19th May – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles

Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles

19^th May

Sunday 19 May 1974

Day 5 of the UWC strike

Merlyn Rees, then Secretary of Sate for Northern Ireland, announced a State of Emergency (Section 40, Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973).

Rees flew to Chequers, the country home of the Prime Minister, for talks.

The United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) met and agreed to support the Ulster Workers’ Council (UWC). The UWC withdrew its call for a total stoppage as of midnight. Some shops reported panic buying. A memorandum was submitted by the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP) to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO

Tuesday 19 May 1981

Five British soldiers were killed in an Irish Republican Army (IRA) landmine attack near Bessbrook, County Armagh. The soldiers had been travelling in an armoured vehicle when the bomb exploded.

Tuesday 19 May 1987

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) expelled Robert McCartney because of his criticism of UUP leaders and also for his involvement in the Campaign for Equal Citizenship.

Wednesday 19 May 1993

Local Government Elections

There were district council elections to choose 582 councillors for the 26 District Councils in Northern Ireland.

[When the results were declared they showed an increase in the percentage share of the vote for the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), Sinn Féin (SF), and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI).]

Three former detectives in the British police who had been involved in the investigations that led to the convictions of the Guildford Four were cleared of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. The men were accused of having manufactured the interview notes of one of the Guildford Four.

See Guildford Bombing

Thursday 19 May 1994

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) published a 21 page British government response to Sinn Féin (SF) questions that arose from the Downing Street Declaration (DSD). SF had submitted a series of 20 questions via the Irish government. Albert Reynolds, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), described the clarification as “comprehensive and positive”.

Friday 19 May 1995

At the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin, Seamus Mallon, then deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), criticised the support by Sinn Féin (SF) for imposed all-Ireland institutions without a democratic assembly in Northern Ireland. Mallon argued in favour of the model in the Framework Documents (published on 22 February 1995).

Sunday 19 May 1996

Geoffrey Anderson, then a Royal Irish Regiment soldier, killed two people and injured a third before committing suicide.

See Irish Times for full story

There was a confrontation between the Royal Ulster Const abulary (RUC) and nationalists in the village of Dunloy, County Antrim, during an Apprentice Boys of Derry march

Monday 19 May 1997

Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), and Martin McGuinness, then Vice-President of Sinn Féin (SF), travelled to Westminster to press their case for facilities within the House of Commons.

The two SF Members of Parliament (MPs) were denied access to the House when they refused to take their seats which would have involved taking an oath of allegiance to the Queen.

Tuesday 19 May 1998

John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), met on the stage at a U2 concert at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall.

The concert had been arranged to support the ‘Yes’ campaign.

[Bono, then lead singer with the group U2, joined the two party leaders on stage and held their arms aloft. This event was thought to have given the ‘Yes’ campaign a much needed boost. Until then the two party leaders had not campaigned together.]

A ‘pipe-bomb’ contained in a parcel was delivered to the Dublin Tourist offices in St Andrew’s Street, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The device was spotted and defused.

[An unknown Loyalist paramilitary group was thought to be responsible for the attack. Pipe-bombs were widely used by Loyalist paramilitaries over the coming years particularly in attacks on the homes of Catholic families in Northern Ireland.]

Wednesday 19 May 1999

John Pickering (Rev), then rector of Drumcree, together with his vestry, decided to defy the General Synod’s vote on 18 May 1999 and announced that they would go ahead with the service for the Orange Order at Drumcree on 4 July 1999.

Talks were held in Downing Street involving the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and Sinn Féin (SF).

However the parties failed to reach agreement on outstanding issues.

Loyalists clashed with Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers in Portadown, County Armagh.

Eddie Copeland was awarded £27,500 by Belfast High Court in compensation for injuries received when he was shot by a British Army soldier on 26 October 1993. The case was taken against the Ministry of Defence. Copeland had been attending the funeral of Thomas Begley who was killed planting a bomb on the Shankill Road on 23 October 1993.

Garda Síochána (the Irish police) opened an inquiry into the killing of Seamus Ludlow on 2 May 1976 who was found shot in laneway near to his home, Thistlecross, near Dundalk, County Louth. Gardaí initially blamed the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for the killing.

[However later it was claimed that Ludlow had been killed by the Red Hand Commando (RHC) / Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). There was also speculation of involvement by the Special Air Service (SAS) and also by the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR).]

——————————————

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.

10 People lost their lives on the 19th May between 1972 – 1981

——————————————

19 May 1972
Harold Morris (15)

Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while walking along Boundary Street, Shankill, Belfast.

——————————————

19 May 1972

Manus Deery (15)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot by sniper from British Army (BA) observation post on city walls, while in entry off Westland Street, Derry.

——————————————

19 May 1973
Robert McIntyre (24)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),

Killed by: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR)
Died two days after being shot by off duty Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) member while attempting to hijack a car, Shankill Road, Belfast.

——————————————

19 May 1973
Edward Coogan (39)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Shot from passing car while walking along Adela Street, off Antrim Road, Belfast.

——————————————

19 May 1979
Jack McClenaghan (64)

Protestant
Status: ex-Ulster Defence Regiment (xUDR),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while delivering bread, Garrison, County Fermanagh.

——————————————

19 May 1981