Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
12th April Saturday
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12 April 1975
Loyalist paramilitaries killed six Catholic civilians in a gun and bomb attack on the Strand Bar, in the Short Strand area of Belfast.
Paul Crawford
Paul Crawford (25), then a member of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA), was shot dead on the Falls Road, Belfast. This killing was another in the feud between the OIRA and the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).
Thursday 12 April 1984
Margaret Whyte (51), a Catholic civilian, and Michael Dawson (23), a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officer, were killed in a bomb attack carried out by Loyalists on Mrs Whyte’s home, University Street, Belfast.
Lord Lyell replaced Lord Mansfield as government spokesman on Northern Ireland in the House of Lords.
Tuesday 12 April 1994
Ian Hamiltion (21), a Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) member, was shot dead by the UVF because they claimed he had admitted killing Margaret Wright on 7 April 1994.
Wednesday 12 April 1995
The leaders of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), met for talks. Unemployment in Northern Ireland in March 1995 was recorded as 89,600 which was the lowest it had been since December 1981.
Friday 12 April 1996
The 26th annual conference of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) opened in Belfast.
Saturday 12 April 1997
Following a series of attacks and intimidation by Loyalists, eight Catholic families left their homes in the Limestone Road area of north Belfast. There were arson attacks on commercial properties in Armagh, Derry and Portadown.
Sunday 12 April 1998
At a series of Sinn Féin (SF) rallies in Ireland to commemorate the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916, speeches were delivered which appeared to give the Good Friday Agreement a cautious welcome.
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) issued a statement which said that it would judge the Agreement “against its potential to deliver a just and durable peace in our country”. Republican Sinn Féin (RSF) called for a ‘no’ vote in the planned referendums on the Agreement.
Monday 12 April 1999
UN Report on RUC
Param Cumaraswamy, then United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur, published a report that criticised Ronnie Flanagan, then Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), over the alleged harassment of defence solicitors.
Cumaraswamy also called for an independent inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane because there was evidence of collusion between members of the security forces and Loyalist paramilitaries.
See Pat Finucane
Flanagan rejected an accusation of indifference over the matter. Marjorie (Mo) Mowlam, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said she would have talks with Cumara
swamy, about his report.
A man was shot and injured in the Ardoyne area of Belfast by Republicans during a paramilitary ‘punishment’ attack.
Thursday 12 April 2001
Census Day
The Census was conducted across Britain and Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland contained two questions on Religion.
[The Religon Report of the Census would not be published for a year or two but there was speculation about how large an increase there would be in the percentage of Catholics in the region. Analysis of the 1991 Census put the figure for Catholics at 41.5 per cent of the population. There was speculation that the figure could now be as high as 45 per cent.]
Security forces made safe a “barrack buster” bomb which had been discovered at Altmore Forest, Galbally, County Tyrone. The bomb was believed to have been manufactured by the “real” Irish Republican Army (rIRA).
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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.
13 People lost their lives on the 12th April between 1973 – 1994
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12 April 1973
Edward O’Rawe, (27)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot while at the rear of house, Cape Street, Lower Falls, Belfast.
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12 April 1975
Paul Crawford, (25)
Catholic
Status: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA),
Killed by: People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
Shot while selling United Irishman newspaper outside Beagon’s Bar, Falls Road, Belfast. Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) / Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) feud
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12 April 1975
Mary McAleavey, (57)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in gun and bomb attack on Strand Bar, Anderson Street, Short Strand, Belfast.
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12 April 1975
Elizabeth Carson, (64)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in gun and bomb attack on Strand Bar, Anderson Street, Short Strand, Belfast.
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12 April 1975
Marie Bennett, (42)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in gun and bomb attack on Strand Bar, Anderson Street, Short Strand, Belfast.
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12 April 1975
Agnes McAnoy, (62)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in gun and bomb attack on Strand Bar, Anderson Street, Short Strand, Belfast
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12 April 1975
Arthur Penn, (33)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in gun and bomb attack on Strand Bar, Anderson Street, Short Strand
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12 April 1975
Michael Mulligan, (33)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Injured in gun and bomb attack on Strand Bar, Anderson Street, Short Strand, Belfast. He died 20 April 1975.
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12 April 1984
Margaret Whyte, (51)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed by time bomb left on the windowsill of her home, University Street, Belfast
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12 April 1984
Michael Dawson, (23)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed by time bomb left on the windowsill of Margaret Whyte’s home, University Street, Belfast.
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12 April 1987
Charles McIlmurray, (30)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot in van, abandoned at the rear of petrol filling station, Killeen, County Armagh. Alleged informer.
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12 April 1989
Joanne Reilly, (20)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in van bomb attack on Warrenpoint Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base, County Down. Inadequate warning given.
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12 April 1994
Ian Hamilton, (21)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Found shot on playing field, off Agnes Close, Shankill, Belfast. Alleged to have been involved in the killing of Margaret Wright on 6 April 1994.
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Belfast Child 