Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
7th January
Monday 7 January 1974
Brian Faulkner, then Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Executive, resigned as leader of Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) after it rejected the Sunningdale Agreement on 4 January 1974.
Tuesday 7 January 1975
Representatives of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) held a meeting with Merlyn Rees, then Secretary of Sate for Northern Ireland. However the meeting broke up over arguments about the contacts between government officials and the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Wednesday 7 January 1976
In response to demands for a tougher security response, a unit of the Special Air Service (SAS) was moved into the South Armagh area.
[This was the first occasion when the deployment of SAS troops was officially acknowledged.]
Monday 7 January 1980
Constitutional Conference / Atkins Talks The talks called by Humphrey Atkins, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, got under way at Stormont. As part of the wider Atkins talks a constitutional conference was arranged at Stormont involving the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and the Alliance Party (APNI). The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) refused to take part in the conference. Atkins conceded a parallel conference which would allow the SDLP to raise issues, in particular an ‘Irish dimension’, which were not covered by the original terms of reference.
The DUP refused to get involved with the parallel conference.
[The Atkins talks continued until 24 March 1980 but did not succeed in achieving consensus amongst the parties.] [ Political Developments.]
Monday 7 January 1991
Richard Needham, then a Northern Ireland Office (NIO) Minister, criticised Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), for his support of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The criticism followed a recent fire-bomb campaign by the IRA. Needham queried whether the jobs for west Belfast, that were demanded by Sinn Féin (SF), would also be fire-bombed. Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), accused Needham of “theatrical hysterics”.
Friday 7 January 1994
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a bomb attack on a joint Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and British Army patrol in the Andersonstown area of Belfast.
Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), wrote to John Major, then British Prime Minister, seeking clarification of the Downing Street Declaration (DSD). Patrick Mayhew, then Secretary of State, appeared to rule out clarification of the DSD for SF because he said clarification would lead to negotiations.
[On 20 January 1994 SF got a reply from Major’s office saying there could be no re-negotiation of the DSD.]
The Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights (SACHR) called again for a bill of rights for Northern Ireland.
Tuesday 7 January 1997
Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers travelling in two Landrovers in the Shantallow area of Derry escaped injury when a bomb was thrown at their vehicles. There was disruption in Belfast caused by three bomb alerts.
Wednesday 7 January 1998
Marjorie (Mo) Mowlam, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announced that she would go into the Maze Prison to meet Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) prisoners in an attempt to change their decision to end their support for the peace process. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) described the decision by Mowlam as “madness”. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) welcomed the decision.
Thursday 7 January 1999
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) warned that the failure of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to decommission its weapons could result in the re-negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement.
Friday 7 January 2000
There was a pipe-bomb attack on the home of a Catholic man at Andraid Close, in the mainly Loyalist Stiles Estate. The blast occurred shortly after 4.00am in the rear garden of the house, causing minor damage. No one was injured. The attack was carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries.
Sunday 7 January 2001
There were pipe-bomb attacks on two families in Ballymena, County Antrim. It is understood that 11 people, including six children, escaped injury in the two attacks which took place within an hour of each other during the evening. In the first incident, a pipe-bomb was thrown through the living room window of a house on Ballymena’s Cushendall Road at 8.30pm. At around 9.20pm a pipe-bomb was thrown at a house in Clonavon Road near Ballymena town centre. Three adults and three children in the house escaped injury. The attacks were carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries.
Monday 7 January 2002
Figures released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) showed that there had been a 50 per cent increase in armed robberies in one year. There were 927 armed robberies in 2000 / 2001 compared with 682 in 1999 / 2000. Hijackings had almost doubled with 182 in 2000 / 2001 compared with 91 in 1999 / 2000.
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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.
3 People lost their lives on the 7th January between 1972 – 1990
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07 January 1972
Daniel O’Neill, (20)
Catholic
Status: Irish Republican Army (IRA),
Killed by: British Army (BA)
Died two days after being shot during gun battle, Oranmore Street, Falls, Belfast
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07 January 1976
Michael Dickson, (17)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Found shot in entry, off Rockview Street, Belfast.
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07 January 1990
Martin Byrne, (28)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Protestant Action Force (PAF)
Taxi driver. Found shot in his car, Aghacommon, Derrymacash, near Lurgan, County Armagh.
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Simfusion 