Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
14th November
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Wednesday 14 November 1973
In London nine people were found guilty of planting bombs in the city on 8 March 1973. Eight of those found guilty received life sentences. Of these six admitted to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Thursday 14 November 1974
James McDade, then a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), was killed when the bomb he was planting exploded prematurely in Coventry, England.
- Merlyn Rees, then Secretary of Sate for Northern Ireland, announced the closure of the remaining incident centres that had been set up under the arrangements for the IRA truce.
Tuesday 14 November 1978
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a number of bomb attacks in towns across Northern Ireland. Serious damage was caused in attacks in Armagh, Belfast, Castlederg, Cookstown, Derry and Enniskillen. Thirty-seven people were injured in the attacks.
[This series of bomb attacks represented a renewed bombing campaign and over 50 bombs were exploded in the following week.]
Saturday 14 November 1981
Robert Bradford Killed The Reverend Robert Bradford (40), then an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Member of Parliament, was shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at a community centre in Finaghy in Belfast. Kenneth Campbell (29), a Protestant civilian who was a caretaker at the centre, was also shot and killed.
Monday 14 November 1983
Charles Armstrong (54), a part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) and also Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) chairman of Armagh District Council, was killed by a booby trap bomb under his car.
James Molyneaux, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), attend a protest rally against the Anglo-Irish Agreement (AIA) in Hillsborough.
Thursday 14 November 1991
The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) shot dead three people in an attack near Lurgan, County Armagh. Two Catholic civilians and one Protestant civilian were killed as they were travelling home from work.
[The UVF later apologised for killing the Protestant civilian.]
[Following the killing of twenty people since the 10 October 1991 the British government announced that the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) would be allowed to recruit an additional 440 members and that 500 additional soldiers would be sent to Northern Ireland. In addition soldiers were moved into Belfast from other areas of the region and 1,200 part-time Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) members were put on full-time duty.]
Saturday 14 November 1992
Three Catholic civilians were shot dead during a gun and grenade attack carried out by the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name (pseudonym) used by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). The attack took place in a bookmaker’s shop on the Oldpark Road, Belfast.
[This incident was similar to an attack by the UFF on 5 February 1992.]
In London the Irish Republican Army (IRA) attempted to plant a large bomb, estimated at 1,000 pounds, but were stopped by the Metropolitan Police. A policeman was shot and wounded and one man arrested during the incident.
Sinn Féin (SF) won a court case against Belfast City Council. The case concerned the tactics adopted by Unionist councillors to deny positions on various committees to SF.
Sunday 14 November 1993
A Sinn Féin (SF) selection convention was held in Belfast to discuss the European Elections in June 1994. The party selected candidates to contest each of the three Northern Ireland seats in the European Parliament – the first time SF had fought in all three constituencies.
Monday 14 November 1994
John Major, then British Prime Minister, addressed the Lord Mayor’s banquet in London. During his speech he announced that talks with Loyalist political representatives would begin before Christmas.
Tuesday 14 November 1995
The ‘Spirit of Drumcree’ group held a rally in the Ulster Hall, Belfast. The group called for sweeping changes in the Orange Order including the resignation of Martin Smyth (Rev.), then Grand Master, and the breaking of the traditional link between the Order and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).
Friday 14 November 1997
Jonathon Stephenson, then chairperson of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), addressed the opening session of the party’s annual conference and called for a “historic compromise” with Unionism. David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), called for the replacement of the Anglo-Irish Agreement (AIA) before progress on the multi-party talks.
Saturday 14 November 1998
John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), addressed the annual SDLP conference and said Unionists and Nationalists had at last taken their future into their hands and seized control of their history, rather than history controlling them.
[During the conference the SDLP said it would help to remove Sinn Féin (SF) from the Executive if the Irish Republican Army (IRA) failed to decommission within the specified time-scale. The party also said it would not support any attempt by Unionists to rewrite the Good Friday Agreement.]
Sunday 14 November 1999
The home of a Catholic family in north Belfast was attacked with a pipe-bomb. No one was injured in the attack. The family returned home at about 6.30pm to find their house in Westland Road had been damaged. The attack was carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries.
Tuesday 14 November 2000
Clifford Shearing (Prof.), a former member of the Patten commission on police reform, strongly criticised the British government for “gutting” the Patten report in its proposed legislation. The criticism appeared in an article in the Guardian (an English newspaper) in which Shearing wrote: “The Patten report has not been cherry picked, it has been gutted”.
Wednesday 14 November 2001
There was a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The two Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Ministers refused to attend the meeting. This was the first meeting to be jointly chaired by David Trimble (UUP), then First Minister, and Mark Durkan (SDLP), then Deputy First Minister. The Executive considered the continuing violence in north Belfast, the Loyalist protest at the Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School, and the forthcoming budget.
John Reid, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announced that funding of £1 million would be made available for a new Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) Garden of Remembrance and an RUC Museum. Reid also announced the composition of the Boards of Trustees of the RUC George Cross Foundation (Jim McDonald, chairman) and the Northern Ireland Police Fund (Sir John Semple, chairman).
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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.
18 People lost their lives on the 14th November between 1972 – 1992
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14 November 1972
Joseph McCrystal, (28)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Died two days after being shot near his home, Arthur Road, Greencastle, Belfast.
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14 November 1972
Stanley Evans, (19)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while guarding British Army (BA) members searching homes, Stanhope Street, Unity Flats, Belfast.
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14 November 1973
John Lundy, (61)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during sniper attack on British Army (BA) observation post, Moira Street, Short Strand, Belfast
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14 November 1973
Kathleen Feeney, (14)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during sniper attack on British Army (BA) mobile patrol, Lecky Road, Bogside, Derry.
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14 November 1974
James McDade, (28)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in premature bomb explosion outside telephone exchange, Coventry, Warwickshire, England.
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14 November 1975
Thomas McNamee, (55)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Died almost one year after being injured in bomb attack on McArdle’s Bar, Crossmaglen, County Armagh. He was wounded on 29 November 1974.
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14 November 1977
Samuel Murphy, (21)
Catholic
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
On leave. Died 10 days after being shot, while walking near to his parent’s home, Bearnagh Drive, Andersonstown, Belfast.
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14 November 1980
Peter Valente, (33)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot in entry, off Highfield Drive, Highfield, Belfast. Alleged informer.
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14 November 1981
Robert Bradford, (40)
Protestant
Status: Civilian Political Activist (CivPA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Ulster Unionist Party Member of Parliament. Shot at Community Centre, Finaghy, Belfast.
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14 November 1981
Kenneth Campbell, (29)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during gun attack on Robert Bradford, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Member of Parliament, at Community Centre, Finaghy, Belfast. Caretaker of the premises.
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14 November 1983
Charles Armstrong, (54)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Also Ulster Unionist Party Councillor. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car, outside District Council offices, Armagh.
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14 November 1986
Alan McCormick, (29)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: not known (nk)
Knocked down by Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) land rover, during street disturbances, Bilston Road, Ballysillan, Belfast.
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14 November 1991
Desmond Rogers, (54)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot shortly after leaving his workplace, Hyster factory, while travelling in car at the junction of Carbet Road and Carn Road, near Lurgan, County Armagh.
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14 November 1991
Fergus Magee, (28)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot shortly after leaving his workplace, Hyster factory, while travelling in car at the junction of Carbet Road and Carn Road, near Lurgan, County Armagh.
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14 November 1991
John Lavery, (27)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot, whilst travelling in his car, at the junction of Carbet Road and Carn Road, near Lurgan, County Armagh.
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14 November 1992
Francis Burns, (62)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot during gun and grenade attack on James Murray bookmaker’s shop, Oldpark Road, Belfast.
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14 November 1992
Peter Orderley, (47)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot during gun and grenade attack on James Murray bookmaker’s shop, Oldpark Road, Belfast.
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14 November 1992
John Lovett, (72)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot during gun and grenade attack on James Murray bookmaker’s shop, Oldpark Road, Belfast.
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