1st August
Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles Claudy Bomb
Friday 1 August 1975
James Marks
Two Catholic civilians, Joseph Toland (78) and James Marks (42), died as a result of a gun attack on a minibus near Gilford, County Down. Marks died from his injuries on 7 January 1976.
No group claimed responsibility but ‘Lost Lives’ (2004; p614) records: “the attack …, according to reliable loyalist sources, was carried out by the UVF”.
David House, then a Lieutenant-General in the British Army, replaced Frank King as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the army in Northern Ireland.
Tuesday 1 August 1978
Tomás Ó Fiaich, Catholic Primate of Ireland, who had paid a visit to Republican prisoners in the Maze Prison on 30 July 1978, issued a statement saying that the prisoners engaged in the ‘blanket protest’ where living in ‘inhuman’ conditions.
At this stage of the ‘blanket protest’ over 300 Republican prisoners were refusing to wear prison clothes or follow normal prison regulations. This protest was an attempt to secure a return of special category status for people convicted of politically motivated crimes.
Wednesday 1 August 1979
The United States (US) State Department halted a private firearms shipment to Northern Ireland. The shipment also included firearms that were intended for the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The RUC later purchased the arms from West Germany instead.
This decision by the US State Department was brought about by a campaign to try to bring pressure on the British government to undertake a new political initiative in Northern Ireland to find a solution to the conflict.
The campaign was headed by the so-called ‘Four Horsemen’ who were: ‘Tip’ O’Neill, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Edward Kennedy, then a Senator, Daniel Moynihan, then a Senator, and Hugh Carey, then Governor of New York. Previously the US had been uncritical of British policy in Northern Ireland and these developments were to prove worrying for the British
Saturday 1 August 1981
Seventh Hunger Striker Died
Kevin Lynch (25) died after 71 days on hunger strike. Lynch was a member of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).
Monday 1 August 1988
An Irish Republic Army (IRA) bomb killed one soldier and injured nine at an army barracks in London. It was the first IRA bomb in Britain since the ‘Brighton’ bombing on 12 October 1984.
Friday 1 August 1997
Stewart Hunter (24), a Protestant civilian, was found dead at the side of a road near his home near Larne, County Antrim.
It was believed that Loyalist paramilitaries were responsible for the killing
Saturday 1 August 1998
Thirty-three civilians and two members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) were injured when a car bomb, estimated at 500 pounds, exploded in Banbridge, County Down.
Extensive damage was also caused in the explosion that was later claimed by the “real” Irish Republican Army (rIRA).
The government in the Republic of Ireland took the decision to release six Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners from Portlaoise Prison. [Unionists reacted angrily to the announcement.
Sunday 1 August 1999
In the aftermath of the killing of Charles Bennett on 30 July 1999, John Bruton, then Leader of Fine Gael, called upon Bertie Ahern, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), to make “an authoritative statement” on the relationship between Sinn Féin (SF) and the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Wednesday 1 August 2001
Implementation Plan Published and Bomb At Belfast Airport
British Army technical officers defused a car-bomb was left in the main car park at Belfast International Airport. There had been an initial warning at 5.00am (0500BST) but security forces were unable to locate the bomb. Following a second warning the vehicle was found close to the main terminal building.
The car park was closed but flights in and out of the airport were not affected. The “real” Irish Republican Army (rIRA) was thought to have been responsible for the attack.
The British and Irish governments published their Implementation Plan for the Good Friday Agreement. The document addressed the remaining issues of policing, normalisation, stability of the institutions, and decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.
The political parties were given until Monday 6 August 2001 to give their response to the proposals. The funeral of Gavin Brett (18), who had been shot dead by Loyalist paramilitaries on 29 July 2001, took place at Carnmoney Parish Church. Nigel Baylor (Rev), then Church of Ireland rector, said that those responsible for the killing “have done nothing but bring shame on the name of Protestantism
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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.
6 People lost their lives on the 1st August between 1972 – 2001
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01 August 1973
Peter Wilson, (21)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Abducted somewhere in the St. James area, Belfast. His remains eventually found by information supplied anonymously, buried in land at foreshore, Waterfoot, County Antrim, on 2 November 2010.
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01 August 1975
Joseph Toland, (78)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Shot during gun attack while travelling in mini bus, near Gilford, County Down.
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01 August 1975
James Marks, (42)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Shot during gun attack while driving mini bus, near Gilford, County Down. He died 7 January 1976.
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01 August 1976
John Bovaird, (33)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
Shot at his home, Annalee Street, Lower Oldpark, Belfast. Lived with Catholic family.
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01 August 1981
Kevin Lynch, (25)
Catholic
Status: Irish National Liberation Army (INLA),
Killed by: Hunger Striker
Died on the 71st day of hunger strike, Long Kesh / Maze Prison, County Down.
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01 August 1988
Michael Robbins, (23) nfNIB
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in time bomb attack on Inglis British Army (BA) base, Mill Hill, London.
Belfast Child 