8th August
Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
Friday 8 August 1969
James Chichester-Clark, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, held a meeting with James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary, in London. Callaghan agreed to an increase in the number of security force personnel.
It was also decided to allow the annual Apprentice Boys parade to go ahead in Derry.
Sunday 8 August 1976
A number of rallies were held to mark the fifth anniversary of the introduction of internment.
Máire Drumm, then Vice-President of Sinn Féin (SF), addressed one of the rallies and said that the campaign for the reintroduction of special category status would continue.
Drumm is reported as saying that Belfast would “come down stone by stone, and if necessary other towns will come down, and some in England too” as part of the campaign.
A group of Republican demonstrators broke into the home of Gerry Fitt, then leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), who had to use his gun, issued for personal protection, to protect himself and members of his family and to force the crowd to leave the house.
Friday 8 August 1980
There was widespread violence following commemorations of the ninth anniversary of the introduction of Internment.
Saturday 8 August 1981
Ninth Hunger Striker Died
Thomas McElwee
Thomas McElwee (23) died after 62 days on hunger strike. This weekend marked the tenth Anniversary of the introduction of Internment and there were widespread riots in Republican areas.
Three people were killed during disturbances over the weekend.
Sunday 8 August 1982
At an Internment anniversary rally in west Belfast representatives of Noraid and the People’s Liberation Organisation (PLO) addressed the crowd.
Monday 8 August 1988
Two Catholic men were killed by the Protestant Action Force (PAF).
A British soldier died from injuries received three weeks earlier.
Sunday 8 August 1993
Sean Lavery (21), a Catholic civilian, was shot dead by the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name (pseudonym) used by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), in a gun attack on the Lavery home.
Sean’s father, Bobby Lavery, was a Sinn Féin (SF) councillor.
Monday 8 August 1994
Trelford Withers (46), a part-time member of the Royal Irish Regiment (RIR), was shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He was off duty at the time and was killed at his shop, Downpatrick Street, Crossgar, County Down.
Tuesday 8 August 1995
Members of the Apprentice Boys of Derry (ABD) threatened to prevent Catholics from attending church if Loyal Order parades were rerouted away from Nationalist areas.
Friday 8 August 1997
Nationalist residents of Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh, gathered outside the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) police station to protest at a Royal Black Preceptory march planned for the village on 9 August 1997.
Ruairí O Brádaigh, then President of Republican Sinn Féin (RSF), was refused a visa by the Canadian government.
Saturday 8 August 1998
The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) issued a statement which stated that as far as the grouping was concerned the “war is over”.
Many people expressed doubts about the real intentions of the LVF.
This was a follow-up to the announcement of a ceasefire on 15 May 1998. It was thought that the statement was a response to the fact that LVF prisoners had not been included on the list of those eligible for release that was presented on 28 July 1998.
Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), told a meeting in west Belfast that he would not be pressured into uttering the words “the war is over” to satisfy Unionists.
There were disturbances in Derry following the annual Apprentice Boys of Derry parade.
Sunday 8 August 1999
INLA Stated that War is Over
There was a report in The Sunday Times (a London based newspaper) that the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) had confirmed its view of the futility of continuing the “armed struggle” and had declared that the “war is over”.
The INLA was the first paramilitary organisation to make this declaration. However, the organisation insisted that it was not about to begin decommissioning its weapons.
A man from Newtownabbey, County Antrim, was shot in a paramilitary ‘punishment’ attack.
Two petrol bombs were thrown at the house of a Catholic man living in Larne, County Antrim.
There were sectarian arson attacks on an Orange hall in Ballymoney, County Antrim, a Presbyterian church hall in Rathfriland, County Down, and a Free Presbyterian church hall in Moneyslane.
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Remembering all innocent victims of the Troubles
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.
10 people lost their lives on the 8th August between 1971 – 1994
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08 August 1971
Malcolm Hatton, (21) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Brompton Park, Ardoyne, Belfast.
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08 August 1974
Terence Miskimmin, (24)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA),
Killed by: Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
Found shot, Seaview Drive, off Shore Road, Belfast. Internal Ulster Defence Association dispute.
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08 August 1976
James Borucki, (19) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by bomb attached to abandoned bicycle while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, The Square, Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
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08 August 1981
Thomas McElwee, (23)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: not known (nk)
Died on the 62nd day of hunger strike, Long Kesh / Maze Prison, County Down.
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08 August 1984
Brendan Watters, (24)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature bomb explosion in house, Barcroft Park, Newry, County Down.
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08 August 1988
Alexander Bannister, (21) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died three weeks after being shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, outside New Barnsley British Army (BA) base, Ballymurphy, Belfast.
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08 August 1988
Seamus Morris, (18)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Protestant Action Force (PAF)
Shot from passing car while walking along Brompton Park, Ardoyne, Belfast
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08 August 1988
Peter Dolan, (25) Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Protestant Action Force (PAF)
Shot from passing car while walking along Etna Drive, Ardoyne, Belfast.
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08 August 1993
Sean Lavery, (21)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot during gun attack on his home, Antrim Road, New Lodge, Belfast. His father a Sinn Fein (SF) councillor.
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08 August 1994
Trelford Withers, (46)
Protestant
Status: Royal Irish Regiment (RIR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot at his shop, Downpatrick Street, Crossgar, County Down.
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Belfast Child 