Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
9th April
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Friday 9 April 1976
Two Catholic civilians were killed in separate Loyalist paramilitary attacks in Belfast and Armagh.
Thursday 9 April 1981
Bobby Sands Elected to Westminster In the Fermanagh / South Tyrone by-election Bobby Sands, then on hunger strike in the Maze Prison, was elected (following the final count on 11 April 1981) as Member of Parliament for the constituency. The turnout for the contest was 86.9 per cent and Sands obtained 30,492 votes and Harry West, the Unionist candidate, obtained 29,046 votes.
[The election had been followed by media organisations around the world and the outcome gave added impetus to the hunger strike campaign. The British government declared that the election would not change its position in regard to special category status. On 12 June 1981 the government published proposals to change the Representation of the People Act making it impossible for prisoners to stand as candidates for election to parliament.]
Monday 9 April 1990
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded a large landmine near Downpatrick, County Down, killing four soldiers of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR).
See: UDR – Ballydugan Four – Lest We Forget!
Tuesday 9 April 1991
The Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference held a meeting in Belfast. Following the meeting Gerry Collins, then Irish Foreign Minister, announced that there would be a 10 week gap after its next meeting on 26 April 1991
[The break in meetings was designed to allow Unionists to enter talks on the future of Northern Ireland.]
Thursday 9 April 1992
General Election in UK
A general election was held in the United Kingdom (UK). The Conservative Party won the election with a reduced majority of 21 seats in the House of Commons. In Northern Ireland the main news in the election was that Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), lost his seat in West Belfast to Joe Hendron (Dr) of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). [Adams was to regain the seat at the 1997 general election. Towards the end of the parliament, as the majority was further reduced, the Unionists were able to increase their influence over matters related to Northern Ireland.]
Saturday 9 April 1994
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a number of attacks on security forces in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh, and in Belfast. The attacks marked the end of a three-day IRA ceasefire
Wednesday 9 April 1997
A Catholic man from north Belfast was shot and wounded by Loyalist paramilitaries in Newtownabbey near Belfast.
The Orange Order held a second meeting in County Antrim to discuss the compromise that had been negotiated by Mediation Network on marches in Dunloy. The meeting ended with the Orangemen rejecting all attempts at mediation. Brendan McAllister, then Director of Mediation Network, warned that a “Bosnia-style” conflict could develop over the issue of parades.
John Bruton, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), called on Nationalists in Northern Ireland not to vote for Sinn Féin (SF) in the forthcoming general election. Bruton said that a vote for SF would be a “vote for murder”.
Thursday 9 April 1998
At the parliament building in Stormont, Belfast, the multi-party talks continued all day and extended beyond the designated 12 midnight deadline. At 6pm David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), held a meeting to brief the UUP Executive which gave him its support.
At 11pm there were angry exchanges between Loyalists in favour, and those against, the talks, as Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), led a march to the buildings in protest against the negotiations.
Jeffery Donaldson, who had been a member of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) talks team left Stormont without comment amid rumours of a further split in the UUP over the proposed agreement.
Friday 9 April 1999
Loyalist paramilitaries carried out a pipe-bomb attack on a public house in County Antrim. One man was injured in the attack. The Irish government announced that six Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners would be granted early release.
Among the prisoners named were them members of the Balcombe Street seige gang.
[The move was seen as an attempt to influence Sinn Féin (SF) into accepting the Hillsborough declaration.]
Mitchel McLaughlin, then Sinn Féin (SF) chairman, said that the two governments should defend the Good Friday Agreement and stated that his party would be adopting that approach in the coming week. Despite the fact that several Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Assembly members had expressed reservations about the Hillsborough Declaration the UUP Assembly team later accepted the declaration as a basis for negotiation.
Tuesday 9 May 2000 Closure of Security Bases Ronnie Flanagan, then Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), disclosed that five military installations were to close.
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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.
14 People lost their lives on the 9th April between 1973– 1991
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09 April 1973
Charles Marchant, (18)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died ten weeks after being shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, North Street, Lurgan, County Armagh. He was injured on 26 January 1973.
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09 April 1973
Anthony Hughes, (20)
Catholic
Status: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot while moving arms from car outside house, Culdee Terrace, Armagh.
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09 April 1974
John Stevenson, (53)
nfNIB
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Commanding Officer. Shot at his home, near Otterburn British Army (BA) base, Northumberland, England.
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09 April 1974
Daniel Burke, (53)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Manager of Andersonstown Social Club. Shot while in club premises, off South Link, Andersonstown, Belfast.
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09 April 1976
Francis Mallon, (51)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed in bomb attack on Divis Castle Bar, Springfield Road, Belfast.
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09 April 1976
Michael Sweeney, (73)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed in bomb attack on Lenny’s Bar, Railway Street, Armagh.
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09 April 1977
Myles McGrogan, (22)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot, Collin Glen, Hannahstown, near Belfast. Alleged informer.
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09 April 1980
Stephen Magill, (24)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during gun attack on Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) mobile patrol, Stewartstown Road, Suffolk, Belfast.
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09 April 1983
Richard Biddle, (20)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car, in car park off High Street, Omagh, County Tyrone.
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09 April 1990
John Bradley, (25)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in land mine attack on Ulster Defence Regiment mobile patrol, Ballydugan Road, Downpatrick, County Down
See: UDR – Ballydugan Four – Lest We Forget!
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09 April 1990
John Birch, (28)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in land mine attack on Ulster Defence Regiment mobile patrol, Ballydugan Road, Downpatrick, County Down.
See: UDR – Ballydugan Four – Lest We Forget!
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09 April 1990
Steven Smart, (23)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in land mine attack on Ulster Defence Regiment mobile patrol, Ballydugan Road, Downpatrick, County Down.
See: UDR – Ballydugan Four – Lest We Forget!
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09 April 1990
Michael Adams, (23)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in land mine attack on Ulster Defence Regiment mobile patrol, Ballydugan Road, Downpatrick, County Down.
See: UDR – Ballydugan Four – Lest We Forget!
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09 April 1991
Derek Ferguson, (31)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot at his mobile home, Aughaveagh Road, Coagh, County Tyrone.
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Belfast Child 