Tag Archives: David Trimble

2nd October – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles

Deaths in the Troubles, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
2nd t October

Friday 2 October 1970

It was announced that local government elections would be postponed.

[The next local government elections took place on 30 May 1973.]

Saturday 2 October 1971

A member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was killed in a premature bomb explosion.

Thursday 2 October 1975

UVF Logo
UVF Logo

12 People Killed in UVF Attacks 12 people died in a series of Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) attacks across Northern Ireland. Four Catholic civilians were killed in a UVF gun attack at Casey’s Bottling Plant, Millfield, Belfast. Two other Catholic civilians were killed in separate bomb attacks in Belfast and County Antrim.

Two Protestant civilians were also killed in UVF attacks. And four members of the UVF died when a bomb they were transporting exploded prematurely near Coleraine, County Derry.

Tuesday 2 October 1979

In a statement the Irish Republican Army (IRA) rejected Pope John Paul II’s call for an end to the violence in Northern Ireland. The IRA declared that it had widespread support and that Britain would only withdraw from Northern Ireland if forced to do so: “force is by far the only means of removing the evil of the British presence in Ireland … we know also that upon victory the Church would have no difficulty in recognising us”. Maurice Oldfield, the former head of MI6, was appointed to a new post of security co-ordinator for Northern Ireland.

[This is seen as an attempt to improve relations between the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the British Army.]

Thursday 2 October 1986

George Seawright, then a Loyalist councillor, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for his part in disturbances following a protest at Belfast City Hall on 20 November 1985.

See: George Seawright

Wednesday 2 October 1991

‘The Committee’ Broadcast The Channel 4 broadcasting company showed a documentary called ‘The Committee’ in its Dispatches series. The programme claimed that there was an ‘inner circle’ in the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) which was colluding with Loyalist paramilitaries in the killing of Catholics.

[A subsequent book on the controversy, also entitled ‘The Committee’, was not released in the United Kingdom (UK) by the American publishers who feared libel proceedings.]

Saturday 2 October 1993

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded three bombs in Hampstead, north London and injured six people and damaged a number of shops and flats.

Monday 2 October 1995

The Irish Times (a Dublin based newspaper) carried a report of an interview with David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). Trimble was reported as calling for the establishment of a Northern Ireland Assembly and he said he would debate with Sinn Féin (SF) if the party took its seats in this proposed assembly. Trimble travelled to Dublin for a meeting with John Bruton, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister).

Friday 2 October 1998

Desmond Tutu

During a visit to Northern Ireland Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa said that politicians would have to answer to the people if the peace process was allowed to stall.

Saturday 2 October 1999

David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), spoke at the conference of the youth wing of the UUP. Trimble criticised the Young Unionists for passing a motion calling for the exclusion of Sinn Féin (SF) from any future government. As he spoke Trimble was heckled. Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), gave an address to the second annual Congress of Ógra Sinn Féin in Dublin.

The youth wing of SF voted to reject the Patten report. Eddie McGrady, then chief whip of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), accused the Conservative Party of selecting spokesmen on Northern Ireland who “are totally anti-Agreement, anti-change and therefore anti-peace”. Sam Cushnahan, then Director of Families Against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT), announced that the group was ending its work.

Monday 2 October 2000

The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force. This Act gave effect to some (but not all) of the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The necessary legislation had been passed at Westminster in 1998 but the delay was to give lawyers and public organisations time to prepare. Under the Human Rights Act people are able to bring a case in local courts rather than having to go to Strasbourg where the European Court sits

Tuesday 2 October 2001

Quentin Davies, then Conservative MP and Shadow Secretary of State, accompanied parents and children as they returned home through the Loyalist protest outside the Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School in Ardoyne, north Belfast. Davies described the protest as “utterly unacceptable”.

[It was reported (Irish Times) that one protester, who seemed uncertain of Davies identity, shouted: “Away back to the Free State, Fenian scum”.]

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) managed to secure 30 signatures to allow it to table a motion in the Northern Ireland Assembly to exclude Sinn Féin (SF) ministers from the Executive. The UUP motion had been short by two signatures but the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) members put their names to the motion. The UUP has said that if the motion fails the party will withdraw its ministers from the Executive.

[The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had tabled a similar motion on Monday 1 October 2001 but the UUP motion will be the one debated. The planned move by the UUP will result in the (long-term) suspension of the power-sharing government.]

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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.

  17  People lost their lives on the 2nd October  between 1971 – 1975

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02 October 1971
 Terence McDermott,   (19)

Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature bomb explosion outside electricity sub-station, Lambeg, near Lisburn, County Antrim.

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02 October 1972


 Edward Stuart,  (20)

Protestant
Status: British Army (BA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
From Northern Ireland. Undercover British Army (BA) member. Shot while driving laundry van, Juniper Park, Twinbrook, Belfast.

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02 October 1972
 Edward Bonner,  (50)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while inside Grosvenor Homing Pigeon’s Club, Iveagh Street, Falls, Belfast. Alleged informer.

See: IRA Nutting Squad 

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02 October 1972


 Seamus Wright,  (25)

Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Abducted from his home, Bombay Street, Falls, Belfast. Presumed killed. Body never recovered. Alleged informer.

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02 October 1972


 Kevin McKee,  (-9)

Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Abducted somewhere in Belfast. Presumed killed. Body never recovered. Alleged informer

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02 October 1975
 Maria McGrattan,   (47)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot at her workplace, Casey’s Bottling Company, Millfield, Belfast.

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02 October 1975
 Frances Donnelly,  (35)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot at her workplace, Casey’s Bottling Company, Millfield, Belfast.

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02 October 1975


 Gerard Grogan,  (18)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot at his workplace, Casey’s Bottling Company, Millfield, Belfast.

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02 October 1975


 Thomas Osbourne.  (18)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot at his workplace, Casey’s Bottling Company, Millfield, Belfast. He died 23 October 1975.

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02 October 1975


 Thomas Murphy,   (29)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in booby trap bomb attack at his photographer’s shop, corner of Cranburn Street and Antrim Road, Belfast.

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02 October 1975


 John Stewart,  (35)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed during gun and bomb attack on McKenna’s Bar, Ballyginiff, near Crumlin, County Antrim.

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02 October 1975
 Irene Nicholson,  (37)

Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in bomb attack on Anchor Bar, Catherine Street, Killyleagh, County Down.

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02 October 1975
 Ronald Winters,   (26)

Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: not known (nk)
Shot at his parents’ home, London Road, Belfast.

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02 October 1975
 Samuel Swanson,   (28)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Died when bomb exploded prematurely, while travelling in car along Farrenlester Road, near Coleraine, County Derry.

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02 October 1975
 Mark Dodd,  (17)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Died when bomb exploded prematurely, while travelling in car along Farrenlester Road, near Coleraine, County Derry.

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02 October 1975
 Robert Freeman,   (17)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Died when bomb exploded prematurely, while travelling in car along Farrenlester Road, near Coleraine, County Derry.

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02 October 1975


 Aubrey Reid,  (25)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Died when bomb exploded prematurely, while travelling in car along Farrenlester Road, near Coleraine, County Derry.

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12th September – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles

Deaths in the Troubles, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles

12th   September

Sunday 12 September 1971

A statement on Internment, violence and the ill-treatment of detainees was released by the William Conway, then Catholic Cardinal of Ireland, and six Bishops. In a statement Cardinal Conway asked, ‘Who wanted to bomb one million Protestants into a United Ireland?’

Thursday 12 September 1974

Demonstrations were held in Belfast by Loyalists and Republicans in support of prisoners who were protesting about parole and food.

Monday 12 September 1977

Roy Mason, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, marked the end of his first year in the region by stating that ‘the myth of British withdrawal from Northern Ireland’ was now dead.

Tuesday 12 September 1989

Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, paid a visit to Northern Ireland and described the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) as a group of “very, very, very brave men”. In Dublin Sinn Féin (SF) announced the launch of the Irish National Congress.

Saturday 12 September 1992

A confidential discussion paper was leaked from the political talks (later known as the Brooke / Mayhew talks). It was claimed that the paper had been prepared by Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in an attempt to overcome a perceived lack of channels of communication between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

[The paper was heavily criticised by Unionists and was later withdrawn when James Molyneaux, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), threatened to leave the talks. In particular Unionists were angered by certain phrases that had been used such as ‘an agreed Ireland’ as well as ‘powers to be exercised through North/South channels’. There were further leaks on 20 September 1992.]

Sunday 12 September 1993

Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, gave a speech to the British Irish Association. Mayhew called for flexibility on the part of the political parties. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) published a policy document entitled ‘Breaking the Log-Jam’.

Monday 12 September 1994

The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) planted a 1.5kg bomb on the Belfast to Dublin train. Only the detonator exploded and two people were injured. on 20 September 1992.

Tuesday 12 September 1995

Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, held his first formal talks with representatives of the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) and representatives of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), said he would not attend the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin. Trimble held a meeting with Peter Robinson, then deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and Robert McCartney, then leader of the United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP), to discuss proposals for Unionist unity.

Thursday 12 September 1996

Mary Robinson, then President of the Republic of Ireland, had a number of engagements in Belfast. There were protests at one of the venues, a women’s centre on the Donegal Road, and the centre was later badly damaged in an arson attack. Michael Whelan (35), a Catholic man, was discovered beaten to death in the lower Ormeau area of Belfast. The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) later said the motive for the killing was sectarian.

Friday 12 September 1997

Tony Blair, then British Prime Minister, issued a statement calling on David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), to remain in the multi-party talks at Stormont. Mary Robinson formally resigned as President of the Republic of Ireland. She took up a new position as High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations.

Sunday 12 September 1999

Ronnie Flanagan, then Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), speaking on ‘Sunday With Adam Boulton’ on Sky News, said the threat from dissident Republicans was growing. Groups such as the ‘real IRA’ were regrouping and posed a threat, especially in border areas, he said. There was a sectarian attack by loyalists on the home of Danny O’Connor, then Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MLA. A group of loyalists had gathered outside his home shouting threats and causing damage to his car. It was the third sectarian attack on his home in three months.

Tuesday 12 September 2000

British army bomb disposal experts defused a pipe-bomb thrown through the window of a house in the upper Shankill on Sunday night. The house on the Ballygomartin Road was unoccupied when the device and a petrol bomb were thrown through the living room window at around 11.00pm.

A pipe-bomb was thrown at the home of a Loyalist politician during an outbreak of violence on the Loyalist Shankill Road area of Belfast. Billy Hutchinson, Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) Assemblyman, was at the scene of the attack when a device was thrown at his home in the Shankill area. Hutchinson’s wife and father-in-law had to be moved from the house and other nearby homes were evacuated.

Wednesday 12 September 2001

There was a bomb attack at 12.30am (0030BST) on an Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) patrol in Derry. Three RUC officers were investigating a burning car at a building site when a bomb exploded at the side of the road. The officers were treated for shock.

[The attack was thought to have been carried out by dissident Republican paramilitaries.]

The Loyalist protest at the Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School followed the pattern of Monday and Tuesday. However, before going to the school the children and parents held a a prayer service and a minute’s silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States of America (USA) on 11 September 2001.

Richard Haass, then a United States special envoy, had a series of meetings with political leaders in Northern Ireland. Bertie Ahern, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), announced that Friday would be a national day of mourning for the victims of the terrorist attacks in the USA.

Ronnie Flanagan, then Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), announced that the target of 50:50 recruitment of Catholics and Protestants to the new Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was being achieved. New policing legislation following recommendations in the Patten Report had laid down 50:50 recruitment rule. During the first phase of the application process 8000 people had applied for jobs of whom 550 were deemed qualified and a minimum of 260, possibly as many as 300, would be offered places on the trainee program.

[The first recruits to the PSNI will begin their training in the period between 14 October and 4 November 2001. They are expected to be on duty by the spring of 2002.]

Remembering all innocent victims of the Troubles

Today is the anniversary of the follow  people killed as a results of the conflict in Northern Ireland

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 12th September  between 1975 – 1986

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12 September 1975
 John Snoddy,  (32)

Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: non-specific Republican group (REP)
Shot at his home, Milltown Avenue, Derriaghy, near Belfast.

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12 September 1979


 Gabriel Wiggans,   (56)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot at his home, Springfield Road, Belfast.

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12 September 1981


 Alan Clarke,  (20)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot while walking along Hall Street, Maghera, County Derry.

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12 September 1986
 Kenneth Robinson,   (30)

Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by booby trap bomb, attached to his Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) member father’s car outside their home, Clonmakane Court, Caw, Derry.

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