The start of the Troubles

The early events in N Ireland

5 October 1968

As friction between Catholics and Protestants, nationalists and loyalists, increases, a Catholic civil rights march in Derry/londonderry is banned by the Northern Ireland government. The march goes ahead anyway, and over 100 people are injured as the (mainly Protestant) Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) ruthlessly breaks it up.

12 August 1969

A march by the loyalist Apprentice Boys of Derry leads to large-scale fighting with nationalists in the city’s Bogside area. When the RUC tries to storm the area with armoured vehicles and water cannons, the fighting simply escalates. The ‘Battle of the Bogside’ lasts for three days.

14 August 1969

British army troops are deployed in Derry and Belfast and within a month start to build a ‘peace wall’ to separate Belfast’s largely nationalist Falls and predominantly loyalist Shankill communities.

3-5 July 1970

Four civilians are killed and a number of soldiers injured when British army searches of properties in the Falls district lead to gun battles with the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

4 December 1971

Fifteen people are killed when the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force detonates a bomb in Mcgurk’s Bar in Belfast, a pub frequented by Catholics/nationalists.

30 January 1972

On ‘Bloody Sunday’, 13 unarmed protesters are killed by the British army during an anti-internment rally in Derry. Antipathy towards the British military significantly worsens and support for the IRA increases.

21 July 1972

‘Bloody Friday’ sees the IRA detonate 22 bombs within the space of just over an hour in Belfast, killing nine people and injuring over 130.