Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
11th June
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Sunday 11 June 1972
There was a gun battle between Loyalist and Republican paramilitaries in the Oldpark area of Belfast.
There were shooting incidents in other areas of Belfast and Northern Ireland.
In all, two Catholics, a Protestant, and a British soldier were shot and killed.
Colonel Gaddafi announced that he had supplied arms to “revolutionaries” in Ireland.
Wednesday 11 June 1980
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) issued a statement that threatened to renew attacks on prison officers.
Thursday 11 June 1981
A general election was held in the Republic of Ireland.
[When counting was completed a minority government was formed between a coalition of Fine Gael (FG) and Labour. On 30 June 1981 Garret FitzGerald replaced Charles Haughey as Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister).
Two H-Block prisoners were elected to the Dáil.]
Saturday 11 June 1983
In the new British cabinet announced by Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, James Prior, was reappointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Wednesday 11 June 1986
Five people, one of whom was Patrick Magee, were found guilty at the ‘Old Bailey’ court in London of conspiring to cause explosions in Britain including the Brighton bomb on 12 October 1984.
[Magee later received eight life sentences.]
Thursday 11 June 1987
General Election
A general election was held across the United Kingdom (UK).
The Conservative Party was returned to power. In Northern Ireland the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) increased their vote and their share of the poll.
The overall Unionist vote fell as did the vote of Sinn Féin (SF).
Enoch Powell, formally an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Member of Parliament (MP), lost his South Down seat to Eddie McGrady of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).
Friday 11 June 1993
Queen Elizabeth paid a visit to Northern Ireland.
John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), held another meeting with Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF). Amnesty International criticised certain aspects of emergence powers in Northern Ireland.
Tuesday 11 June 1996
The second day of the Stormont talks were again spent in argument over the appointment of George Mitchell as chair and the extent of his “over-arching” role.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) agreed to a compromise which reduced the role of George Mitchell but which let talks proceed.
Wednesday 11 June 1997
Robert (‘Basher’) Bates (48)
a former leading member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) ‘Shankill Butchers’ gang, was shot dead while opening the Ex-Prisoners Information Centre on Woodvale Road, Belfast.
Initially Republican paramilitaries were blamed for the killing but all the groups denied any involvement, and it later became clear that Loyalist paramilitaries were responsible.
Bates had pleaded guilty in January 1979 to 10 murders.
Most of the victims were Catholics who were abducted, tortured, and killed with butcher knives, hatchets and sometimes guns.
One of Bates’ victims was James Moorehead (30) who at the time was a member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). It was believed that Bates was killed in retaliation for his part in the murder of Moorehead.
See Lenny Murphy
The Queen paid a visit to Northern Ireland and travelled to Dungannon, Belfast, and Hillsborough Castle where a garden reception for 2,000 people was held.
The police and customs officials carried out a series of raids in Britain and Ireland and broke up a drugs gang which had links to the UDA. Police seized £6 million pounds of property, £2 million pounds of illicit alcohol, and £500,000 in cash.
Thursday 11 June 1998
Three shots were fired at a Sinn Féin (SF) election worker in the Markets area of south Belfast.
[Republicans claimed that the attack was carried out by “Group B” a remnant of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA). Residents reported increased friction in west and south Belfast between supporters of the Provisionals and Officials in recent weeks.]
Friday 11 June 1999
Tony Blair, then British Prime Minister, intensified discussions to try to resolve the issues preventing the establishment of an Executive in Northern Ireland.
The Police Authority of Northern Ireland warned that the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) did not have sufficient funds to meet the additional costs in policing the violence surrounding the Drumcree dispute.
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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 11th June between 1972 – 1997
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11 June 1972
John Madden (43)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Shot outside his shop, Oldpark Road, Belfast.
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11 June 1972
Joseph Campbell (16)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army Youth Section (IRAF),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot during gun battle, Eskdale Gardens, Ardoyne, Belfast.
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11 June 1972
Norman McGrath (18)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot from passing British Army (BA) Armoured Personnel Carrier as he walked along Alloa Street, Lower Oldpark, Belfast.
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11 June 1972
Peter Raistric (18)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while in Brooke Park British Army (BA) base, Derry.
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11 June 1975
Kenneth Conway (20)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: not known (nk)
Died one day after being shot at the junction of Woodvale Road and Glenvale Street, Shankill, Belfast.
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11 June 1976
William Palmer (50)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Republican group (REP)
Died three days after being shot at his home, Milltown Avenue, Derriaghy, near Belfast
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11 June 1976
Edward Walker (20)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA),
Killed by: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)
Shot while travelling in stolen car along Doagh Road, Newtownabbey, County Antrim
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11 June 1982
David Reeves (24)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by booby trap bomb while searching garage, Carranbane Walk, Shantallow, Derry.
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11 June 1997
Robert Bates (48)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),
Killed by: Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
Shot, at his workplace, Ex-prisoners Interpretative Centre, Woodvale Road, Shankill, Belfast. Ulster Defence Association / Ulster Volunteer Force feud.
See Shankill Butchers
See Lenny Murphy
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Belfast Child 