issued a statement about the proposals.
The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) statement and the Sinn Féin (SF) statement indicated that the two parties were prepared to view the document positively. Marjorie (Mo) Mowlam, then Secretary of State of Northern Ireland, issued a statement. The Irish government issued a statement on the report. The Police Federation for Northern Ireland also issued a statement.
There was a sectarian attack on a 13 year old Catholic student attending Hazelwood Integrated College in north Belfast. The young boy was attacked by three loyalists and beaten with baseball bats and shot in the stomach with a pellet gun. The attack happened near the White City estate in Belfast. Police said the motive for the attack was sectarian.
William Billy Giles
There was an inquest in Belfast into the death by hanging of William Giles (41). Giles had been part of an Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) gang which had abducted and killed Michael Fay (25), a Catholic civilian, on 20 November 1982.
Giles had been released from prison in 1997 after serving 15 years of a life sentence. It was claimed that Giles had hanged himself out of remorse.
See here for more info on: Billy Giles ,Life & Death
Remembering all innocent victims of the Troubles
Today is the anniversary of the follow people killed as a results of the conflict in Northern Ireland
To the innocent on the list – Your memory will live forever
– To the Paramilitaries –
“There are many things worth living for, a few things worth dying for, but nothing worth killing for.
6 People lost their lives on the 9th September between 1971 – 1988
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09 September 1971
David Stewardson, (29) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed attempting to defuse bomb at Castlerobin Orange Hall, Drumankelly, near Lisburn, County Antrim.
See: The Long Walk – Iconic Pictures & Story behind them
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09 September 1975
George Quinn, (41)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Found shot near Turf Lodge roundabout, Springfield Road, Belfast.
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09 September 1985
James Burnett, (28) nfNI
Status: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA),
Killed by: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
From County Dublin. Found shot, Killeen, County Armagh. Alleged informer.
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09 September 1987
Patrick Hamill, (29)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Died several hours after being shot at his home, Forfar Street, off Springfield Road, Belfast.
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09 September 1987
Harry Sloan, (38)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot outside his home, Alliance Parade, Belfast. Mistaken for off duty Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) member.
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09 September 1988
Colin Abernethy,
(30) Protestant
Status: Civilian Political Activist (CivPA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Ulster Clubs member. Shot while travelling on train to his workplace, Finaghy, Belfast
Main source CAIN Web Service
Major Events in the Troubles
- The Shankill Butchers – Documentary & BackgroundDuring the 1970s a group of Protestant paramilitaries embarked on a spree of indiscriminate murder which left thirty Northern Irish Catholics dead. Their leader was Lenny Murphy, a fanatical … Continue reading The Shankill Butchers – Documentary & Background
- Sergeant Michael Willetts 13th Aug 1943 – 25th May 1971In memory of Sergeant Michael Willetts , GC & all other members of HM Armed Forces murdered by Irish Terrorists. See below for the full story of this brave … Continue reading Sergeant Michael Willetts 13th Aug 1943 – 25th May 1971
- Bloody Friday Background & Documentary – 21st July 1972.Bloody Friday is the name given to the bombings by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Belfast on 21 July 1972. Twenty-six bombs exploded in the space of … Continue reading Bloody Friday Background & Documentary – 21st July 1972
- Omagh Bombing – The IRA’s Deadliest Massacre of CiviliansOmagh Bombing – The IRA’s Deadliest Massacre of Civilians See real IRA page See 29 people Slaughtered by the Real IRA The Omagh bombing was a deliberate massacre of … Continue reading Omagh Bombing – The IRA’s Deadliest Massacre of Civilians
- The Shankill BombDisclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in these documentary are soley intended to educate and provide background information to those interested in the Troubles of Northern Ireland. They … Continue reading The Shankill Bomb
See: 10th September
Belfast Child 