Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
22nd February
Tuesday 22 February 1972
Aldershot Barracks Bomb
The Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) exploded a bomb at Aldershot military barracks, the headquarters of the Parachute Regiment, killing seven people who were mainly ancillary staff. A Catholic padre was among the dead.
[This bomb was thought to be an attempted retaliation against the regiment who had carried out the ‘Bloody Sunday’ (30 January 1972) killings.]
Sunday 22 February 1981
Patrick Trainor (28), a Catholic civilian, was found shot dead on waste ground off Glen Road, Andersonstown, Belfast. Trainor had been killed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) who alleged that he had been acting as an informer.
Wednesday 22 February 1989
The Fair Employment Agency was criticised when it was revealed that Protestants were under-represented in its senior or operations staff.
Saturday 22 February 1992
Proinsias de Rossa together with five other Workers’ Party Teachta Dáil (TDs) walked out of a party meeting in Dublin.
[The men later announced that they were forming a new organisation. Initially the new party was called New Agenda but the name was changed on 28 March 1992 to Democratic Left. The split occurred when De Rossa failed to get an assurance from the Workers’ Party that the organisation had ended its links with the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA).]
Monday 22 February 1993
Joe Hendron, then a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Member of Parliament (MP), together with his election agent, were found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices by an election court. The action was brought following allegations of misconduct during the 1992 Westminster election in west Belfast. [The court did order a re-run of the election.]
Wednesday 22 February 1995
Framework Documents Published
John Major, then British Prime Minister, and John Bruton, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), held a press conference in Belfast to launch the Framework Documents: ‘A New Framework For Agreement‘ and ‘A Framework For Accountable Government In Northern Ireland‘. The ‘Framework for Accountable Government’ proposed a single-chamber Assembly elected by proportional representation and containing 90 members.
The ‘Framework for Agreement’ dealt with, among other things, North/South institutions. Major tried to reassure Unionists by referring to the safeguards built into the documents however most Unionists opposed the development.
The Framework Documents were denounced as, “a one-way street to Dublin” by Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He claimed it represented, “a common understanding built on the fact that the British Government has no will to keep Ulster in the United Kingdom”. Peter Robinson, then deputy leader of the DUP, said: “Ulster has been served with an eviction notice to leave the United Kingdom. This is not a discussion document, it is a declaration of intent — a joint government programme for Irish unity”.
Saturday 22 February 1997
An Irish Republican Army (IRA) mortar was found by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) near Caledon, County Armagh, following a car chase during which the driver escaped.
Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), stated in an article in the Irish Times that any new ceasefire by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) would be “genuinely unequivocal”.
The Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) held its first annual conference during which Gary McMichael, then leader of the UDP, called for a security crackdown on the IRA.
Statements read at the conference on behalf of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) prisoners were critical of the politics of the main Unionist parties.
Republican Sinn Féin (RSF) held a conference in Derry. RSF were critical of Sinn Féin’s (SF) desire to enter the Stormont talks and of SF’s tactics during the Drumcree crisis in July 1996.
Sunday 22 February 1998
Patrick Gallagher, a former Dublin based financier, claimed in a newspaper that he had given Charles Haughey, formerly Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), £375,000 in 1979.
Monday 22 February 1999
The Northern Ireland Assembly agreed to set its annual running cost at £36.8 million.
Friday 22 February 2002
Series of Loyalist Pipe-Bomb Attacks Security forces were called to deal with 10 explosive devices (pipe-bombs) at a number of locations in County Derry. The Glenshane Pass was closed for nearly three hours during the morning while devices were being dealt with. Security forces also closed the road between Garvagh and Maghera, north of Swatragh, to inspect a device found at a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, and on the Coleraine Road in Maghera..
There was also another device at a GAA club near Castledawson. One pipe bomb was discovered close to Kilrea police station, it was made safe by British Army (BA) bomb experts at 10.30pm (2230GMT). In Magherafelt, the BA dealt with nine pipe bomb type devices – one of which was declared a hoax.
[On Saturday 22 February 2002 the Assistant Chief Constable said he believed the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was responsible for the attacks.]
A man (20) was beaten and shot in a paramilitary ‘punishment’ attack in Newtownabbey, County Antrim. At approximately 8.00pm (2000GMT) a gang of up to seven masked men entered the man’s home and beat him with iron bars and baseball bats and then shot him in one leg.
——————————————————————
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.
11 People lost their lives on the 22nd February between 1972– 1989
—————————————————————————
22 February 1972
Padre Gerry E Weston MBE
Gerry Weston, (38)
nfNIB
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Catholic chaplain to British Army. Killed in bomb attack on British Army (BA) base, Aldershot, England.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1972
Joan Lunn, (39)
nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Killed in bomb attack on British Army (BA) base, Aldershot, England. Civilian employed at the British Army (BA) base.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1972
Cherie Munton, (20)
nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Killed in bomb attack on British Army (BA) base, Aldershot, England. Civilian employed at the British Army (BA) base.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1972
Thelma Bosley, (44)
nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Killed in bomb attack on British Army (BA) base, Aldershot, England. Civilian employed at the British Army (BA) base.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1972
Margaret Grant, (32)
nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Killed in bomb attack on British Army (BA) base, Aldershot, England. Civilian employed at the British Army (BA) base.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1972
John Haslar, (58)
nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Killed in bomb attack on British Army (BA) base, Aldershot, England. Civilian employed at the British Army (BA) base.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1972
Jill Mansfield, (34)
nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA)
Killed in bomb attack on British Army (BA) base, Aldershot, England. Civilian employed at the British Army (BA) base.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1976
Marjorie Lockington, (55)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot during attempted hijacking of her car, Killeen, County Armagh.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1981
Patrick Trainor, (28)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot on waste ground, off Glen Road, Andersonstown, Belfast. Alleged informer
—————————————————————————
22 February 1986
Anthony Gough, (24)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot shortly after being involved in sniper attack on Fort George British Army (BA) base, Derry.
—————————————————————————
22 February 1989
Norman Duncan, (27)
nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot while driving British Army (BA) minibus, Bond’s Street, Waterside, Derry
—————————————————————————
Belfast Child 