27th of August
Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
Wednesday 27 August 1969
James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary, visited Belfast and Derry for talks with the Unionist government and others. The Stormont government announced the establishment of an Inquiry, to be chaired by Justice Scarman, into the circumstances of the riots during the year. [ Political Developments, Civil Rights Campaign. ]
Friday 27 August 1971
A British soldier was shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in south Armagh.
Wednesday 27 August 1975
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) planted a time bomb in the Caterham Arms public house in Caterham, Surrey, England. There was no warning and the bomb exploded at 9.20pm injuring 23 civilians and 10 off-duty soldiers. The pub was used by members of the Welsh Guards who were based at a barracks nearby. [This attack marked the start of a renewed bombing campaign (‘Phase Two’) in England.]
Friday 27 August 1976
Three members of a Catholic family, Joseph Dempsey (22), Jeanette Dempsey (19) and Brigeen Dempsey (10 months), were killed in a petrol bomb attack on their home in Hillman Street, New Lodge, Belfast. The attack was carried out by Loyalists.
Sunday 27 August 1978 Civil Rights March
Approximately 10,000 people took part in a march from Coalisland to Dungannon, County Tyrone, to commemorate the first civil rights march 10 years earlier.
Monday 27 August 1979 Warrenpoint Attack and Mountbatten Killing
18 British soldiers were killed in an Irish Republican Army (IRA) attack at Warrenpoint, County Down. This represented the British Army’s greatest loss of life in a single attack in Northern Ireland. The attack began when the IRA exploded a 500 pound bomb at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, as an army convoy was passing.
Six members of the Parachute Regiment were killed in this initial bomb. As other troops moved into the area a second bomb was detonated in a nearby Gate Lodge killing 12 soldiers – 10 members of the Parachute Regiment and 2 members of the Queen’s Own Highlanders (one of whom was the Commanding Officer).
The explosion also damaged an army helicopter. A gun battle then broke out between the IRA who were positioned in the Irish Republic and British Army soldiers in Northern Ireland. An innocent civilian was killed on the Republic side of the border by soldiers firing from the north.
Earlier in the day Louis Mountbatten (79), a cousin of the Queen, was killed by a bobby-trap bomb left by the IRA on a boat near Sligo in the Republic of Ireland. Three other people were killed in the explosion, Lady Brabourne (82), Nicholas Knatchbull (14) who was Mountbatten’s grandson, and Paul Maxwell (15) who was a crew member on the boat. Mountbatten had been a regular visitor to the Mullaghmore area of County Sligo each August and never had a bodyguard. He was on a fishing trip and was accompanied by a number of people on the boat when the bomb exploded.
[During the Second World War Mountbatten had been supreme commander of allied forces in south-east Asia. He had also been the last British Viceroy of India and oversaw Indian independence. Thomas McMahon was charged with Mountbatten’s murder and later sentenced to life imprisonment.]
[The deaths on 27 August 1978 were followed by a series of killings of Catholic civilians by Loyalist paramilitaries.]
Wednesday 27 August 1986
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) issues further threats to civilians who are working with the security forces.
Saturday 27 August 1988
Robert Russell was extradited from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland. Russell was one of those who had escaped from the Maze Prison on 25 September 1983.
Friday 27 August 1993
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) responded to an interview given by John Wheeler (Sir), then a Northern Ireland Office (NIO) minister, on 26 August 1993. In the statement the IRA said that it would meet “head-on any British persistence with the failed policies of the past”.
Sunday 27 August 1995
John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), and Albert Reynolds, the former Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), attended a peace forum in Killala, County Mayo.
Wednesday 27 August 1997
There was a gun attack on the house belonging to Kenny McClinton who had formerly served life sentences for killings carried out while a member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). The attack was believed to have been carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries. McClinton had recently mediated on behalf of Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) prisoners in the Maze Prison.
[Following the attack McClinton moved his family from Belfast to Portadown, County Armagh, which is a town with strong LVF connections.]
Billy Hutchinson, then a spokesperson for the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), gave an interview on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Radio Ulster programme Talkback in which he said that the talks process was offering nothing to Loyalists. He said that he would be recommending that the PUP ended its participation in the talks. He also said that the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) could “wipe out” the LVF in a week. Relatives of the 33 people killed in bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland on 17 May 1974 failed in their court attempt to get the Garda Síochána (the Irish police) to release the files on their investigations of the bombings.
Remembering all innocent victims of the Troubles
Today is the anniversary of the follow people killed as a results of the conflict in Northern Ireland
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.
33 People lost their lives on the 27th of August between 1971 – 1992
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27 August 1971
Joseph Corr, (43)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Died 16 days after being shot at the junction of Springfield Road and Divismore Crescent, Ballymurphy, Belfast.
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27 August 1972
Thomas Boyd, (28)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
Shot at his home, Carlisle Street, off Crumlin Road, Belfast.
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27 August 1972
Anthony Metcalfe, (28) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot by sniper while in Creggan Heights British Army (BA) base, Creggan, Derry
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27 August 1974
Patrick McKeown, (29)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Died in premature bomb explosion in house, Barcroft Park, Newry, County Down
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27 August 1975
John Barry, (42)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Republican group (REP)
Shot at his home, The Crescent, off Erinvale Drive, Finaghy, Belfast.
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27 August 1976
Joseph Dempsey, (22)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed in petrol bomb attack on his home, Hillman Street, New Lodge, Belfast.
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27 August 1976
Jeanette Dempsey, (19)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed in petrol bomb attack on her home, Hillman Street, New Lodge, Belfast.
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27 August 1976
BRIGEEN Dempsey, (0)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: non-specific Loyalist group (LOY)
Killed in petrol bomb attack on her home, Hillman Street, New Lodge, Belfast
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27 August 1979
Lord Mountbatten, (79) nfNIRI
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by remote controlled bomb on his boat, detonated when leaving Mullaghmore Harbour, County Sligo.
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27 August 1979
Dowager Lady Brabourne, (82) nfNIRI
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by remote controlled bomb on Lord Mountbatten’s boat, detonated when leaving Mullaghmore Harbour, County Sligo.
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27 August 1979
Nicholas Knatchbull, (14) nfNIRI
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by remote controlled bomb on Lord Mountbatten’s boat, detonated when leaving Mullaghmore Harbour, County Sligo.
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27 August 1979
Paul Maxwell, (15)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
From Northern Ireland. Killed by remote controlled bomb on Lord Mountbatten’s boat, detonated when leaving Mullaghmore Harbour, County Sligo.
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27 August 1979
David Blair, (40) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Thomas Vance, (23) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Ian Rogers, (31) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Robert England, (23) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Jeffrey Jones, (18) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Gary Barnes, (18) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Anthony Wood, (19) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
John Giles, (22) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Victor MacLeod, (24) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Leonard Jones, (26) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Robert Jones, (18) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Donald Blair, (23) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Nicholas Andrew, (24) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Raymond Dunn, (20) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Michael Woods, (18) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Peter Fursman, (35) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Christopher Ireland, (25) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Walter Beard, (33) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed in two remote controlled bomb attacks at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, County Down. The first bomb was left in parked lorry and detonated when British Army (BA) lorry passed. The second bomb was left in a nearby Gate Lodge and detonated when British Army (BA) reinforcements arrived at the scene of the first explosion.
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27 August 1979
Michael Hudson, (29) nfNIRI
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Shot from across Narrow Water, near Omeath, County Louth, shortly after a double bomb attack on British Army (BA) patrol at Narrow Water.
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27 August 1982
Wilfred McIver, (37)
Protestant
Status: ex-Ulster Defence Regiment (xUDR),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by booby trap bomb attached to his car outside Milford Everton Social Club, Milford, near Armagh
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27 August 1992
Hugh McKibben, (21)
Catholic
Status: Irish People’s Liberation Organisation (IPLO),
Killed by: Irish People’s Liberation Organisation Belfast Brigade (IPLOBB)
Shot outside Lamh Dearg GAA Club, Hannahstown, Belfast. Internal Irish People’s Liberation Oraganisation (IPLO) feud.
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Belfast Child 