The Troubles (Ireland)/Timelines

From Citizendium
< The Troubles (Ireland)
Revision as of 13:19, 16 May 2008 by imported>Mal McKee (re-added more info)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is developing and not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
Timelines [?]
 
A timeline (or several) relating to The Troubles (Ireland).

Timeline of The Troubles in Northern Ireland

1962: Due to lack of support, the IRA calls off their campaign of violence
1966: A Catholic man is murdered by paramilitaries calling themselves the "Ulster Volunteer Force" (UVF); Gusty Spence is later found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder; the UVF is proscribed by the Northern Ireland government shortly after
1967: The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) is founded
1968
March: The Derry Housing Action Committee begin a series of protests to against alleged discrimination against Catholics as regards to housing
October: A demonstration march planned by the Derry Housing Action Committee proceeds, despite a ban by the government; NICRA reluctantly back the march; the march ends in violence with much of it being captured on film and televised; a march of student of mixed religious background takes place in Belfast, leading to the formation of the Peoples' Democracy (PD)
November: Terence O’Neill introduces a five-point plan aimed at addressing some of the concerns expressed by NICRA; a civil rights march takes place in Armagh at which some 2,000 loyalists turn up to counter-protest; the loyalists are searched by police who uncover two revolvers and many improvised weapons
December: O’Neill makes his “Ulster stands at the crossroads” speech, in a televised appeal to the people of Northern Ireland; In response, the DCAC, NICRA and the Nationalist Party call off further street protests; William Craig is sacked from his position in government as a result of attacking O’Neill’s speech


1969
January: Against the advice of NICRA, the PD began a march from Belfast, which culminated in an attack by loyalists at Burntollet Bridge near Londonderry
February: Ian Paisley stands for election against O'Neill in the Bannside constituency gaining a significant minority, but ultimately losing
April: Bernadette Devlin of the PD stands for and wins a by-election in Mid-Ulster, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to Westminster at the age of 21; 1,500 soldiers are put on duty to guard against attacks on public buildings and utilities; the Northern Ireland government announces the introduction of universal adult suffrage for local government elections; O'Neill resigns as Prime Minister
May: James Chichester-Clark succeeds O'Neill as Prime Minister and announces that he will continue plans for reform
August: Soldiers reinforce an exhausted police force throughout Northern Ireland and are initially well-received in Roman Catholic areas; Gerald McCauley, 15, becomes the first member of the IRA to be killed during the Troubles; the Electoral Law Act (NI) is passed which reduces the age of voting to 18 and introduces universal adult suffrage ("one man, one vote"); the British government issue a policy statement known as the Downing Street Declaration; the Northern Ireland government initiates a tribunal known as the Scarman Report
September: Chichester-Clark announces the erection in parts of Belfast of the first 'peace-lines'; the report of the Cameron Commission is published
October: The reserve police force, the B Specials, are announced as being disbanded; Victor Arbuckle becomes the first policeman to be killed as a result of the Troubles
December: Legislation is installed at Westminster for the creation of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR); The IRA "Provisional Army Council" announce a split, with Sinn Féin openly splitting some days later near the beginning of the following month




1970 - April: Paisley contests Bannside again, and wins; the moderate and cross-religious Alliance Party is formed
1971
August: Loyalist vigilantes consolidate to form the Ulster Defence Association
October: Paisley and Desmond Boal announce the formation of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), splitting the Ulster Unionist Party in the process