Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
24th April
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Thursday 24 April 1969
Loyalist Bomb
There was an explosion at a water pipeline between Lough Neagh and Belfast.
[It was later established that the bomb was planted by Loyalists who were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). See 30 March 1969.]
Saturday 24 April 1993 Bishopsgate Bomb
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded a large bomb, estimated at over a ton of home-made explosives, at Bishopsgate in London. One person was killed and over 30 people injured in the explosion.
[Later estimates put the cost of repair at £350 million (some reported estimates were as high as £1,000 million).]
See Bishopsgate Bomb
John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), held their second meeting in a fortnight and issued a first joint statement.
Sunday 24 April 1994
Two Protestants Killed by IRA
Alan Smith & John McCloy
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) shot dead Alan Smith (40) and John McCloy (28), both Protestant civilians, while they were sitting in a stationary car, on Main Street, Garvagh, County Derry.
[The IRA alleged that Smith was a member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) but this was denied by family and friends.]
Monday 24 April 1995
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) announced that ministers would begin exploratory dialogue with representatives of Sinn Féin (SF).
Wednesday 24 April 1996
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) planted two bombs at Hammersmith Bridge, London. The bombs contained 30 pounds of Semtex and although the detonators went off the main charges failed to explode. There were no injuries and no damage was caused.
There were claims, in a Channel 4 ‘Dispatches’ programme, that the British Government had sanctioned secret talks with Sinn Féin (SF) which began in 1990. Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, denied the claims and stated that talks only began in 1993.
Thursday 24 April 1997
Maurice Hayes claimed that Baroness Denton and Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, had misrepresented his report when they claimed that the report “vindicated” Denton’s actions.
[Hayes was appointed on 10 March 1997 to investigate allegations made in the Irish News on 20 February 1997 that a Catholic woman, who was the victim of sectarian harassment was moved from Denton’s office in breach of Fair Employment guidelines.]
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Northern Ireland refused to screen a Sinn Féin (SF) party political broadcast. The BBC objected to two scenes in the video which showed David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), at Drumcree and William McCrea, then Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP, sharing a platform with Billy Wright, then leader of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF).
Robert McCartney, then leader of the United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP) , won a libel case against the Irish Times and was awarded £80,000 in damages. The action resulted from an article that appeared in the Irish Times which was written by David Ervine, then a spokesperson for the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP).
Friday 24 April 1998
Last Meeting Of Forum
The Northern Ireland Forum held its final session as the body was wound up. Only 30 of the original 110 members attended the final session.
[The Forum had held 71 plenary sessions since May 1996. Sinn Féin (SF) had never taken any of the 17 seats won by the party and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) withdrew its 24 members after 3 weeks of the operation of the Forum. The Forum then became a Unionist talking shop and was best known for infighting between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). The DUP were also accused of making sexist remarks when addressing members of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition (NIWC), in one instance telling them to “go home and breed for Ulster”. The total cost of running the Forum was estimated at £7 million.]
The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) issued a statement in support of the Good Friday Agreement saying that it would not lead to a united Ireland
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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.
4 People lost their lives on the 24th April between 1976– 1994
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24 April 1976
James Byrne (63)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed in car bomb explosion outside Shamrock Bar, Main Street, Hilltown, County Down.
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24 April 1993
Edward Henty (34)
nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Photographer. Died when lorry bomb exploded, Bishopsgate, London. He entered evacuated area after bomb warning given.
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24 April 1994
Alan Smith (40)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot, while sitting in his stationary car, Main Street, Garvagh, County Derry.
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24 April 1994
John McCloy, (28)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot, while sitting in his stationary car, Main Street, Garvagh, County Derry.
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Belfast Child 