Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
13th November
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Wednesday 13 November 1968
William Craig, then Home Affairs Minister, banned all marches, with the exception of ‘customary’ parades, in Derry from 14 November 1968 to 14 December 1968.
[The exception of ‘customary’ parades meant that Loyalist institutions could parade but civil rights marches would be banned.]
Friday 13 November 1981
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a bomb attack on the home of Michael Havers, then British Attorney-General, in London.
The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) prisoners issued a statement indicating that on 1 December 1981 they would end their protest over the issue of prison work. The SDLP held its annual conference over two days (13 – 15 November 1981).
Sunday 13 November 1982
Gerry Adams, then Member of Parliament (MP) for West Belfast, was elected President of Sinn Féin (SF) and the party’s annual Ard Fheis.
[Adams replaced Ruairí Ó Brádaigh as President in a development that demonstrated the movement in political power from Republicans based in the south of Ireland to those in Northern Ireland.]
Tuesday 13 November 1990
Alan Dukes resigned as leader of Fine Gael.
Wednesday 13 November 1991
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a series of attacks in Belfast and killed four Protestant civilians. The United Nations Committee on Torture issued a report that criticised the British government’s refusal to introduce a policy of using videotape to record interviews of paramilitary suspects while in police custody.
Friday 13 November 1992
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded a large van bomb in the centre of Coleraine, County Derry. The bomb caused extensive damage to the commercial heart of the town.
Wednesday 13 November 1996
Three Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners who had been serving sentences in England were transferred to Portlaoise Prison in the Republic of Ireland.
Thursday 13 November 1997
During a visit to Washington, United States of America (USA), Marjorie (Mo) Mowlam, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said that she would try to meet the deadline set for the multi-party talks at Stormont. She also “vowed” to help establish a new inquiry into the events of ‘Bloody Sunday’ in Derry on 30 January 1972.
Representatives of Families Against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) held a meeting in the Maze Prison with Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) prisoners.
Ruairi Quinn was elected as the new leader of the Irish Labour Party.
[Quinn won the election during a secret ballot by 37 votes to 27. During a press conference Quinn said that the Labour Party should not rule out a coalition with either Fianna Fáil (FF) or Fine Gael (FG) following the next general election.]
Friday 13 November 1998
The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) announced that it was willing to decommission some of its weapons if the Irish Republican Army (IRA) matched their gesture on a ratio of ten IRA weapons for every LVF weapon.
It was announced that a further 400 British soldiers would be withdrawn from Northern Ireland. Seamus Mallon, then deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), delivered a speech to the Annual Conference of the SDLP.
Saturday 13 November 1999
There was a sectarian arson attack on the home of an 82 year old Catholic woman living in the Waterside area of Derry. The woman was hospitalised as a result of the attack.
Loyalist paramilitaries were responsible for the attack. Police described the attack as “pure naked sectarianism”.
Tom French, then President of the Workers’ Party (WP), told the party’s Ard Fheis that there was a stench of corruption in the Republic which he likened to Cuba before Fidel Castro. He said the party was now trying to re-establish the ideas of democracy and independence.
Ruairí O Bradaigh, then President of Republican Sinn Féin (RSF), addressed his party’s Ard Fheis in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. He said that if the Irish Republican Army (IRA) agreed to decommission its arms then it should disband.
Professor Brian Ó Cuív, a leading Celtic scholar, died at the age of 82. The author of many works on the Irish language and its history. He married Emer, daughter of former president Eámon de Valera.
Tuesday 13 November 2001
Loyalist paramilitaries carried out a gun attack on a man, and his father, while they were driving home at 10.30pm (2230GMT) on a road near Ballycastle, County Antrim. A bullet struck the vehicle but neither of the two men were injured.
A man (18) was shot in both legs in the Mount Vernon area of Belfast at appoximately 11.30pm (2330GMT). He was treated in hospital for his injuries. The attack was believed to have been a paramilitary ‘punishment’ shooting.
Bertie Ahern, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), suggested in the Dáil that the British government had been slow to co-operate with the Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings on 17 May 1974 in which 33 people were killed.
See Dublin and Monaghan bombings
It was announced that Justice Henry Barron, from the Republic of Ireland, would meet John Reid, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to ask for access to British files on the bombings. Barron first requested the files on 10 November 2000.
[There have been persistent allegations that British security forces colluded with Loyalist paramilitaries in the bombings.]
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Remembering all innocent victims of the Troubles
Today is the anniversary of the death of the following people killed as a results of the conflict in Northern Ireland
“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die
– Thomas Campbell
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.
8 People lost their lives on the 13th November between 1972 – 1991
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13 November 1972
Stanislaus Carberry, (34)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot while travelling in car along La Salle Drive, Falls, Belfast.
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13 November 1973
Bernard Teggart, (15)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot near Floral Hall, Zoological Gardens, Antrim Road, Belfast. Alleged informer.
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13 November 1976
John Patch, (34)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Abducted while walking along Cliftonville Road, Belfast. Found shot a short time later, on the edge of Ballysillan Playing Fields, off Alliance Road, Belfast.
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13 November 1979
Paul Fryer, (18)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by booby trap bomb attached to telegraph pole, while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Silverbridge, near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
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13 November 1991
William Kingsberry, (35)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot together with his stepson at their home, Lecale Street, off Donegall Road, Village, Belfast.
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13 November 1991
Samuel Mehaffey, (19)
Protestant
Status: Red Hand Commando (RHC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot together with his stepfather at their home, Lecale Street, off Donegall Road, Village, Belfast.
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13 November 1991
Stephen Lynn, (30)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while renovating house, Upper Crumlin Road, Belfast. Previous owner of the house was the intended target.
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13 November 1991
Kenneth Lynn, (28)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while renovating house, Upper Crumlin Road, Belfast. Previous owner of the house was the intended target.
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