Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
3rd October
Thursday 3 October 1968
The proposed civil rights march in Derry was banned from the area of the city centre and the Waterside area. The banning order was issued under the Public Order Act by William Craig, then Home Affairs Minister.
Sunday 3 October 1971
A man was shot dead during an attack by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on a British Army (BA) foot patrol.
Friday 3 October 1975
The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was declared a ‘proscribed’ (illegal) organisation. Tiede Herrema, then a Dutch industrialist living and working in the Republic of Ireland, was abducted and held hostage at a house in Monasterevin, County Kildare.
[On 21 October 1975 Gardaí surrounded the house and a siege began which lasted until the release of Herrema on 6 November 1975.]
Saturday 3 October 1981
Republican Hunger Strike Ended Those Republican prisoners who had been still refusing food decided to end their hunger strike. At this stage in the protest six prisoners were on hunger strike: Hugh Carville – 34 days; James Devine – 13 days; Gerard Hodgkins – 20 days; Jackie McMullan – 48 days; John Pickering – 27 days; and Pat Sheehan – 55 days.
[The prisoners took their decision when it became clear that each of their families would ask for medical intervention to save their lives. Even though the hunger strike was called off it was announced on 4 October 1981 that the ‘blanket protest’ was set to continue. On 6 October 1981 James Prior, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announced a series of measures which went a long way to meeting many aspects of the prisoners’ five demands. By 25 October the ‘blanket protest’ was all but over.]
[The hunger strike of 1981 had very important and far-reaching consequences for Northern Ireland and proved to be one of the key turning points of ‘the Troubles’. In addition to the 10 Republican prisoners who had died inside the Maze Prison there had been an upsurge in violence outside the prison with 62 people dying as a result. The Republican movement had achieved a huge propaganda victory over the British government and had obtained a lot of international sympathy. Active and tacit support for the Irish Republican Army (IRA) increased in Nationalist areas. Political support for Sinn Féin (SF) was demonstrated in the two by-elections and eventually led to the emergence of SF as a significant political force in Northern Ireland.
The British government’s fear that SF would overtake the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) as the main representative of the Catholic population of Northern Ireland was a key reason for the government signing the Anglo-Irish Agreement (AIA) on 15 November 1985.]
Saturday 3 October 1987
Dr John Alderdice was elected as leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI). He replaced John Cushnahan.
Tuesday 3 October 1989
It was confirmed that the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) would, in future, be armed with plastic bullet guns for riot control.
Monday 3 October 1994
Anthony Lake, then United States (US) National Security Adviser, announced that the US government had ended its policy prohibiting contact with Sinn Féin (SF). [On 4 October 1994 a SF delegation met with US officials in Washington.]
Wednesday 3 October 2001
David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), travelled to Downing Street, London, for a meeting with Tony Blair, then British Prime Minister. The meeting had been arranged to discuss the problems in the peace process. [Trimble is in favour of a “soft landing”, that is an indefinite suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly, rather than fresh Assembly elections.]
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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.
8 People lost their lives on the 3rd October between 1971 – 1988
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03 October 1971
Patrick Daly, (57)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during gun battle between Irish Republican Army (IRA) and British Army (BA), corner of Linden Street and Falls Road, Belfast.
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03 October 1972
Geoffrey Hamilton, (23)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Abducted while taking photographs following bomb explosion, Distillery Street, Belfast. Found shot, Murdoch Street, off Grosvenor Road, Belfast, on 4 October 1972.
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03 October 1973
Lindsay Dobie, (23) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by booby trap bomb in parcel left at Bligh’s Lane British Army (BA) base, Creggan, Derry
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03 October 1973
Ivan Vennard, (32) Protestant
Status: ex-Ulster Defence Regiment (xUDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while on postal round, Kilwilkie, Lurgan, County Armagh.
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03 October 1975
William Stevenson, (38) Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot in Sussex Place, Markets, Belfast.
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03 October 1976
Kevin Mulhern, (33)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)
Shot at his home, Knockwellan Park, Waterside, Derry.
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03 October 1979
Sadie Larmour, (44) Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ), Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot at her home, Rodney Drive, Falls, Belfast.
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03 October 1988
Henry McNamee, (31)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish People’s Liberation Organisation (IPLO)
Shot at his girlfriend’s home, Lenadoon Avenue, Belfast. Alleged informer
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Belfast Child 