Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
16th November
————————————————————————
Saturday 16 November 1968
The Derry Citizens Action Committee (DCAC) defied a ban on marches in Derry by marching to the Diamond area of the city. An estimated 15,000 people took part in the subsequent sit-down demonstration in the Diamond area of Derry.
Tuesday 16 November 1971
Compton Report Published The report of the Compton inquiry was published. Report of the enquiry into allegations against the security forces of physical brutality in Northern Ireland arising out of events on the 9th August, 1971. (November 1971; Cmnd. 4832). The report acknowledged that there had been ill-treatment of internees (what was termed ‘in-depth interrogation’) but rejected claims of systematic brutality or torture.
Thursday 16 November 1972
Edward Heath, then British Prime Minister, warned against a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI).
Friday 16 November 1973 [
Public Records 1972 – Released 1 January 2003: Letter, and annexes, about ‘Operation Folklore’ from Mr A.W.Stephens, then Head of Defence Secretariat 10, to Mr V.H.S.Benham, an official at the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) in London. The letter discussed the possibility of British soldiers being able to open fire in Northern Ireland without fear of legal penality.]
- There was a Loyalist ‘Third Force’ rally in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. The rally was addressed by Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who said that Unionists would make Northern Ireland ungovernable. Three Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Members of Parliament were suspended from parliament when they protested about the British government’s policy on security in Northern Ireland.
Tuesday 16 November 1982
See Lenny Murphy
Lenny Murphy (29), who had been leader of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) gang the ‘Shankill Butchers’, was shot dead by Irish Republican Army (IRA) at Forthriver Park, Glencairn, Belfast.
[It was later claimed that Loyalist paramilitaries had colluded with the IRA in having Murphy shot because no group was able to control him. Murphy’s gang had been responsible for a series of particularly brutal murders of Catholic civilians. Many of those killed were first abducted, then beaten and tortured with butcher knives and hatchets before being killed and their bodies dumped.]
A Catholic civilian was shot dead by Loyalists in Mount Merrion Avenue, Rosetta, Belfast.
Two reserve members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) were shot dead by the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) at a security barrier in Markethill, County Armagh.
Saturday 16 November 1985
The Northern Ireland Assembly voted by 44 votes to 10 for a motion calling for a referendum to be held on the Anglo-Irish Agreement (AIA). Unionists also announced that on 17 December 1985 all 15 Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Members of Parliament (MPs) would resign their seats and so cause by-elections in most of the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland. Unionists also said they would withdraw from all advisory boards in Northern Ireland and refuse to meet with government ministers.
Friday 16 November 1990
Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, visited Northern Ireland.
Monday 16 November 1992
A meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (AIIC) in Dublin reviewed the procedures used in the political talks (later known as the Brooke / Mayhew talks) and favoured bilateral talks.
Sunday 16 November 1997
Colin Duffy, then a prominent Republican based in Lurgan, was charged with assault following a fracas involving Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers in the town. [There were riots in Lurgan and Armagh on 18 November 1997 following his arrest.]
Tuesday 16 November 1999
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) issued a keynote statement and Sinn Féin (SF) issued a separate keynote statement committing both parties to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. David Trimble, then leader of the UUP, recognised the legitimate aspirations of Nationalists to pursue a united Ireland and embraced the principles of inclusivity, equality and mutual respect.
Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), spoke of working with, not against, Unionists in the future. The other main political parties in Northern Ireland all issued statements endorsing the Good Friday Agreement.
The Interdepartmental Committee on Immigration and Asylum, which was drawing up proposals for the dispersal of asylum-seekers outside Dublin, received a proposal by the Department of Defence to accommodate asylum-seekers in disused Army barracks around the State.
——————————–
———————————————————————————
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.
13 People lost their lives on the 16th November between 1970 – 1987
————————————————————
16 November 1970
Arthur McKenna, (35)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while repairing car, Ballymurphy Road, Ballymurphy, Belfast. Alleged criminal.
————————————————————
16 November 1970
Alexander McVicker, (35)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while repairing car, Ballymurphy Road, Ballymurphy, Belfast. Alleged criminal
————————————————————
16 November 1972
Joseph Calvin, (42)
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, Quay Lane, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.
————————————————————
16 November 1974
Thomas McCready, (32)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while on Ulster Defence Regiment mobile patrol, Newry, County Down.
————————————————————
16 November 1975
Joseph Clements, (48)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in land mine attack on Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) mobile patrol, near Sixmilecross, County Tyrone.
————————————————————
16 November 1976
James Duffy, (48)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: not known (nk)
Shot while delivering meat to butcher’s shop, at the junction of Falls Road and Rockmount Street, Belfast.
————————————————————
16 November 1978
Wesley Orr, (53)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Fire officer. Killed when grenade exploded while fighting fire caused by incendiary device, Bass Brewery, Glen Road, Andersonstown, Belfast.
————————————————————
16 November 1982
Patrick Murphy, (63)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Shot at his shop, Mount Merrion Avenue, Rosetta, Belfast.
————————————————————
16 November 1982
Ronald Irwin, (24)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
Shot while at security barrier, Markethill, County Armagh.
————————————————————
16 November 1982
Snowdon Corkey, (41)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
Shot while at security barrier, Markethill, County Armagh.
————————————————————
16 November 1982
Lennie Murphy, (29)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot outside his girlfriend’s home, Forthriver Park, Glencairn, Belfast.
See Lenny Murphy
————————————————————
16 November 1984
Patrick Brady, (36)
Catholic
Status: Civilian Political Activist (CivPA),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Sinn Fein (SF) member. Shot at his workplace, a dairy, Boucher Road, Belfast.
————————————————————
16 November 1987
Thomas McAuley, (32)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Died five days after being shot at his cafe, Crumlin Road, Ardoyne, Belfast.
————————————————————
See below on how to order a copy of my No.1 Bestselling book: A Belfast Child
Belfast Child 