1997 nationalist riots in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
From 6 July to 11 July 1997 there was a series of mass protests, fierce riots and gun battles in Irish nationalist
districts of Northern Ireland
. Irish nationalists and republicans
, in some cases supported by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA), attacked the Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC) and British Army
. The protests and violence were a reaction to the Drumcree parading dispute
. It was sparked by the decision of Mo Mowlam
, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
, to allow the Orange Order to march through the nationalist district of Portadown
, County Armagh
. Nationalists were outraged at the decision and by the RUC's aggressive removal of nationalist protesters who had been blocking the march.
It was the last spell of widespread violence in Northern Ireland before the signing of the Belfast Agreement
in April 1998. The RUC and British Army were forced to withdraw entirely from some nationalist areas of Belfast
. The IRA's involvement in the clashes was its last major action during its 27-year campaign. It declared its last ceasefire on 19 July.
After almost ten years of relative calm, by 1995 nationalist residents formed the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition (GRRC), led by Jesuit priest Eamon Stack. Another prominent member at that time was Brendan McKenna
. McKenna had been convicted for his involvement in a Provisional IRA bomb attack on Portadown's Royal British Legion
hall in 1981. He would became the coalition spokesman in the aftermath of the 1997 clashes. The conflict escalated in July 1995, when after a three-day standoff the nationalist residents cleared the road peacefully. Five members of the coalition, among them Stack and McKenna, were charged with obstructing the highway. The charges were dropped in June 1996. In July 1996 the parade was banned by the Chief Constable, but on 11 July he was forced to review the decision after a series of clashes between loyalist and the security forces, which included the assassination of a Catholic taxi-driver by the UVF. The decision ultimately led to major riots in nationalist areas of Lurgan
, Armagh
, Belfast and Derry
, where one civilian was crushed to death by a British Army vehicle.
in a multi-party negotiation. After a public address of Martin McGuinness, then Vice-President of Sinn Féin, calling for dropping the demand, both governments agreed to appoint a sub-committee to deal with the matter and eventually announced that Sinn Féin could enter could enter the talks at Stormont when they resumed on 15 September 1997, given the IRA declaration of an unequivocal ceasefire and a probation period of six-week.
On 1 July, the coalition of residents announced a street festival for 6 July, later banned by the RUC. The same day, Mo Mowlam and Taioseach Bertie Ahern
met in Belfast. Ahern stressed that any unilateral decision allowing the march on Garvaghy road would be 'a mistake'. Ahern repeated his opinion during a meeting with British First Minister Tony Blair
on 3 July. The RUC and the Northern Ireland Office
replied that they would made public their decision only two or three days in advance. Earlier, Mo Mowlam had stated that any decision would be released at least six days before the march. As the parade day approached, thousands of people left Northern Ireland in anticipation of violence and clashes like those experienced in 1996.
At 3:00 AM of 6 July, 1,500 members of the RUC and the British Army with 100 armoured cars entered Garvaghy road in order to force the parade. By 3:55, after a brief clash with the protesters, three lines of policemen and troops were deployed around the street, two lines of vehicles on Garvaghy road and a third line of soldiers and RUC members on Ashgrove road. Some RUC constables claimed that the residents taunted them with comments about the deaths of their two colleges at Lurgan in June while shouting 'Up the RA'. There are allegations that Rosemary Nelson
, a solicitor of the resident's Coalition since 1995, was verbally and physically abused by the RUC. The last residents remaining on the road were removed by 6:33. Ronnie Flanagan
, then Chief Constable of the RUC, stated that the decision was taken in order to avoid loyalist violence.
The IRA claimed a number of actions in response to the Drumcree crisis. During the weekend alone, the IRA carried out at least nine attacks on British troops. One of the first attacks took place in Coalisland
, where the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade launched a gun attack on an RUC armored vehicle; a female officer from Portadown was badly wounded. Some sources fixed the date of the attack on 5 July.
Belfast
In Belfast, a lone IRA member with an AK-47
opened-fire on an RUC checkpoint at Lower Ormeau Road. Five rounds hit an APC that was parked on the Ormeau Bridge. The attack was recorded by a BBC television crew. Later that evening, shots were fired at an armored patrol on Newtownards Road, a bomb was thrown at an RUC base in North Belfast, and in South Belfast, an IRA unit prevented a riot squad from entering the Markets area
after firing 20 rounds at them. That night, several British Army patrols were harassed by gunfire in North Belfast. An armored vehicle was set on fire at Brompton Park in Ardoyne, according to republican sources. Another one was burnt-out on Antrim Road. Late that evening in the Oldpark area, an RUC landrover became stuck in a barricade made of iron pilings and its crew had to flee when it was attacked with petrol bombs. Rioters using petrol bombs in Short Strand forced the RUC to close an access road to the M3 motorway.
On Sunday evening, a 14-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl were shot by RUC plastic bullets in the Lenadoon area of West Belfast. The boy was struck in the head and spent three days in a coma
. The girl was walking along Stewartstown Road with friends when she was struck in the face. According to An Phoblacht, there was no rioting at the time and the RUC had "opened fire on groups of young people returning home from a disco".
On Sunday night, there was violence at the interface on Lanark Way. Stones, bricks and bottles were hurled across the peace line. An Phoblacht reported that warning shots were fired from the nationalist side.
Another 24 people were admitted to Belfast's City Hospital
and Royal Victoria Hospital
.
Derry
On Sunday evening in Derry
, thousands of people joined a protest march from the Bogside to the RUC base of Strand Road. Martin McGuinness
addressed the crowd, calling on nationalists elsewhere to take to the streets to demand "justice and equality" and "stand up for their rights". Although the protesters returned to the Bogside peacefully, there was violence in the city center.
At Butcher Gate, there were clashes between nationalist youths and the RUC. It is claimed that the RUC fired "upwards of 1,000 plastic bullets", many of them fired "indiscriminately" and aimed "above the waist, in direct contravention of the rules governing the use of such lethal weapons". A 16-year-old boy suffered "a fractured skull, a broken jaw, and shattered facial bones amongst other injuries" after allegedly being beaten by RUC officers. He was on life support
for some time afterwards. An eyewitness described seeing one man, allegedly an onlooker, being shot in the face: "The side of his face was completely torn away, and he seemed to just slump to the ground". Several others suffered serious head injuries. Nine were admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital
with plastic bullet injuries. At least 30 others sought treatment at first aid houses or at Letterkenny Hospital
across the border. Downtown Derry was sealed off by the RUC and the British Army, exception made of the accesses via Shipquay and Ferryquay Gates.
Newry
In Newry
, 3,000 joined a protest march to the Ardmore RUC base, where a rally was held. People marched behind banners saying "Disband the RUC" and "Dismantle the Orange State".
County Tyrone
Besides the shooting of an RUC armoured vehicle in Coalisland, mentioned above, an Orange Order hall was set on fire in Dungannon
, while nationalist residents forced their way through the RUC lines to stop an Orangemen parade in Pomeroy
.
Armagh city
In Armagh
, hundreds attended a protest rally at The Shambles. Later, the RUC and British Army set-up roadblocks on entrances to the town center and nationalist youths hijacked a number of vehicles. There were clashes between nationalists and the RUC on English Street; two youths were injured by plastic bullets. Just before midnight, there was a shootout between two IRA members and the RUC at a roadblock. The same roadblock was later petrol-bombed as violence continued into the night.
Lurgan
In Lurgan
, nine masked IRA members boarded a train, forced the passengers out and set it on fire, destroying five carriages.
Belfast
Shortly after midnight, a 25-year-old woman suffered a fractured bone after being shot in the leg by a live round fired from New Barnsley RUC base. At the Larnak Way interface, West Belfast, loyalists tried to enter the nationalist area at 3:00 a.m. and a 14-year-old Protestant boy was shot in the shoulder. One source reported that the teenager was wounded when an IRA unit launched a gun and grenade attack on a military base near the interface. Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA) gunmen also opened fire on British soldiers in the Ardoyne area of North Belfast.
In the Dunmurry
area of Belfast, a member of the Ulster Defence Association
(UDA) was killed when the pipe bomb
he was handling exploded prematurely. The incident happened at an arms dump in a remote area. Later that night, members of the UDA and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) held a joint "show of strength" in North Belfast. Masked men armed with assault rifles and machine guns were filmed patrolling in Woodvale, saying they were there to protect Protestants. Members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force
(LVF) held a similar "show of strength" on Tuesday night.
A 39-year-old American citizen, John Hemsworth, was beaten with a baton by an RUC squadron on his way home from the Upper Falls area. He was stopped in Malcomson Street where he was assaulted and verbally abused by the officers. There were no riots or protests in the area at the time. Hemsworth suffered a broken jaw and other injuries, and was admitted to hospital. He was discharged, but on 27 December he was re-admitted and died from a massive stroke on 1 January 1998. Fourteen years later, an inquest found that he had died as result of the injures received during the RUC beating.
Bellaghy
In the mainly-nationalist village of Bellaghy
, residents mounted a peaceful protest against the yearly Orange march. There were scuffles as RUC and British Army moved the protesters away from the parade route. Martin McGuinness was struck in the head with a baton while giving an interview nearby.
Elsewhere
In Strabane
, 250 petrol bombs were thrown at RUC officers, who in return fired plastic bullets at the crowd.
Newry was declared "impassable" by the Automobile Association. A shopping center in the town was looted by what republican sources called "a gang responsible for a long series of anti-social activities and intimidation". The IRA reportedly injured two of the gangmembers in a punishment shooting on 13 July.
Buildings were set on fire in downtown Derry and a number of vehicles were hijacked. An Orange Order hall was set on fire at Newtownhamilton
in south County Armagh.
in Armagh, Newry, Bellaghy, Lower Ormeau Road (Belfast), Derry and Strabane.
An RUC source confirmed that the IRA had carried out more than a dozen gun and grenade attacks since 6 July, while 250 vehicles had been burnt. The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) threatened to attack Orangemen whom it considered responsible for forcing parades through Nationalist neighborhoods.
Belfast
The IRA's Belfast Brigade
claimed that dozens of its members were involved in operations against the security forces in West and North Belfast since Sunday. On Crumlin Road, there was a shootout between IRA members and an RUC mobile patrol, without casualties from either side. Some time later, a rocket attack took place on Hallidays Road, in the New Lodge
area. Also on Crumlin Road, an IRA volunteer fired 15 shots at a British soldier who was engaging protesters with plastic bullets. According to a republican report, this action was recorded by an independent television crew. A single shot was fired at an RUC officer on Alliance Avenue and several minutes later there was another gunfight between the IRA and RUC on Oldpark Road. In the Ardoyne area of North Belfast, the IRA allegedly shot two loyalist men who were throwing petrol bombs at nationalist homes. New Barnsley RUC base in West Belfast was the target of a gun and grenade attack, while an Army base at the end of Lenadoon Avenue suffered a similar assault, with 15 shots fired and an improvised grenade thrown at it. On Falls Road, 20 rounds were fired at a British security checkpoint. Although there was return fire, all the IRA members made good their escape. According to independent sources, IRA members fired at British soldiers and RUC officers who were trying to remove barricades in North Belfast in the early hours of Tuesday, forcing them to retreat. No injuries were reported. Meanwhile, in West Belfast, petrol bombs were thrown at RUC vehicles. A passing 11-year-boy suffered severe burns when he was accidentally hit by one of the bombs. The Protestant estate at Suffolk was attacked from Lenadoon. Several cars were burned. Scattered riots continued throughout the day and the outbound lanes of a highway were blocked by hijacked cars.
Elsewhere
About 100 rioters clashed with the RUC in Bellaghy and the Orange hall was hit by a number of petrol-bombs. Another three Orange Order halls were burnt in Portadown, Ballycastle
and Moy
.
During disturbances in Portadown on Tuesday morning, an RUC officer was shot in the arm and leg near Garvaghy Road. In Newry, British government buildings were set on fire and a train was partially burnt-out at the railway station.
On Tuesday evening, protesters held a "white line picket" in The Shambles area of Armagh. A crowd of several hundred surged up English Street and were blocked by a line of RUC landrovers. The picket lasted an hour and was concluded when Sinn Féin councillor Noel Sheridan addressed the crowd, urging them to attend further protests during the week.
in Belfast. A number of false bomb threats threw traffic into chaos. In Lurgan's Kilwilkie estate, RUC and Royal Irish Regiment
troops tried to clear residents from their homes after claiming there was a bomb near the railway line. When a man was allegedly assaulted by the troops, about 150 people gathered to confront them. RUC officers threatened to fire plastic bullets at the gathering crowd before the bulk of the forces agreed to leave the area. Residents accused the security forces of verbal abuse. At the same time, two young sisters were hospitalized after allegedly being beaten by RUC officers in the Drumbeg area of Craigavon
, County Armagh. The alleged assault happened after the officers spotted one of the girls filming them while they were beating a young boy. Since Tuesday, the RUC recorded 76 people arrested, 900 plastic bullets fired and 265 attacks on the security forces.
In West Belfast, a car bomb
exploded outside shops on the Andersonstown Road. The car had been left by three men wearing dark glasses and carrying walkie-talkies. Sinn Féin members helped clear the area and claimed that the RUC took almost an hour to answer a call from a member of the public. Loyalists were believed to be responsible for the blast.
The INLA threatened to shot protestants if the parade in Belfast was allowed to go ahead, while the LVF vowed to shot people in the Republic if the marches were stopped. The later threat was taken "very seriously" by Gardaí commander Pat Byrne, who put on alert all security checkpoints along the border.
The Orange Order vowed to gather its entire organization at Ormeau Park if the parade there was banned. Converserly, the Bogside Residents Group called for a huge demonstration to stop the 12th July Orange march in Derry.
Church of Ireland were damaged in arson attacks. There was a security alert at Newry RUC station and the Ulster Unionist Party
Headquarters received a hoax letter bomb in the post. In Lisnaskea
, five commercial buildings owned by Orangemen were attacked and an Orange hall was petrol-bombed in Waterside, Derry.
Violence waned as the Orange Order announced it was reconsidering the route of several parades. A dissident group inside the Order called the decision a "terrible betrayal".
armoured vehicle. Three British soldiers and two RUC officers were injured. The IRA unit fired 56 shots from two AK-47 assault rifles and also threw a coffee-jar bomb. The soldiers were members of the recently arrived Staffordshire Regiment. In a separate incident on Doon Road, in the Suffolk area of Belfast, an RUC/British Army patrol was the target of a grenade attack. The Independent
reported that two teenage Protestants at an Eleventh Night
bonfire were shot and wounded by republicans. There were also a number of clashes between nationalists and security forces overnight.
round fell 40 yards short of the RUC/British Army base at Newtownhamilton, south County Armagh. The violence died down on 10 July when the Orange Order decided unilaterally to re-route six parades. The following day, Orangemen and residents agreed to waive another march in Newtownbutler
, County Fermanagh
. In Pomeroy, County Tyrone, nationalist residents blocked Orangemen's return parade with a counter-demonstration, while the marches in Newry and Lower Ormeau were canceled outright.
In a parallel development, on 9 July the British government assured Sinn Féin that in the event of a new IRA ceasefire, representatives of that party would be allowed to meet with government ministers. A week later, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness called for a renewal of the IRA 1994 ceasefire. The IRA announced the restoration of the ceasefire on 19 July.
The Last Gunman, a photograph taken by Brendan Murphy of an IRA man firing an AK-47 on Ormeau Road, became an iconic image of the Troubles.
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
districts of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Irish nationalists and republicans
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, in some cases supported by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA), attacked the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC) and British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. The protests and violence were a reaction to the Drumcree parading dispute
Drumcree conflict
The Drumcree conflict or Drumcree standoff is an ongoing dispute over a yearly parade in the town of Portadown, Northern Ireland. The dispute is between the Orange Order and local residents. The residents are currently represented by the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition ; before 1995 they were...
. It was sparked by the decision of Mo Mowlam
Mo Mowlam
Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Mowlam's time as Northern...
, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
, to allow the Orange Order to march through the nationalist district of Portadown
Portadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
. Nationalists were outraged at the decision and by the RUC's aggressive removal of nationalist protesters who had been blocking the march.
It was the last spell of widespread violence in Northern Ireland before the signing of the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
in April 1998. The RUC and British Army were forced to withdraw entirely from some nationalist areas of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. The IRA's involvement in the clashes was its last major action during its 27-year campaign. It declared its last ceasefire on 19 July.
Background
Since 1985, when a nationalist sit-down protest on Obins Street was forcefully removed by the RUC, tensions between the two communities had been growing in Portadown. The Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 removed the special status of 'traditional' parades, effectively banning parades from Obins Street indefinitely. The less populated Garvaghy Road was, however, kept open for the Orange Order.After almost ten years of relative calm, by 1995 nationalist residents formed the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition (GRRC), led by Jesuit priest Eamon Stack. Another prominent member at that time was Brendan McKenna
Brendan McKenna
Brendan McKenna is an Irish politician and a prominent residents' group leader. He is the General Secretary of éirígí, a socialist republican party, and was previously an adviser to Sinn Féin members of the Northern Ireland Assembly...
. McKenna had been convicted for his involvement in a Provisional IRA bomb attack on Portadown's Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
hall in 1981. He would became the coalition spokesman in the aftermath of the 1997 clashes. The conflict escalated in July 1995, when after a three-day standoff the nationalist residents cleared the road peacefully. Five members of the coalition, among them Stack and McKenna, were charged with obstructing the highway. The charges were dropped in June 1996. In July 1996 the parade was banned by the Chief Constable, but on 11 July he was forced to review the decision after a series of clashes between loyalist and the security forces, which included the assassination of a Catholic taxi-driver by the UVF. The decision ultimately led to major riots in nationalist areas of Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
, Belfast and Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, where one civilian was crushed to death by a British Army vehicle.
July 1997 Drumcree parade
As early as 18 June 1997 Alastair Graham, the Parades Commission chairman, warned after the killings of two RUC officers in Lurgan that the IRA was seeking to rise tensions up to 6 July in order to make impossible a compromise over Drumcree. In the meantime, Mo Mowlam held separate meetings with representatives of the Orange Order and members of the GRRC. The attempts to defuse the potential crisis took place at a time when the political focus was put on the removal of the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons as a precondition for open talks with Sinn FéinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
in a multi-party negotiation. After a public address of Martin McGuinness, then Vice-President of Sinn Féin, calling for dropping the demand, both governments agreed to appoint a sub-committee to deal with the matter and eventually announced that Sinn Féin could enter could enter the talks at Stormont when they resumed on 15 September 1997, given the IRA declaration of an unequivocal ceasefire and a probation period of six-week.
On 1 July, the coalition of residents announced a street festival for 6 July, later banned by the RUC. The same day, Mo Mowlam and Taioseach Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
met in Belfast. Ahern stressed that any unilateral decision allowing the march on Garvaghy road would be 'a mistake'. Ahern repeated his opinion during a meeting with British First Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
on 3 July. The RUC and the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
replied that they would made public their decision only two or three days in advance. Earlier, Mo Mowlam had stated that any decision would be released at least six days before the march. As the parade day approached, thousands of people left Northern Ireland in anticipation of violence and clashes like those experienced in 1996.
At 3:00 AM of 6 July, 1,500 members of the RUC and the British Army with 100 armoured cars entered Garvaghy road in order to force the parade. By 3:55, after a brief clash with the protesters, three lines of policemen and troops were deployed around the street, two lines of vehicles on Garvaghy road and a third line of soldiers and RUC members on Ashgrove road. Some RUC constables claimed that the residents taunted them with comments about the deaths of their two colleges at Lurgan in June while shouting 'Up the RA'. There are allegations that Rosemary Nelson
Rosemary Nelson
Rosemary Nelson was a prominent Northern Irish human rights lawyer who was killed by a loyalist paramilitary group in 1999...
, a solicitor of the resident's Coalition since 1995, was verbally and physically abused by the RUC. The last residents remaining on the road were removed by 6:33. Ronnie Flanagan
Ronnie Flanagan
Sir Ronald Flanagan, GBE, QPM, was the Home Office Chief Inspector of Constabulary for the United Kingdom excluding Scotland...
, then Chief Constable of the RUC, stated that the decision was taken in order to avoid loyalist violence.
Sunday 6 July
Violence erupted across Northern Ireland as news from Portadown reached nationalist areas. Unionist politicians accused the IRA of starting the riots. Republican sources admitted that the IRA was openly involved in the unrest; unlike in 1996, when it had restrained itself from retaliation.The IRA claimed a number of actions in response to the Drumcree crisis. During the weekend alone, the IRA carried out at least nine attacks on British troops. One of the first attacks took place in Coalisland
Coalisland
Coalisland is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a population of 4,917 people . As its name suggests, it was formerly a centre for coal mining.-History:...
, where the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade launched a gun attack on an RUC armored vehicle; a female officer from Portadown was badly wounded. Some sources fixed the date of the attack on 5 July.
Belfast
In Belfast, a lone IRA member with an AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
opened-fire on an RUC checkpoint at Lower Ormeau Road. Five rounds hit an APC that was parked on the Ormeau Bridge. The attack was recorded by a BBC television crew. Later that evening, shots were fired at an armored patrol on Newtownards Road, a bomb was thrown at an RUC base in North Belfast, and in South Belfast, an IRA unit prevented a riot squad from entering the Markets area
Market Quarter, Belfast
Market Quarter refers to a wide area of Belfast City including St George's Market, an area of inner city housing, The Waterfront precinct - including conference and concert hall and Hilton Hotel - and the city's Central Railway Station....
after firing 20 rounds at them. That night, several British Army patrols were harassed by gunfire in North Belfast. An armored vehicle was set on fire at Brompton Park in Ardoyne, according to republican sources. Another one was burnt-out on Antrim Road. Late that evening in the Oldpark area, an RUC landrover became stuck in a barricade made of iron pilings and its crew had to flee when it was attacked with petrol bombs. Rioters using petrol bombs in Short Strand forced the RUC to close an access road to the M3 motorway.
On Sunday evening, a 14-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl were shot by RUC plastic bullets in the Lenadoon area of West Belfast. The boy was struck in the head and spent three days in a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. The girl was walking along Stewartstown Road with friends when she was struck in the face. According to An Phoblacht, there was no rioting at the time and the RUC had "opened fire on groups of young people returning home from a disco".
On Sunday night, there was violence at the interface on Lanark Way. Stones, bricks and bottles were hurled across the peace line. An Phoblacht reported that warning shots were fired from the nationalist side.
Another 24 people were admitted to Belfast's City Hospital
Belfast City Hospital
The Belfast City Hospital located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a 900-bed modern university teaching hospital providing local acute services and key regional specialities. Its distinctive tower block dominates the Belfast skyline being the fourth tallest storeyed building in Ireland...
and Royal Victoria Hospital
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
The Royal Victoria Hospital is a hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
.
Derry
On Sunday evening in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, thousands of people joined a protest march from the Bogside to the RUC base of Strand Road. Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
addressed the crowd, calling on nationalists elsewhere to take to the streets to demand "justice and equality" and "stand up for their rights". Although the protesters returned to the Bogside peacefully, there was violence in the city center.
At Butcher Gate, there were clashes between nationalist youths and the RUC. It is claimed that the RUC fired "upwards of 1,000 plastic bullets", many of them fired "indiscriminately" and aimed "above the waist, in direct contravention of the rules governing the use of such lethal weapons". A 16-year-old boy suffered "a fractured skull, a broken jaw, and shattered facial bones amongst other injuries" after allegedly being beaten by RUC officers. He was on life support
Life support
Life support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
for some time afterwards. An eyewitness described seeing one man, allegedly an onlooker, being shot in the face: "The side of his face was completely torn away, and he seemed to just slump to the ground". Several others suffered serious head injuries. Nine were admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital
Altnagelvin Area Hospital
Altnagelvin Area Hospital is the main hospital for the North West of Northern Ireland. It provides services to the city of Derry as well as County Londonderry, but also some specialist and acute services for parts of neighbouring County Donegal, County Tyrone, County Antrim and County Fermanagh...
with plastic bullet injuries. At least 30 others sought treatment at first aid houses or at Letterkenny Hospital
Letterkenny General Hospital
Letterkenny General Hospital is an acute hospital serving 147,000 inhabitants of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. The hospital currently employs over 1700 people, with more than 565 of these being nursing staff . It contains around 360 beds at present.- History :The General Hospital...
across the border. Downtown Derry was sealed off by the RUC and the British Army, exception made of the accesses via Shipquay and Ferryquay Gates.
Newry
In Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, 3,000 joined a protest march to the Ardmore RUC base, where a rally was held. People marched behind banners saying "Disband the RUC" and "Dismantle the Orange State".
County Tyrone
Besides the shooting of an RUC armoured vehicle in Coalisland, mentioned above, an Orange Order hall was set on fire in Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, while nationalist residents forced their way through the RUC lines to stop an Orangemen parade in Pomeroy
Pomeroy
- Places :* Pomeroy, County Tyrone, a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland* Pomeroy , a townland in the parish of Desertcreat, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland* Pomeroy, Derbyshire, England* Pomeroy, Iowa, USA* Pomeroy, Ohio, USA...
.
Armagh city
In Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
, hundreds attended a protest rally at The Shambles. Later, the RUC and British Army set-up roadblocks on entrances to the town center and nationalist youths hijacked a number of vehicles. There were clashes between nationalists and the RUC on English Street; two youths were injured by plastic bullets. Just before midnight, there was a shootout between two IRA members and the RUC at a roadblock. The same roadblock was later petrol-bombed as violence continued into the night.
Lurgan
In Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, nine masked IRA members boarded a train, forced the passengers out and set it on fire, destroying five carriages.
Monday 7 July
By 7 July there were over 100 people injured, six of them in serious condition. The RUC stated that there had been 1,600 plastic bullets fired, 550 attacks on the security forces, and 41 people arrested. The fire service had received 500 calls and the ambulance service 150, while the damage to property was estimated at £20 million.Belfast
Shortly after midnight, a 25-year-old woman suffered a fractured bone after being shot in the leg by a live round fired from New Barnsley RUC base. At the Larnak Way interface, West Belfast, loyalists tried to enter the nationalist area at 3:00 a.m. and a 14-year-old Protestant boy was shot in the shoulder. One source reported that the teenager was wounded when an IRA unit launched a gun and grenade attack on a military base near the interface. Irish National Liberation Army
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
(INLA) gunmen also opened fire on British soldiers in the Ardoyne area of North Belfast.
In the Dunmurry
Dunmurry
Dunmurry is an urban townland, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located between Belfast and Lisburn, it was once a rural village, but is now within the Greater Belfast conurbation...
area of Belfast, a member of the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA) was killed when the pipe bomb
Pipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device, a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially...
he was handling exploded prematurely. The incident happened at an arms dump in a remote area. Later that night, members of the UDA and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) held a joint "show of strength" in North Belfast. Masked men armed with assault rifles and machine guns were filmed patrolling in Woodvale, saying they were there to protect Protestants. Members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force
Loyalist Volunteer Force
The Loyalist Volunteer Force is a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed by Billy Wright in 1996 when he and the Portadown unit of the Ulster Volunteer Force's Mid-Ulster Brigade was stood down by the UVF leadership. He had been the commander of the Mid-Ulster Brigade. The...
(LVF) held a similar "show of strength" on Tuesday night.
A 39-year-old American citizen, John Hemsworth, was beaten with a baton by an RUC squadron on his way home from the Upper Falls area. He was stopped in Malcomson Street where he was assaulted and verbally abused by the officers. There were no riots or protests in the area at the time. Hemsworth suffered a broken jaw and other injuries, and was admitted to hospital. He was discharged, but on 27 December he was re-admitted and died from a massive stroke on 1 January 1998. Fourteen years later, an inquest found that he had died as result of the injures received during the RUC beating.
Bellaghy
In the mainly-nationalist village of Bellaghy
Bellaghy
Bellaghy , is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies north west of Lough Neagh and about 5 miles north of Magherafelt. At the centre of the village lies the junction of three main roads leading to Magherafelt, Portglenone and Toome. It had a population of 1,063 people in the...
, residents mounted a peaceful protest against the yearly Orange march. There were scuffles as RUC and British Army moved the protesters away from the parade route. Martin McGuinness was struck in the head with a baton while giving an interview nearby.
Elsewhere
In Strabane
Strabane
Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....
, 250 petrol bombs were thrown at RUC officers, who in return fired plastic bullets at the crowd.
Newry was declared "impassable" by the Automobile Association. A shopping center in the town was looted by what republican sources called "a gang responsible for a long series of anti-social activities and intimidation". The IRA reportedly injured two of the gangmembers in a punishment shooting on 13 July.
Buildings were set on fire in downtown Derry and a number of vehicles were hijacked. An Orange Order hall was set on fire at Newtownhamilton
Newtownhamilton
Newtownhamilton is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is within the townland of Tullyvallan and the barony of Upper Fews. It is part of the Newry and Mourne District Council area...
in south County Armagh.
Tuesday 8 July
On 8 July, a document was leaked to the press which hinted that Mo Mowlan had decided in June to allow the Drumcree march to proceed. This caused further outrage among nationalists. That day, residents announced that they would block the Orange Order's 12th July paradesThe Twelfth
The Twelfth is a yearly Protestant celebration held on 12 July. It originated in Ireland during the 18th century. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution and victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne...
in Armagh, Newry, Bellaghy, Lower Ormeau Road (Belfast), Derry and Strabane.
An RUC source confirmed that the IRA had carried out more than a dozen gun and grenade attacks since 6 July, while 250 vehicles had been burnt. The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) threatened to attack Orangemen whom it considered responsible for forcing parades through Nationalist neighborhoods.
Belfast
The IRA's Belfast Brigade
Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas, based in the city of Belfast. Founded in 1969, along with the formation of the Provisional IRA, it was historically organised into three battalions; the First Battalion based in the...
claimed that dozens of its members were involved in operations against the security forces in West and North Belfast since Sunday. On Crumlin Road, there was a shootout between IRA members and an RUC mobile patrol, without casualties from either side. Some time later, a rocket attack took place on Hallidays Road, in the New Lodge
New Lodge, Belfast
The New Lodge is an urban, working-class Catholic community in Belfast, Northern Ireland, immediately to the north of city centre. The landscape is dominated by several large tower blocks. The area has a number of murals, mostly sited along the New Lodge Road...
area. Also on Crumlin Road, an IRA volunteer fired 15 shots at a British soldier who was engaging protesters with plastic bullets. According to a republican report, this action was recorded by an independent television crew. A single shot was fired at an RUC officer on Alliance Avenue and several minutes later there was another gunfight between the IRA and RUC on Oldpark Road. In the Ardoyne area of North Belfast, the IRA allegedly shot two loyalist men who were throwing petrol bombs at nationalist homes. New Barnsley RUC base in West Belfast was the target of a gun and grenade attack, while an Army base at the end of Lenadoon Avenue suffered a similar assault, with 15 shots fired and an improvised grenade thrown at it. On Falls Road, 20 rounds were fired at a British security checkpoint. Although there was return fire, all the IRA members made good their escape. According to independent sources, IRA members fired at British soldiers and RUC officers who were trying to remove barricades in North Belfast in the early hours of Tuesday, forcing them to retreat. No injuries were reported. Meanwhile, in West Belfast, petrol bombs were thrown at RUC vehicles. A passing 11-year-boy suffered severe burns when he was accidentally hit by one of the bombs. The Protestant estate at Suffolk was attacked from Lenadoon. Several cars were burned. Scattered riots continued throughout the day and the outbound lanes of a highway were blocked by hijacked cars.
Elsewhere
About 100 rioters clashed with the RUC in Bellaghy and the Orange hall was hit by a number of petrol-bombs. Another three Orange Order halls were burnt in Portadown, Ballycastle
Ballycastle, County Antrim
Ballycastle is a small town in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its population was 5,089 people in the 2001 Census. It is the seat and main settlement of Moyle District Council....
and Moy
Moy, County Tyrone
Moy or The Moy is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 1,218.It is about southeast of Dungannon and is beside the smaller village of Charlemont. Charlemont is on the east bank of the River Blackwater and Moy on the west; the two are...
.
During disturbances in Portadown on Tuesday morning, an RUC officer was shot in the arm and leg near Garvaghy Road. In Newry, British government buildings were set on fire and a train was partially burnt-out at the railway station.
On Tuesday evening, protesters held a "white line picket" in The Shambles area of Armagh. A crowd of several hundred surged up English Street and were blocked by a line of RUC landrovers. The picket lasted an hour and was concluded when Sinn Féin councillor Noel Sheridan addressed the crowd, urging them to attend further protests during the week.
Wednesday 9 July
On 9 July, the British Government sent in 400 soldiers of the Staffordshire Regiment to reinforce the 30,000 troops and RUC members already deployed in Northern Ireland. A landmine was planted by the IRA near Dungannon, where several vehicles were burnt, while shots were fired in Strabane and a rifle recovered at Short StrandShort Strand
The Short Strand is a mainly-nationalist area in east Belfast, surrounded by a mainly-unionist area. It is within the townland of Ballymacarret and sits on the east bank of the River Lagan in County Down.-Security issues:...
in Belfast. A number of false bomb threats threw traffic into chaos. In Lurgan's Kilwilkie estate, RUC and Royal Irish Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
The Royal Irish Regiment is an infantry unit of the British Army.-1992 creation:With an antecedence reaching back to 1689, the regiment was formed in 1992...
troops tried to clear residents from their homes after claiming there was a bomb near the railway line. When a man was allegedly assaulted by the troops, about 150 people gathered to confront them. RUC officers threatened to fire plastic bullets at the gathering crowd before the bulk of the forces agreed to leave the area. Residents accused the security forces of verbal abuse. At the same time, two young sisters were hospitalized after allegedly being beaten by RUC officers in the Drumbeg area of Craigavon
Craigavon
Craigavon is a settlement in north County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was a planned settlement that was begun in 1965 and named after Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister — James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon. It was intended to be a linear city incorporating Lurgan and Portadown, but this plan...
, County Armagh. The alleged assault happened after the officers spotted one of the girls filming them while they were beating a young boy. Since Tuesday, the RUC recorded 76 people arrested, 900 plastic bullets fired and 265 attacks on the security forces.
In West Belfast, a car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
exploded outside shops on the Andersonstown Road. The car had been left by three men wearing dark glasses and carrying walkie-talkies. Sinn Féin members helped clear the area and claimed that the RUC took almost an hour to answer a call from a member of the public. Loyalists were believed to be responsible for the blast.
The INLA threatened to shot protestants if the parade in Belfast was allowed to go ahead, while the LVF vowed to shot people in the Republic if the marches were stopped. The later threat was taken "very seriously" by Gardaí commander Pat Byrne, who put on alert all security checkpoints along the border.
The Orange Order vowed to gather its entire organization at Ormeau Park if the parade there was banned. Converserly, the Bogside Residents Group called for a huge demonstration to stop the 12th July Orange march in Derry.
Thursday 10 July
In Belfast, the North of Ireland Rugby & Cricket Club and the CarnmoneyCarnmoney
Carnmoney is the name of a townland and electoral ward in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Carnmoney is within the urban area called Newtownabbey and the wider Newtownabbey Borough. It lies 7 miles from Belfast city centre....
Church of Ireland were damaged in arson attacks. There was a security alert at Newry RUC station and the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
Headquarters received a hoax letter bomb in the post. In Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 2,739 people in the 2001 Census. The town is built around the long main street, which bends at almost 90 degrees along its course.- History :...
, five commercial buildings owned by Orangemen were attacked and an Orange hall was petrol-bombed in Waterside, Derry.
Violence waned as the Orange Order announced it was reconsidering the route of several parades. A dissident group inside the Order called the decision a "terrible betrayal".
Friday 11 July
On 11 July in North Belfast, the IRA launched a gun and bomb attack on a checkpoint guarded by a SaxonSaxon (vehicle)
The Saxon is an armoured personnel carrier used by the British Army and supplied in small numbers to various overseas organisations. It was developed by GKN Sankey, from earlier projects, AT 100 IS and AT104, and is due to be replaced by the Future Rapid Effect System.-Design:The Saxon was intended...
armoured vehicle. Three British soldiers and two RUC officers were injured. The IRA unit fired 56 shots from two AK-47 assault rifles and also threw a coffee-jar bomb. The soldiers were members of the recently arrived Staffordshire Regiment. In a separate incident on Doon Road, in the Suffolk area of Belfast, an RUC/British Army patrol was the target of a grenade attack. The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
reported that two teenage Protestants at an Eleventh Night
Eleventh night
In Northern Ireland, the Eleventh Night or 11th Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the Battle of the Boyne . On this night, many Protestant, unionist and loyalist communities in Northern Ireland light bonfires...
bonfire were shot and wounded by republicans. There were also a number of clashes between nationalists and security forces overnight.
Aftermath
By 9 July, according to an RUC report, 60 RUC officers and 56 civilians had been injured while 117 people had been arrested. There had been 815 attacks on the security forces, 1,506 petrol bombs thrown and 402 hijackings. The RUC had fired 2,500 plastic bullets. According to other sources, over 100 people are believed to have been injured. The last IRA action took place on 12 July, when an improvised mortarBarrack buster
Barrack buster is the colloquial name given to several improvised mortars, developed in the 1990s by the engineering group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army ....
round fell 40 yards short of the RUC/British Army base at Newtownhamilton, south County Armagh. The violence died down on 10 July when the Orange Order decided unilaterally to re-route six parades. The following day, Orangemen and residents agreed to waive another march in Newtownbutler
Newtownbutler
Newtownbutler or Newtown Butler is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the southeast corner of the County, close to the border with County Monaghan and the town of Clones. It is surrounded by small lakes and bogland and close to Lough Erne...
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
. In Pomeroy, County Tyrone, nationalist residents blocked Orangemen's return parade with a counter-demonstration, while the marches in Newry and Lower Ormeau were canceled outright.
In a parallel development, on 9 July the British government assured Sinn Féin that in the event of a new IRA ceasefire, representatives of that party would be allowed to meet with government ministers. A week later, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness called for a renewal of the IRA 1994 ceasefire. The IRA announced the restoration of the ceasefire on 19 July.
The Last Gunman, a photograph taken by Brendan Murphy of an IRA man firing an AK-47 on Ormeau Road, became an iconic image of the Troubles.