Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
2nd January
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Thursday 2 January 1969
1st January – Deaths & Events in Northern Ireland Troubles
The People’s Democracy (PD) march continued, on day two, from Antrim to Maghera.
Wednesday 2 January 1991
A proposal to extend an official invitation to Mary Robinson, then President of the Republic of Ireland, to pay a visit to Belfast was rejected by Unionist councillors on Belfast City Council.
Sunday 2 January 1994
The Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name (pseudonym) used by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), carried out a gun attack on the home of Alex Maskey, then a Sinn Féin (SF) councillor.
Approximately 30 shots were fired at the house but no one was hurt.
In an interview in the Sunday Business Post (a Dublin based newspaper) Martin McGuinness, then Vice-President of Sinn Féin (SF), said that anything less than a British withdrawal from Northern Ireland would be unacceptable. Albert Reynolds, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), called for ‘demilitarisation’ in Northern Ireland.
Monday 2 January 1995
There was an accidental fire in the old Commons Chamber at Stormont which caused extensive damage.
Thursday 2 January 1997
It was reported in the Irish Times newspaper that representatives of Sinn Féin (SF) had approached the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) about the possibility of an electoral pact during the forthcoming general election.
[This approach was rejected by the SDLP on 5 January 1997.] Andrew Hunter, then Chairman of the Conservative Party’s backbench committee on Northern Ireland, predicted that the “present peace process will fade away into nothing in a relatively short period of time”.
Friday 2 January 1998
There was a gun attack on the home of a Protestant family in Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh. There were no injuries as a result of the attack in which nine bullets were fired at the house.
[A man stating he represented the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) claimed the shooting on behalf of the organisation. However, no recognised code word was given at the time of the claim.]
Roísín McAliskey was formally committed for extradition to Germany at Bow Street Magistrates’ Court in London. The charge related to an Irish Republican Army (IRA) mortar attack on the British Army Osnabruck barracks in Germany on 28 June 1996.
[The British government took the final decision on 9 March 1998 not to extradite McAliskey on health grounds.]
Saturday 2 January 1999
The Orange Order organised two rallies in Portadown, County Armagh, in support of the Orange demonstrators at Drumcreee. An estimated 5,000 Orangemen took part in the rallies. Sinn Féin (SF) accused David Trimble, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), of encouraging the Orange Order.
Wednesday 2 January 2002
A Loyalist gang attacked and seriously injured a Catholic man (43) in Newington Street, north Belfast, at 4.30am (0430GMT). The Loyalists from the Tiger’s Bay area had entered the Catholic Limestone Road and tried to break into a block of flats before attacking a car parked on the street. The Catholic owner of the car was stabbed and beaten when he went to investigate the disturbance.
[Nationalists in the area blamed Loyalist paramilitaries for the attack. A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) patrol had withdrawn from the area shortly before the attack. Despite numerous attacks on Catholics in the area the police rejected calls for a permanent security presence.]
A man (32) was shot in the leg in south Belfast in a paramilitary ‘punishment’ attack. The shooting happened at approximately 6.00pm (1800GMT) at Drumart Square on the Belvoir estate. In another attack a man (40s) suffered leg injuries follow a paramilitary ‘punishment’ attack at approximately 9.00pm (2100GMT).
This attack happened in North Queen Street, north Belfast. Government cabinet papers for 1971 were released under the ‘thirty year’ rule. The papers revealed that the Unionist government at Stormont had been advised against introducing Interment by the British Army. The papers also revealed that the failure of Internment to improve the security situation resulted in some members of the Unionist government considering a very limited form of power-sharing where ‘constitutional Nationalists’ would have been offered places on three proposed government committees. In the event the decision was taken that the time was not right for such a move.
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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.
5 People lost their lives on the 2nd January between 1973 – 1996
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02 January 1973
John Mooney, (31)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Shot outside his workplace, Rolls Royce factory, Upper Newtownards Road, Dundonald, Belfast.
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02 January 1980
Samuel Lundy, (62)
Protestant
Status: ex-Ulster Defence Regiment (xUDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot at his workplace, Kingsmills, near Bessbrook, County Armagh.
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02 January 1984
Robert Elliott, (25)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot outside his home, Lislaird Road, Castlederg, County Tyrone.
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02 January 1990
Harry Dickey, (38)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Also Ulster Democratic Party member. Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car, outside his home, Larkfield Manor, Sydenham, Belfast.
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02 January 1996
Ian Lyons, (31)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Direct Action Against Drugs (DAAD)
Died one day after being shot, while sitting in stationary car outside friends home, Conor Park, Lurgan, County Armagh.
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Belfast Child 