Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
14th February
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Monday 14 February 1972
Lord Widgery arrived in Coleraine, where the ‘Bloody Sunday’ (30 January 1972) Tribunal was to be based, and held a preliminary hearing. During this initial hearing Widgery announced that the tribunal would be “essentially a fact-finding exercise” and then went on to narrow the terms of reference for the tribunal.
See Bloody Sunday
Wednesday 14 February 1979
There was a meeting between Roy Mason, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and M. O’Kennedy, then Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs in London.
Tuesday 14 February 1989
John Davey, a Sinn Féin (SF) councillor, was shot dead by Loyalist gunmen near Maghera, County Derry.
Thursday 14 February 1991
Peter Brooke, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, told the House of Commons that there were still differences between the Northern Ireland political parties, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), and Irish ministers, over the proposals for talks. Charges against Desmond Ellis, who had been extradited from the Republic of Ireland to Britain, were changed when he appeared in court. The introduction of new charges was contrary to Irish law and the incident sparked a row between the two countries.
[The decision was reversed on 4 June 1991 and the original charges reinstated.]
Tuesday 14 February 1995
A delegation from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) had a meeting with John Major, then British Prime Minister, in London. Following the meeting the UUP wrote to Major to state that the party would not take part in all-party talks based on a “nationalist agenda”.
Friday 14 February 1997
Relatives of those killed on ‘Bloody Sunday’ met with Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to put the case for a fresh inquiry in the events of 30 January 1972.
Sunday 14 February 1999
Bertie Ahern, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), was involved in controversy after making apparently contradictory statements about the decommissioning of IRA arms. In an interview with The Sunday Times (a London based newspaper) Ahern indicated that the Northern Ireland Executive could not be established without a start to decommissioning. Later, he said Sinn Féin (SF) should not be barred from the Executive in the absence of decommissioning. The President, Mrs McAleese, met the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, for the first time in Rome.
Sunday 14 February 1999
A pipe-bomb was thrown at a house, Graymount, north Belfast.
Thursday 14 February 2002
Police uncovered a pipe-bomb, and components parts for another two devices, during a search of houses in Ballymena, County Antrim. A sawn-off shotgun and automatic pistol were also found. There were no arrests.
During other searches in the Clogh area of County Antrim, shotgun cartridges and other ammunition were found. Again there were no arrests.
A Sinn Féin (SF) spokesperson said that the party’s four Members of Parliament (MPs) had already begun to complete the House of Commons register of members’ interests before a committee had ruled that the register would have to be completed. The previous rule had only applied to those MPs who were taking their seats at Westminster.
See Omagh Bomb
The Police Association, which represents all the members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), launched a legal action in the High Court in Belfast to attempt to quash the report by the Police Ombudsman on the Omagh bomb investigation. The Ombudsman report was critical of the handling of the investigation by the Chief Constable. The Omagh Victims’ Group said they welcomed the possibility that Ronnie Flanagan, then Chief Constable of the PSNI, may retire at the end of February 2002.
Charles, then Prince of Wales, arrived in Dublin on for his second official visit to the Republic. He met with Mary McAleese, then President of the Republic of Ireland, and Bertie Ahern, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister).
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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.
6 People lost their lives on the 14th February between 1973– 1989
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14 February 1973
Edwin Weston, (20)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Divis Street, Lower Falls, Belfast.
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14 February 1976
Anthony Doherty, (14)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: not known (nk)
Killed by exploding petrol tank of burning hijacked lorry, during street disturbances, Leeson Street, Lower Falls, Belfast.
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14 February 1976
William Wilson, (57)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Republican group (REP)
Died one month after being injured during bomb attack on his home, Fortwilliam Parade, Skegoneill, Belfast. He was wounded on 17 January 1976.
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14 February 1979
Steven Kirby, (22)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Abercorn Road, Derry.
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14 February 1980
John Morrow, (37)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Shot shortly after leaving Hatfield Bar, Ormeau Road, Belfast.
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14 February 1989
John Davey, (61)
Catholic
Status: Civilian Political Activist (CivPA),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Sinn Fein (SF) Councillor. Shot as he drove his car into the laneway of his home, Gulladuff, near Maghera, County Derry.
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Belfast Child 