Tag Archives: James Doherty

30th July Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles

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

3oth July

Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles

Thursday 30 July 1970

There were further riots in Belfast.

Monday 30 July 1990 Ian Gow Killed

Ian Gow, then the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Eastbourne, was killed outside his home by an Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb that had been planted on his car. Gow had been a vocal critic of the IRA and a close friend of Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister.

Friday 30 July 1976

Four Protestant civilians were shot dead at a pub off Milltown Road, Belfast. The attack was claimed by the Republican Action Force.[59]

Wednesday 30 July 1986

John Kyle (40), a Protestant civilian, was shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) as he sat in McCullagh’s Bar, Greencastle, County Tyrone. Kyle had been working as a contractor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). [This killing followed threats made by the IRA on 28 July 1986.]

Sunday 30 July 1978

Tomás Ó Fiaich, Catholic Primate of Ireland, paid a visit to Republican prisoners in the Maze Prison. The prisoners were taking part in the ‘blanket protest’. [Over 300 Republican prisoners were refusing to wear prison clothes or follow normal prison regulations in an attempt to secure a return of special category status.]

Friday 31 July 1981

Peter Doherty (36), a Catholic civilian, was shot dead by a plastic bullet fired by the British Army while at his home in Divis Flats, Belfast. A former member of the RUC was shot dead by the INLA in Strabane, County Tyrone.

The family of Paddy Quinn, then on day 47 of his hunger strike, intervened and asked for medical treatment to save his life. [This series of events was to be repeated a number of times towards the end of the hunger strike as more and more familles intervened to save the hunger strikers.]

Sunday 30 July 1995

The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) prevented a Sinn Féin (SF) march from entering the centre of Lurgan, County Armagh. The reason given was the presence of a counter-demonstration of 1,500 Loyalists. The Loyalists were addressed by Peter Robinson, then deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and David Trimble, then Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MP.

Three RUC officers and one civilian were injured when Loyalists rioted. Trimble called the violence “insignificant”. [Later Ken Maginnis, then UUP MP, disagreed and criticised the violence as “deliberate thuggery”. The Portadown Branch of the UUP criticised the RUC and in particular “a well known Roman Catholic” Bill McCreesh, then a Chief Superintendent.]

The Irish government ordered the early release of 12 Republican prisoners. [This brought the total number of early releases in the Republic of Ireland to 33.]

Thursday 30 July 1998

There was a series of fire-bomb attacks on shops in Portadown, County Armagh. Republican dissidents were believed to be responsible. The government released the names of the ten members of the Commission dealing with releases of paramilitary prisoners. The joint chairpersons were John Blelloch, formerly a Northern Ireland Office (NIO) permanent secretary, and Brian Currin, then a South African lawyer.

Friday 30 July 1999

Charles Bennett Killed

Charles Bennett (22), a Catholic civilian, was shot dead in Belfast. It was believed that he had been abducted and held for four days before being bound and then shot twice in the head. Bennett was a taxi-driver from New Lodge and his body, which showed evidence of him having been beaten, was found off the Falls Road. [The IRA later admitted responsibility for the killing.]

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

To the innocent on the list – Your memory will life 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 30th July between 1969 – 2015

30 July 1972

William McAfee,  (54)

Protestant

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY) Found shot, Cairnburn Road, off Old Holywood Road, Belfast.

————————————————————–

30 July 1974

Bernard Fearns,  (34) nfNI

Status: British Army (BA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA) Shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Hillman Street, New Lodge, Belfast.

————————————————————–

 July 1976

Robert Scott,  (28)

Protestant

Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA) Off duty. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to gate at his father’s farm, Druminard, near Moneymore, County Derry.

————————————————————–

30 July 1976

John McCleave, (48)

Protestant

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Republican Action Force (RepAF) Shot during gun attack on Stag Inn, off Milltown Road, Belvoir, Belfast.

————————————————————–

30 July 1976

John McKay,  (50)

Protestant

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Republican Action Force (RepAF) Shot during gun attack on Stag Inn, off Milltown Road, Belvoir, Belfast

————————————————————–

30 July 1976

James Doherty,  (70)

Protestant Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Republican Action Force (RepAF) Shot during gun attack on Stag Inn, off Milltown Road, Belvoir, Belfast.

————————————————————–

30 July 1976

Thompson McCreight, (60)

Protestant

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Republican Action Force (RepAF) Shot during gun attack on Stag Inn, off Milltown Road, Belvoir, Belfast. He died 8 August 1976

————————————————————–

 July 1983

Martin Malone,  (18)

Catholic

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) Shot during altercation between local people and Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) foot patrol, Callan Terrace, Armagh.

————————————————————–

30 July 1983

Mark Kinghan, (19)

Protestant

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: not known (nk) Died eight days after being hit on head by brick thrown during street disturbances at junction of Whitewell Road and Shore Road, Greencastle, Belfast.

————————————————————–

 30 July 1986

John Kyle,  (40)

Protestant

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA) Shot while in McCullagh’s Bar, Greencastle, County Tyrone. Contractor to Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).

————————————————————–

30 July 1990

Ian Gow,  (53) nfNIB

Status: Civilian Political Activist (CivPA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA) Conservative Member of Parliament. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car outside his home, Hankham, Pevensey, Sussex, England.

See:  Ian Gow’s death

————————————————————–

30 July 1999

Charles Bennett,  (22)

Catholic

Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: non-specific Republican group (REP) Found shot in car park, by St. Gall’s GAA Club, off Falls Road, Belfast.

————————————————————–

30 July 2005

photo

Stephen Paul (28)

Protestant

Status: Civilian (Civ)

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)

Shot dead at Wheatfield Crescent, off the Crumlin Road, Belfast. [Media reports claimed that Stephen Paul was linked to the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF). It was believed that the kiling was part of a feud between the UVF and the LVF

See: Ian Gow 

 

My book is now available to order online see below 

Advertisement

2nd May – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles

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

Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles

2nd May

————————————-

Monday 5 May 1969

 August 1969; Civil Rights marches

Sunday 2 May 1976

Seamus Ludlow (47), a Catholic civilian, who was an unmarried forestry worker from Thistle Cross, Dundalk, County Louth, was killed in the early hours of the morning.

He was shot a number of times.

[Initially the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was suspected by some members of the Garda Siochana (the Irish police). Later members of Ludlow’s family came to the conclusion that the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) / Red Hand Commando (RHC) were responsible. The family have pressed the Iriish government for an Inquiry.

On 3 November 2005 an interim report (PDF; 1650KB) into the killing was published.]

Thursday 2 May 1974

The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) exploded a bomb at the Rose and Crown public house on the Ormeau Road, Belfast, killing six Catholic civilians and injuring a further 18.

A woman member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during a gun and rocket attack on the UDR base in Clogher, County Tyrone.

The Irish government brought a case of torture against the British government to the European Commission on Human Rights. The case related to the treatment of Internees held in Northern Ireland

Monday 2 May 1977

In a last minute attempt to avoid the planned United Unionist Action Council (UUAC) strike Roy Mason, then Secretary of State, met leaders of the UUAC including Ian Paisley and Ernest Baird but the talks broke up without any agreement.

Ian Paisley rejected allegations that the UUAC was using the strike as cover to secure independence for Ulster but warned that if it did take place he could not guarantee that intimidation would not take place.

At Belfast docks workers decided by a small majority not to support the UUAC strike.

In areas of Belfast, including the Shankill and Crumlin Road, there were reports of a number of food vans being hijacked and their contents stolen.

In an interview Fred Mulley, then British Defence Secretary, warned that it might be impossible for the Army to maintain essential services.

Thomas Passmore, then County Grand Master of the Orange Order in Belfast, alleged that he had received death threats in the wake of his public opposition to the strike.

See: The Orange Order – What’s it all about?

An opinion poll carried out by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) highlighted that although some 78 per cent of people interviewed opposed the UUAC stoppage, 93 per cent of Protestants and 43 per cent of Catholics supported a tougher security response against the IRA.

The RUC announce that it had set up a special anti-intimidation squad in order to try to counter the use of the tactic during the proposed strike.

Just before midnight, in a reverse of an earlier decision, 400 workers walked out of the Belfast shipyard.

Wednesday 2 May 1984

Report of New Ireland Forum

The Report of the New Ireland Forum was published. The authors of the report criticised Britain’s policy of ‘crisis management’ since 1968. The report set out three possible options for the future of Northern Ireland: join with the Republic in a United Ireland; joint authority over the region by the Republic of Ireland and Britain; a federal or confederal arrangement.

Charles Haughey, then leader of Fianna Fáil (FF), said that unity was the only option. The report rejects the use of violence to achieve political change in Northern Ireland.

Friday 2 May 1986

John Hermon, then Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), stated that fifty RUC families and 79 Catholic families had their homes fire-bombed by Loyalists between 1 and 26 April 1986.

Hermon condemned the attacks and accused some Unionist politicians of “consorting with paramilitary elements”.

Saturday 2 May 1992

The Garda Síochána (the Irish police) uncovered a large cache of arms, including 51 automatic rifles, in a concealed bunker at a farm near Newmarket, County Cork.

Thursday 2 May 1996

Conor Cruise O’Brien, formally an Irish Labour Party Minister, announced that he would stand in the forth-coming Northern Ireland elections on behalf of the United Kingdom Unionists (UKU).

Saturday 2 May 1998

Loyalist paramilitaries carried out a ‘punishment’ shooting attack on a 34 year old man in Forthriver Road in north Belfast.

[It was claimed that ‘mainstream Loyalists’, who were supposed to be observing a ceasefire, were responsible for the shooting.]

There were reports in local newspapers that a security force listening device had been planted in a house used by Gerry Kelly, then a senior Sinn Féin (SF) member.

Sunday 2 May 19997

A 16 year-old Catholic boy was attacked and badly beaten by a group of approximately 20 Loyalists in north Belfast. His arm was broken and he was left unconscious. The assailants also attacked the boy’s girlfriend

Source: CAIN Web Service

 ———————————————

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.

 12  People lost their lives on the 2nd May    between 1973 – 1987

———————————————–

02 May 1973


 Liam McDonald   (18)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
Found shot in disused quarry, Ballyduff Road, Carnmoney, Newtownabbey, County Antrim

———————————————–

02 May 1974


 Eva Martin   (28)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during gun and rocket attack on Clogher Ulster Defence Regiment base, County Tyrone.

———————————————–

02 May 1974


 Thomas Morrissey   (46)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in bomb attack on Rose and Crown Bar, Ormeau Road, Belfast.

———————————————–

02 May 1974


 John Gallagher  (23)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in bomb attack on Rose and Crown Bar, Ormeau Road, Belfast.

———————————————–

02 May 1974


 Thomas Ferguson   (62)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in bomb attack on Rose and Crown Bar, Ormeau Road, Belfast.

———————————————–

02 May 1974


 James Doherty  (53)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in bomb attack on Rose and Crown Bar, Ormeau Road, Belfast.

———————————————–

02 May 1974

William Kelly  (56)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Killed in bomb attack on Rose and Crown Bar, Ormeau Road, Belfast.

———————————————–

02 May 1974
 Francis Brennan  (56)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Injured in bomb attack on Rose and Crown Bar, Ormeau Road, Belfast. He died 11th May 1974.

———————————————–

. 02 May 1975


 Alexandra Millar   (55)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot at his workplace, Ardoyne Bus Depot, Ardoyne Road, Belfast.

———————————————–

02 May 1976


 Seamus Ludlow   (49)

nfNIRI
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Red Hand Commando (RHC)
Found shot in laneway near to his home, Thistlecross, near Dundalk, County Louth

———————————————–

02 May 1980


 Herbert Westmacott  (28)

nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Undercover British Army (BA) member. Shot during gun battle at house, Antrim Road, Belfast.

———————————————–

02 May 1987


 Finbarr McKenna   (33)

Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in premature bomb explosion during attack on Springfield Road Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base, Belfast.

———————————————–

Source: CAIN Web Service

15th October – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles

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

 

Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles

15th October

————————————

Tuesday 15 October 1968

Nationalist Party Withdrew as ‘Official’ Opposition The Nationalist Party of Northern Ireland (NPNI) withdrew from its role as ‘official’ opposition within the Northern Ireland parliament at Stormont.

Friday 15 October 1971

Two Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers were killed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Belfast.

Tuesday 15 October 1974

A number of huts in the Maze Prison were destroyed by fires which had been started by Republican prisoners. British troops were called into the prison to re-establish control.

[The estimated cost of damage to the Maze Prison, during disturbances on 15 October 1974, was put at £1.5m.]

 

1976:
UDR men jailed for Showband killings

Two men from the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) have each been jailed for 35 years in connection with the murders of members of the Miami Showband.

The UDR soldiers were members of the outlawed paramilitary organisation the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).

Imposing the longest life sentences in Northern Ireland history, the judge said “killings like the Miami Showband must be stopped.

See: BBC On This Day

See: The Glenanne Gang

Monday 15 October 1979

The Economic and Social Research Institute, based in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, published the results of an opinion poll that had been carried out between July and September 1978. One finding in the poll was that 21 per cent of people in the Republic expressed some level of support for the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Wednesday 15 October 1980

ronnie bunting header 2

See: Ronnie Bunting : Life and death 

Noel Lyttle (44) and Ronnie Bunting (32), both members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), were killed by the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) in the Turf Lodge area of Belfast.

[Bunting was the son the Major Ronald Bunting who had been a close associate of Ian Paisley.]

[ 1981 Hunger Strike.]

Wednesday 15 October 1986

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) issued a statement in which it said that it would support Sinn Féin (SF) in the decision to end the policy of ‘abstentionism’. [This policy meant that any member of SF elected to the Dáil would refuse to take the seat. The policy was debated by SF at its Ard Fheis on 2 November 1986.]

Saturday 15 October 1988

Jim Craig, a leading member of the Ulster Defense Association (UDA), was shot dead by members of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) in a pub in Belfast. Victor Rainey, an innocent member of the public was also shot dead and four people injured in the same incident. Craig was killed as part of an internal UDA feud.

See:  James Craig UDA – Life & Death

Tuesday 15 October 1991

A bill that would have endorsed the MacBride principles was vetoed by the Governor of California, United States of America (USA).

Friday 15 October 1993

The Equal Opportunities Unit of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) reported that Catholics were fairly represented in most levels of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, the exception being in those posts at a senior level. A number of workers from the Shorts factory attended a protest meeting following the killing of Joseph Reynolds on 12 October 1993. Reynolds, a Catholic civilian, was shot dead by the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name (pseudonym) used by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), as he walked to work at Shorts. Five other workers were also injured in the attack.

Tuesday 15 October 1996

Cecil Walker, then Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Member of Parliament (MP), announced in an interview that he would stand as an independent candidate in any forthcoming general election if he was deselected by his local constituency group. David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), denied that he was involved in any effort to have Walker deselected.

Monday 15 October 2001

Loyalist paramilitaries threw three pipe-bombs at a Catholic home in Newington Street, north Belfast, shortly after 10.00pm (22.00BST). Two of the devices exploded and the third was made safe by the British Army. No-one was injured but a number of windows were broken. The attackers were believed to have come from the Loyalist Tiger’s Bay area. Security forces found eight pipe-bombs in Cavehill Country Park, Upper Hightown Road, north Belfast.

A number of component parts for bombs and a handgun were also recovered. Bryce Dickson, then Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, visited called for an end to the Loyalist protest at the Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School in Ardoyne, north Belfast. He said that:

“The treatment of these children is inhumane and their right to effective education is being affected.” Protestant parents living in north and west Belfast said that there had been increasing numbers of attacks on buses carrying pupils from the Girls’ and Boys’ Model secondary schools, Belfast Royal Academy, and Castle High School. The parents called for additional security measures to protect their children. Some parents said that they would walk their children to school if the police were unable to protect them.

Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said that Irish Republican Army (IRA) decommissioning would only be accepted by Unionists if it was verified, permanent, and followed by the dismantling of the IRA organisational structures. David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), held a meeting with Richard Haass, then a United States special envoy, in Washington, USA.

Trimble described the meeting as “constructive”. Fred Cobain, then Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for north Belfast, revealed that he had secret talks with leaders of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) during the summer of 2001.

———————————————————————————

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 15th October  between 1971– 1993

————————————————————–

15 October 1971


 Cecil Cunningham,   (46)

Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot from passing car while sitting in stationary Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) car, junction of Woodvale Road and Twaddell Avenue, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1971


 John Haslett,  (21)

Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot from passing car while sitting in stationary Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) car, junction of Woodvale Road and Twaddell Avenue, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1972
 James Doherty,   (6)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: not known (nk)
Died one week after being shot while in the garden at his home, Norglen Crescent, Turf Lodge, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1979
 Herbert Kernaghan,   (36)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot while making deliveries to school, Rosslea, County Fermanagh.

————————————————————–

15 October 1980


 Ronnie Bunting,  (32)

Protestant
Status: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot at his home, Downfine Gardens, Turf Lodge, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1980


 Noel Little,  (44)

Catholic
Status: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA),

Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot at Ronnie Bunting’s home, Downfine Gardens, Turf Lodge, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1981
 Mary McKay,  (68)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot at her home, Stewart Street, Markets, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1983
 Alan Stock,  (22) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by remote controlled bomb hidden in wall while on British Army (BA) mobile patrol, Lone Moor Road, Creggan, Derry.

————————————————————–

15 October 1988


 James Craig,  (47)

Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA), Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot while in The Castle Inn, Beersbridge Road, Belfast. Internal Ulster Defence Association (UDA) dispute.

See: James Craig UDA – Life & Death

————————————————————–

15 October 1988
 Victor Rainey,   (68)

Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot while in The Castle Inn, Beersbridge Road, Belfast. He was not the intended target. Internal Ulster Defence Association (UDA) dispute.

————————————————————–

15 October 1990


 Samuel Todd,  (40)

Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),

Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died two days after being shot while sitting in Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) civilian type van, at security barrier, High Street, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1991


 John McGuigan,  (24)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot at his workplace, timber yard, Ravenhill Road, Belfast.

————————————————————–

15 October 1993


 Patrick McMahon,   (23)

Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),

Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot while walking along Newington Avenue, New Lodge, Belfast

————————————————————–