Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles

14^th December

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Tuesday 14 December 1971

A boy aged 16 was shot dead by British soldiers in Coalisland, County Tyrone.

Saturday 14 December 1974

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a gun attack on a joint British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) foot patrol near Forkhill, County Armagh. An RUC officer died at the scene and a soldier died on 30 December 1974 from injuries received.

The IRA carried out a gun attack on the Churchill Hotel in Portman Square, London. Three people were slightly injured by flying glass.

Wednesday 14 December 1977

Paul Harman (27), a member of the British Army, was shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) while driving an unmarked car through the Turf Lodge area of Belfast.

Tuesday 14 December 1982

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) announced that party members would not take their seats on the Northern Ireland Assembly scrutiny committees until the powers of the Speaker were clarified. [This boycott continued until February 1983.]

Saturday 14 December 1991

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded a number of incendiary devices in a shopping centre in London.

Tuesday 14 December 1993

Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, revealed that he had offered to resign over the errors in the documents dealing with the British government’s contacts with the Republican movement. [The documents were released on 29 November 1993.]

Wednesday 14 December 1994

John Major, then British Prime Minister, announced a £73 million investment package for Northern Ireland. Major also said that “huge progress” would have to be made towards the destruction of Irish Republican Army (IRA) weapons before Sinn Féin (SF) could enter formal talks.

Thursday 14 December 1995

It was announced that the Crumlin Road Prison would close in the spring of 1996. The closure would result in the transfer of 250 prisoners to Maghaberry Prison.

Monday 14 December 1998

UKUP Split Four of the five members of the United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP) left the party and accused the leader, Robert (Bob) McCartney, of branding his colleagues as politically immature.

[The four members went on to form the Northern Ireland Unionist Party (NIUP). The NIUP members claimed that McCartney intended to take the UKUP out of the Assembly if Sinn Féin (SF) were allowed to join an Executive. The loss of four Assembly members meant that the UKUP lost some of its privileges at the Northern Ireland Assembly such as the right to sit on the front benches.]

Gerry Kelly, a SF Assembly member, accused Unionists of trying to push the Irish Republican Army (IRA) back to war.

Tuesday 14 December 1999

Dermot Nesbitt (UUP) and Denis Haughey (SDLP) were appointed as junior ministers to the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister.

At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin seven men were charged with possession of guns and explosives. The charges related to the arrest of men in County Meath on 20 October 1999 at a “real” Irish Republican Army (rIRA) training camp.

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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.

6  people   lost their lives on the 14th December between 1971 -1978

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14 December 1971

Martin McShane,  (16)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot outside youth centre, Macrory Park, Coalisland, County Tyrone.

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14 December 1972

Kathleen Dolan,   (19)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed by car bomb outside Dolan’s Bar, Killeter, near Castlederg, County Tyrone

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14 December 1974

David McNeice,  (19)

Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by snipers while on joint British Army (BA) / Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) foot patrol, Killeavy, near Forkhill, County Armagh.

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14 December 1974
Michael Gibson,  (20)

nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by snipers while on joint British Army (BA) / Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) foot patrol, Killeavy, near Forkhill, County Armagh. He died 30 December 1974.

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14 December 1977
Paul Harman,   (27)

nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Undercover British Army (BA) member. Shot while driving British Army (BA) civilian-type car along Monagh Road, Turf Lodge, Belfast.

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14 December 1978

John McTier,   (33)

Protestant
Status: Prison Officer (PO),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died three days after being shot while driving his car out of Crumlin Road Prison, Belfast

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