Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
9th November
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Saturday 9 November 1968
Ian Paisley and Ronald Bunting led a Loyalist march to the Diamond area of Derry.
Tuesday 9 November 1971
A British soldier was shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Derry.
Saturday 9 November 1974
There were a number of attacks by Loyalist paramilitaries on Catholic civilians. Two Catholic civilians were shot dead at their workplace near Templepatrick, Country Antrim, by the Protestant Action Group (PAG), which was a covername for the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).
In addition Billy Hull, a former leader of the Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW), and Jim Anderson, a former Ulster Defence Association (UDA) leader, were shot and wounded in attacks by Loyalist paramilitaries.
The Ministry of Defence in London stated that the names of British soldiers killed during the conflict in Northern Ireland would not be added to war memorials. The reason given was that the conflict in Northern Ireland was not classified as a war.
Sunday 9 November 1975
John Kelly (19), then a member of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA), was shot dead by the Provisional IRA (PIRA) in the New Lodge area of Belfast. This killing was part of the continuing feud between the two wings of the IRA.
Tuesday 10 November 1981
During a speech in the House of Commons Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, said that: “Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom; as much as my constituency is.”
[This statement was subsequently often quoted as: “Northern Ireland is as British as Finchley”.]
Tuesday 9 November 1982
Garry Ewing (31), an Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officer, and Helen Woodhouse (29), a Protestant civilian, were killed by a booby trap bomb attacked to Ewing’s car by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at the Lakeland Forum Leisure Centre in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.
Friday 9 November 1990
Brooke Speech Peter Brooke, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, made a major speech on the British position on Northern Ireland to an audience in London. Brooke stated that Britain had no ‘selfish economic or strategic interest’ in Northern Ireland and would accept the unification of Ireland by consent. In a surprise result Mary Robinson was elected as President of Ireland having won on the second count.
Many commentators saw her election as symptomatic of a change in the Republic of Ireland to a more liberal, tolerant society.
Saturday 9 November 1991
Two Catholic civilians, Kathleen Lundy (40) and her son Colin Lundy (16), were burned to death when Loyalists carried out a petrol-bomb attack on their home in Glengormley, County Antrim.
Monday 9 November 1992
Representatives of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) presented a series of proposals at the political talks (later known as the Brooke / Mayhew talks) in a last minute attempt to prevent the process from collapsing. Included were proposals for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland and provisions for Nationalists to have a ‘meaningful role’ in the government of Northern Ireland.
In return for the Irish government repealing Articles 2 and 3 of its constitution the UUP would consider the establishment of some form of body linking members of any new Northern Ireland Assembly with the Dáil.
Saturday 9 November 1996
Loyalists, who were involved in a weekly picket of the Catholic church in Harryville in Ballymena, injured a six-year old Catholic boy when they threw stones at those leaving the service.
Sunday 9 November 1997
Raymond McCord Killing
The body of Raymond McCord (22), a Protestant civilian, was discovered at Ballyduff quarry, near Belfast. Loyalist paramilitaries were responsible for the killing.
[Raymond McCord (senior) led a high profile campaign to uncover the circumstances of his son’s killing. The matter was investigated by the Police Ombudsman who issued a statement and report on 22 January 2007.]
Nationalist residents of Bellaghy decided to call off a planned protest at the British Legion Remembrance Sunday parade. The residents had objected to the band, Bruce’s True Blues, which was scheduled to lead the parade.
During a radio interview on the tenth anniversary of the Enniskillen bomb which killed 11 people on 8 November 1987, Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), said he was “deeply sorry about what happened”.
Wednesday 10 November 1999
A pipe-bomb with a jar of nails attached to it was discovered on the windowsill of a house in Dromara Street, off the mainly Nationalist lower Ormeau Road in south Belfast. One woman was in the house at the time. The device was later made safe by an Army bomb disposal team. The attack was carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries
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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 9th November between 1971 – 1997
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09 November 1971
Ian Curtis (23)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Foyle Road, Derry.
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09 November 1973
William Wallace, (62)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed during bomb attack on Sunflower Bar, Corporation Street, Belfast. He was a passer-by at the time of the explosion.
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09 November 1974
Patrick Courtney, (29)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Protestant Action Group (PAG)
Shot at his garage, Clady Corner, near Templepatrick, County Antrim.
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09 November 1974
William Tierney, (31)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Protestant Action Group (PAG)
Shot at his garage workplace, Clady Corner, near Templepatrick, County Antrim.
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09 November 1975
John Kelly, (19)
Catholic
Status: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot as he walked along Ponsonby Avenue, near to his home, New Lodge, Belfast. Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) / Irish Republican Army (IRA) feud.
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09 November 1976
James Speers, (45)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot at his garage, Longfield Road, Desertmartin, County Derry.
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09 November 1982
Garry Ewing, (31)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car parked outside Lakeland Forum Leisure Centre, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.
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09 November 1982
Helen Woodhouse, (29)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by booby trap bomb attached to her Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) member friend’s car, parked outside Lakeland Forum Leisure Centre, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. She was a passenger in the car.
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09 November 1987
Adam Lambert, (19)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
Shot at his workplace, a building site, Highview Crescent, Highfield, Belfast. Assumed to be a Catholic.
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09 November 1989
Ian Johnston, (31)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)
Undercover Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) member. Shot, in error, by other Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) member, during raid on house, Upper Meadow Street, New Lodge, Belfast.
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09 November 1991
Kathleen Lundy, (40)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Died in arson attack on her home, Harmin Crescent, Glengormley, near Belfast, County Antrim.
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09 November 1991
Colin Lundy, (16)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Died in arson attack on his home, Harmin Crescent, Glengormley, near Belfast, County Antrim.
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09 November 1997
Raymond McCord, (22)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Found beaten to death in quarry, Ballyduff, Newtownabbey, County Antrim.
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