Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
6th April
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Tuesday 6 April 1971
During a debate at Westminster on Northern Ireland, Harold Wilson, then leader of the Labour Party, claimed that a draft Bill for the imposition of direct rule existed.
Thursday 6 April 1972
Scarman Report The Scarman Tribunal Report (Cmd. 566) was published. The report was into the causes of violence during the summer of 1969.
The report found that the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) had been seriously at fault on a number of occasions.
Sunday 6 April 1975
Daniel Loughran (18), then a member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA; later to become the Irish National Liberation Army, INLA), was shot dead at Divis Flats, Belfast, by members of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) in the continuing feud between the OIRA and the INLA. A Protestant civilian was shot dead by Republicans in Belfast.
Friday 6 April 1990
The Irish Supreme Court rejected an application for the extradition of Owen Carron. Carron had been charged with a firearms offence in Northern Ireland but had fled to the Republic of Ireland before his trial.
This decision, following earlier decisions on 1 March 1990 and 13 March 1990 causes further strains on relations between the British and the Irish Governments.
Wednesday 6 April 1994
IRA Ceasefire The Irish Republican Army (IRA) called a three-day ceasefire (Wednesday 6 April 1994 to Friday 8 April 1994).
Saturday 6 April 1996
Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said that the Irish Republican Army was “out of a touch” with the wishes of Irish People. Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), celebrated his 70th birthday and stated his intention to continue as leader of the DUP and the Free Presbyterian Church.
Monday 6 April 1998
George Mitchell, then Chairman of the multi-party talks at Stormont, presented a draft settlement paper to the parties involved in the talks late in the evening. Mitchell appealed for the document not to be leaked: “Lives and deaths are at stake here”.
The paper had been delayed because of disagreement between the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) over how “consensus” decisions would be reached in the proposed Northern Ireland Assembly and also whether or not cross-border bodies would be accountable to the Assembly. Sinn Féin (SF) said that 12 people had resigned from the party over its decision to be involved in the multi-party talks. SF denied however that there had been large-scale resignations from the party.
[Those people who had left the party claimed that they had been expelled to stop criticism of the party’s leadership at the forthcoming Ard Fheis.]
Tuesday 6 April 1999
Members of the Orange Order in Ballynafeight, Belfast, accepted calls to enter proximity talks with the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community Group. [This did not involve face-to-face discussions between the Orangemen and the residents.]
Saturday 6 May 2000
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) undertook to open some of its arms dumps for inspection and said it was prepared to “initiate a process that will completely and verifiably put IRA arms beyond use”.
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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 6th April between 1974– 1994
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06 April 1974
Ellen McDowell, (21)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot while walking with her boyfriend along Shankill Road, Belfast.
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06 April 1975
Daniel Loughran, (18)
Catholic
Status: People’s Liberation Army (PLA),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Shot while walking along Albert Street, Lower Falls, Belfast. Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) / Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) feud.
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06 April 1975
William Archer, (19)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA),
Killed by: non-specific Republican group (REP)
Shot while standing outside social club, Alliance Road, Belfast.
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06 April 1976
Gillian Liggett, (33)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during sniper attack on Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) mobile patrol, Ashfort, near Middletown, County Armagh.
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06 April 1977
Gerald Cloete, (46)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot while driving his car, near to his home, Glenside Park, off Northland Road, Derry.
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06 April 1988
William Burleigh, (51)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car, Tirraroe, near Derrylin, County Fermanagh
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06 April 1991
Spence McGarry, (46)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car in car park, Castle Street, Ballycastle, County Antrim.
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06 April 1994
Margaret Wright, (31)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Red Hand Commando (RHC)
Shot while in social club, Meridi Street, off Donegall Road, Belfast. Her body found in backyard of unoccupied house, Donegall Avenue, Village, Belfast, on 7 April 1994. Assumed to be a Catholic.
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Belfast Child 
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