Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
26th June
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Friday 26 June 1970
Five People Killed in Premature Explosion
Thomas McCool
Two young girls, aged 9 years and 4 years, died in a premature explosion at their home in the Creggan area of Derry.
Their father, a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), had been making an incendiary device, presumably for use against the British Army. The explosion killed two other members of the IRA.
The girls were the first females to die in ‘the Troubles’.
Bernadette Devlin, Member of Parliament (MP), was arrested and jailed for six months for riotous behaviour during the ‘Battle of the Bogside’.
There was rioting between the British Army and local residents in Derry following the news of the arrest. The riots spread to Belfast.
Monday 26 June 1972
Start of ‘Truce’
The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) began a “bi-lateral truce” as at midnight.
[The move was made as a prelude to secret talks with the British Government. The ceasefire ended on 9 July 1972.]
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) killed two British Army soldiers in separate attacks during the day.
Tuesday 26 June 1973
Paddy Wilson (39), then a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Stormont Senator, and Irene Andrews (29), then his secretary, were found stabbed to death in a quarry on the Hightown Road, Belfast.
They had been killed by members of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) a covername for the Ulster Defence Association (UDA).
[John White was later convicted for his part in these killings. White was later to become a leading spokesman for the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) and was involved in the negotiations that led to the ‘Good Friday’ Peace Agreement on 10 April 1998.]
See Paddy Wilson and Irene Andrews killings
A civilian employed by the British Army was shot dead by the IRA as he left an Army base in Derry. A Catholic civilian died four days after been shot by the British Army in Derry.
Thursday 26 June 1980
Miriam Daly, a prominent member of the National H-Block / Armagh Committee, was shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries at her home in Andersontown, Belfast.
Thursday 26 June 1986
A constitution referendum on the issue of divorce was held in the Republic of Ireland.
[When the votes were counted the population had rejected the opportunity to introduce a restricted form of divorce by 63.5 per cent to 36.5 per cent. Many Unionists in Northern Ireland saw the result as confirming their view that the Republic was intolerant of Protestants.
Garret FitzGerald, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), said that the Republic had a long way to go to create “a society that would seem welcoming to, open to and attractive to people of the Northern Unionist tradtion.]
Wednesday 26 June 1991
Maguire Seven Freed The convictions of the group of people known as the ‘Maguire Seven’ were quashed by the Court of Appeal in London. The seven had been convicted of supplying the bombs that were used in Guildford and Woolwich.
[This was the latest in a series of high profile cases of miscarriage of justice involving Irish people living in England.]
Saturday 26 June 1993
John Major, then British Prime Minister, began a two-day visit to Northern Ireland. Major called for a resumption of political talks between the constitutional parties.
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) moved to prevent an Orange Order parade close to the peace line in the Springfield area of Belfast. The action led to rioting.
Brian McCallum (26), a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), was mortally wounded when a grenade he was handling exploded prematurely. Eighteen other people were injured.
[McCallum died on 29 June 1993.]
Monday 26 June 1995
The High Court in Belfast awarded compensation to the mother of Karen Reilly (16) who was shot dead by a British soldier on 30 September 1990.
[The amount of the compensation was not disclosed. Reilly had been shot dead by Lee Clegg, a paratrooper with the British Army, during a ‘joyriding’ incident. Clegg was released from prison on 3 July 1995.]
See Lee Clegg
Wednesday 26 June 1996
David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), admitted bringing pressure to bear on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) over the events on the Garvaghy Road in 1995.
Trimble had pressed for prosecutions against the leaders of the Garvaghy Road residents who had opposed the 1995 Drumcree Orange march. Prosecutions were dismissed. Veronica Guerin, an investigative journalist in Dublin, was shot dead near to Dublin.
Thursday 26 June 1997
The Fianna Fáil (FF) party appointed Ray Burke as Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs. It was also announced that David Andrews (FF) would be Minister for Defence and Liz O’Donnell (Progressive Democrats) would be Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs, and that both these ministers would assist Burke at Stormont.
[These appointments were part of the cabinet announced by Bertie Ahern, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), following the general election in the Republic of Ireland on 6 June 1997.]
Friday 26 June 1998
As counting got under way in the Northern Ireland Assembly election the relatively poor early showing of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) resulted in the bitter divisions within the party becoming public.
Jeffrey Donaldson, then UUP Member of Parliament (MP), who opposed the Good Friday Agreement accused his party colleague, Ken Maginnis, in a televised debate of:
“presiding over an electoral disaster”.
Maginnis replied by accusing Donaldson of “gloating over the difficulties that he and others like him” had created for the party.
Both nationalist parties, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and Sinn Féin (SF), were pleased with a strong first preference showing
Monday 26 June 2000
IRA Arms Inspected
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) issued a statement to say that it had opened some of its arms dumps to be viewed by the independent weapons inspectors. Cyril Ramaphosa and Martti Ahtisaari, then independent weapons inspectors, held a meeting with Tony Blair, then British Prime Minister, in Downing Street and confirmed that the inspection had taken place.
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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 26th June between 1970 – 1993
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26 June 1970
Thomas McCool (40)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature explosion of incendiary device at his home, Dunree Gardens, Creggan, Derry.
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26 June 1970
Bernadette McCool (9)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature explosion of incendiary device at her home, Dunree Gardens, Creggan, Derry.
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26 June 1970
Carol Ann McCool (4)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature explosion of incendiary device at her home, Dunree Gardens, Creggan, Derry.
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26 June 1970
Joseph Coyle (40)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature explosion of incendiary device at the McCool household, Dunree Gardens, Creggan, Derry
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26 June 1970
Thomas Carlin (55)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Injured in premature explosion of incendiary device at the McCool household, Dunree Gardens, Creggan, Derry. He died 8 July 1970.
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26 June 1972
David Houston (22)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot attempting to stop bomb attack on The Stables Bar, Water Street, Newry, County Down.
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26 June 1972
James Meredith (20)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Abercorn Road, Derry.
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26 June 1972
Malcolm Banks (30)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while on British Army (BA) mobile patrol, junction of Seaforde Street and Comber Street, Short Strand, Belfast.
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26 June 1972
John Black (32)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Died five weeks after being shot at barricade during street disturbances, Douglas Street, off Beersbridge Road, Belfast.
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26 June 1973
Paddy Wilson (39)
Catholic
Status: Civilian Political Activist (CivPA),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Stormont Senator and Councillor. Together with his secretary, found stabbed to death in quarry, Hightown Road, near Belfast, County Antrim.
See Paddy Wilson and Irene Andrews killings
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26 June 1973
Irene Andrews (29)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Together with Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Stormont Senator and Councillor, Paddy Wilson, found stabbed to death in quarry, Hightown Road, near Belfast, County Antrim.
See Paddy Wilson and Irene Andrews killings
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26 June 1973
Noorbaz Khan (45)
nfNI
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Civilian employed by British Army (BA). Shot shortly after driving out of Bligh’s Lane British Army (BA) base, Creggan, Derry.
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26 June 1973
Robert McGuinness (22)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Died four days after being shot while walking along Brandywell Avenue, Derry
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26 June 1976
Daniel Mackin (20)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Found stabbed to death, Brookvale Street, off Cliftonville Road, Belfast.
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26 June 1980
Miriam Daly (45)
Catholic
Status: Civilian Political Activist (CivPA),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) member. Found shot at her home, Andersonstown Road, Andersonstown, Belfast.
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26 June 1981
Vincent Robinson (29)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot, Divis Flats, Belfast. Alleged informer.
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26 June 1987
John Tracey (46)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot while renovating house, Surrey Street, off Lisburn Road, Belfast.
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26 June 1993
John Randall (19)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper, while on British Army (BA) foot patrol, crossing field, near Newtownhamilton, County Armagh.
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Belfast Child 