Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
16th July
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Friday 16 July 1971
The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) withdrew from Stormont because no inquiry had been announced into the shooting dead of Seamus Cusack and Desmond Beattie in Derry on 8 July 1971.
Seamus Cusack & Desmond Beattie
Sunday 16 July 1972
Two British soldiers were killed in an IRA land mine attack near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
Robert Laverty ( RUC)
An RUC officer was shot dead by the IRA in Belfast.
Tobias Molloy ( IRA )
A member of the youth wing of the IRA was killed by a rubber bullet in Strabane, County Tyrone.
Tuesday 16 July 1974
Liam Cosgrave, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), voted, as a matter of conscience, against his own government’s contraception Bill which was defeated by 75 votes to 61.
Unionists in Northern Ireland often pointed to the Republic’s position on issues such as contraception and divorce as an indication that the country was dominated by the Catholic church and was not a modern pluralistic society.
Thursday 16 July 1981
Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross paid a visit to the Maze Prison and met Republican prisoners to discuss the hunger strike. [1981 Hunger Strike.]
Friday 16 July 1982
Colm Carey (28), a Catholic civilian, died from loss of blood following a ‘punishment’ shooting carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at his home on Strabane Old Road, Gobnascale, Derry.
Carey had been shot in the knee.
Lenny Murphy
Lenny Murphy, who had been leader of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) gang known as the ‘Shankill Butchers’, was released from prison.
See Lenny Murphy
Wednesday 16 July 1986
Rioting continued for a sixth night in areas of Belfast and Portadown, County Armagh.
Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) figures showed that 167 RUC officers and 125 civilians had been injured since 11 July; 200 people had been arrested; 300 plastic baton rounds fired; 111 cases of reported intimidation (including 11 cases against the homes of RUC officers.
Tuesday 16 July 1991
The Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (AIIC) held a meeting in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Meetings of the AIIC had been suspended for 11 weeks to allow the political talks (later known as the Brooke / Mayhew talks) to proceed.
Saturday 16 July 1994
Almost 100 Loyalist paramilitary prisoners rioted in Crumlin Road prison, Belfast, causing extensive damage.
Sunday 16 July 1995
Members of the Orange Order picketed a Catholic Church in north Belfast as a protest following attacks on Orange Halls and Protestant businesses in the area.
See Orange Order
Wednesday 16 July 1997
Gerry McCabe
Two men appeared in a Dublin court and were charged with the capital murder of Gerry McCabe, who had been a Garda officer, in June 1996.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP) walked out of the Stormont talks in protest at what they claimed was a lack of clarification by the British government on the issue of decommissioning.
Alistair Simpson,
Alistair Simpson, then governor of the Apprentice Boys of Derry (ABD), said that he would not talk to the Bogside Residents Group (BRG) about the forthcoming ABD parade in the city. The reason given was that one of the spokespersons for the BRG had served a sentence for paramilitary involvement.
Thursday 16 July 1998
Bill Clinton, then President of the United States of America (USA), made a pledge to the surviving Quinn brother, Lee (13), that he would do all he could to bring peace to Northern 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.
9 People lost their lives on the 16th July between 1972 – 1986
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16 July 1972
Terence Graham (24)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in land mine attack on British Army (BA) Armoured Personnel Carrier, Carran, near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
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16 July 1972
James Lee (25)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in land mine attack on British Army (BA) Armoured Personnel Carrier, Carran, near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
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16 July 1972
Robert Laverty (18)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while sitting in stationary Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) patrol car, Antrim Road, Belfast.
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16 July 1972
Tobias Molloy (18)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army Youth Section (IRAF),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot by rubber bullet during street disturbances, outside Lifford Road British Army (BA) base, Strabane, County Tyrone.
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16 July 1972
Francis McKeown (43)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Died one day after being shot, Shaw’s Road, Andersonstown, Belfast.
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16 July 1974
Thomas Braniff (25)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in bomb attack on Sunflower Bar, Corporation Street, Belfast.
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16 July 1981
Gavin Dean (21)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during sniper attack on British Army (BA) observation post, Glassdrumman, near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
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16 July 1982
Colm Carey (28)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died from loss of blood, shortly after being shot in the knee at his home, Strabane Old Road, Gobnascale, Derry. Alleged criminal.
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16 July 1986
Colm McCallan (25)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Protestant Action Force (PAF)
Died two days after being shot near to his home, Millview Court, Ligoniel, Belfast.
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Belfast Child 