Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
3rd June
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Monday 3 June 1974
Michael Gaughan, a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) who had been on hunger strike in Parkhurst Prison, England, died after refusing food for 64 days.
A Catholic civilian was found shot dead in Belfast; Loyalists were responsible for the killing.
Tuesday 3 June 1975
David Thompson Alfred Doyle John Presha
Two Protestant civilians and an off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) were found shot dead in a car in Killeen, County Armagh. Republican paramilitaries were responsible for the killings.
Monday 3 June 1991
Undercover British Army soldiers, believed to be members of the Special Air Service (SAS), shot dead three Irish Republican Army (IRA) men as they travelled in a car near Coagh, County Tyrone.
Approximately 200 shots were fired by the SAS soldiers at the car. Two rifles were later recovered from the car
See Loughgall ambush
Tuesday 3 June 1997
Stormont Talks Resumed
The multi-party talks resumed at Stormont following a break to allow the local government elections to be contested on 20 May 1997.
The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) and the Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) were both proscribed (declared illegal organisations).
15 LVF prisoners began a hunger strike at the Maze Prison in protest at what they alleged was maltreatment by the prison authorities.
Marjorie (Mo) Mowlam, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, was heckled when she addressed the Northern Ireland Police Federation annual conference in Newcastle, County Down. Les Rodgers, then Chairman of the Police Federation, criticised the Labour governments plans for reform of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).
Rodgers also criticised some Unionist politicians for “mindless incitement” which he believed had led to violence against RUC officers including the attack on Gregory Taylor on 1 June 1997.
Roisín McAliskey, then being held awaiting a decision about extradition, was granted bail so as to allow her to be moved to a secure unit of Mandsley psychiatric hospital. McAliskey was reported as suffering from depression
Wednesday 3 June 1998
The Irish Times (a Republic of Ireland newspaper) carried a report on the death, due to cancer, of Robin Jackson on Saturday 30 May 1998. The report claimed that Jackson was the infamous Loyalist killer of the 1970s and 1980s known as ‘The Jackal’.
The report stated that he had been commander of the Mid-Ulster Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) from 1972 to the 1990s and had been responsible for the deaths of dozens of Catholic civilians.
Jackson was also implicated in the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings in May 1974 which resulted in the deaths of 33 civilians.
See Dublin & Monaghan Bombings
The British government issued a press release naming the members of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland.
[There were reports that both the Irish government and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) were upset that none of their preferred nominations for the Commission had been accepted by the British government.]
Saturday 3 June 2000
Ronnie Flanagan, then Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), announced that 500 British Army soliders were to be withdrawn from Northern Ireland.
The latest reduction in troops was believed to bring the number down to 13,500, the lowest level since 1970.
[Troop levels were increased again at the beginning of July 2000 in response to Loyalist violence at Drumcree.]
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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.
15 People lost their lives on the 3rd June between 1973 – 1991
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03 June 1973
Sarah McComb (41)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot while in friend’s house, Druse Street, Lower Oldpark, Belfast.
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03 June 1973
Alfred Acheson (48) Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ), Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot while in friend’s house, Druse Street, Lower Oldpark, Belfast.
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03 June 1974
Michael Gaughan (24)
nfNIB
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: not known (nk)
Originally from County Mayo. Died on 65th day of hunger strike, in Parkhurst Prison, Isle of Wight, England
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03 June 1974
John McLaughlin (19)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Found shot in quarry, Hightown Road, near Belfast, County Antrim.
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03 June 1975
David Thompson (34)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot in his car, Killeen, County Armagh.
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03 June 1975
Alfred Doyle (24)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off Duty. Found shot in David Thompson’s car, Killeen, County Armagh.
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03 June 1975
John Presha (30)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot in David Thompson’s car, Killeen, County Armagh.
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03 June 1978
Daniel McErlean (25)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot, Edenappa, near Jonesborough, County Armagh. Allegedly involved in crime.
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03 June 1979
Stanley Hanna (47)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by land mine while on Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) mobile patrol, Cullaville, near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
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03 June 1979
Kevin Thompson (22)
Protestant
Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by land mine while on Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) mobile patrol, Cullaville, near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
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03 June 1981
Joseph Lynn (60)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during sniper attack on British Army (BA) foot patrol, Central Drive, Creggan, Derry.
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03 June 1984
Hugh Gallagher (26)
Catholic
Status: ex-Ulster Defence Regiment (xUDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Taxi driver. Found shot in his car, Faccary Road, Loughmacrory, near Omagh, County Tyrone.
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03 June 1991
Peter Ryan (35)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot during ambush by undercover British Army (BA) members, while driving through Coagh, County Tyrone.
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03 June 1991
Lawrence McNally (39)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot during ambush by undercover British Army (BA) members, while driving through Coagh, County Tyrone.
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03 June 1991
Anthony Doris (22)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot during ambush by undercover British Army (BA) members, while driving through Coagh, County Tyrone.
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Belfast Child 