Key Events & Deaths on this day in Northern Ireland Troubles
Sunday 5 September 1971
The Army Council of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) proposed the idea of a nine county Ulster Assembly (Dáil Uladh) in a set of constitutional proposals which were reported in Republican News on 11 September 1971. The Assembly was to be one of four regional Assemblies covering the whole of any future united Ireland. The fact that the Ulster Assembly would have a Unionist majority was considered as meeting Unionist concerns over being “swamped” in any new Republic.
Friday 5 September 1975
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded a bomb at the Hilton Hotel in London and killed two people and injured a further 63. [It was later established that a 20 minute warning had been given but this was not passed on to the hotel.]
Wednesday 5 September 1979
Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, and Jack Lynch, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), met in London to discuss security matters.
Sunday 5 September 1982
Brian Smyth (30), who had been a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) until 1978, was shot dead by members of the UVF in Crimea Street, Shankill, Belfast.
[This killing was reported as an internal feud but was a personal grudge between Lenny Murphy, who had been leader of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) gang known as the ‘Shankill Butchers’, and Smyth to whom Murphy owed money (Dillon, 1990).]
Friday 5 September 1986
A group of politicians from the main Unionist parties advised district councillors to resign on 15 November 1986 (the first anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Agreement; AIA) as a protest against the Agreement and to force the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) to appoint commissioners to run the councils. [Later the councillors themselves decided against mass resignations.]
Saturday 5 September 1987
Eleven Unionist Members of Parliament (MPs) were summoned for their part in demonstrations on 10 and 11 April 1987.
Tuesday 5 September 1995
Tony Kane (29), a Catholic civilian, was shot dead, while sat in his stationary car, St. Agnes Drive, Andersonstown, Belfast. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) was believed to be responsible for the killing.
[It was alleged that Kane was a drugs dealer and this was the reason why he had been killed.]
Irish government officials cancelled a summit meeting planned for 6 September 1995 between John Bruton, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), and John Major, then British Prime Minister. [Irish and British officials had failed to reach agreement on the need for a commission to oversee the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.
Saturday 5 September 1998
Seán McGrath (61) who had been injured in the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998, died as a result of his injuries bringing the total of those killed to 29. David Trimble, then First Minister designate and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), repeated his view that decommissioning of Irish Republican Army (IRA) weapons was necessary before the UUP would enter an Executive with Sinn Féin (SF).
Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin (SF), said that there was nothing in the Good Friday Agreement that prevented the immediate establishment of an Executive which would include SF members as of right. President Clinton left Ireland from Shannon Airport after what he considered to be a successful visit. The President was conferred with the Freedom of Limerick and in his acceptance speech he said the United States would support Irish people in the path to peace. Earlier in the day he had played a round of golf at Ballybunnion in Kerry with, amongst others, Dick Spring, the former Tánaiste (deputy Irish Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs).
Wednesday 5 September 2001
Loyalists threw a blast bomb towards Catholic children and their parents as they were attempting to enter the Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School on the Ardoyne Road in north Belfast. There was panic as the device exploded. Four Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers were injured by the blast and a woman collapsed with shock. All were taken to hospital.
The Red Hand Defenders (RHD), a cover name that has been used by members of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), said it was responsible for the attack.
[This was the third day of the current round of Loyalist protest at the school.]
Later in the evening Protestant residents and Catholic parents held separate meetings to discuss the dispute. The RUC released figures on the rioting overnight. In the 24 hours up to 5.00am (0500BST) 41 RUC officers and two members of the British army had been injured. Fifteen blast bombs and 250 petrol bombs were thrown, and four civilian cars were damaged. An articulated lorry was hijacked by two gunmen on the main bypass road at Newry, County Down, at approximately 12.15am (0015BST). The vehicle was placed across the road and set on fire.
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.
9 People lost their lives on the 5th September between 1972 – 1995
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05 September 1972
Victor Smyth, (54)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR),
Killed by: not known (nk)
Off duty. Killed in car bomb explosion outside McGurk’s Bar, Bridge Street, Portadown, County Armagh. Driving past at the time of the explosion.
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05 September 1973
Patrick Duffy, (21)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed by booby trap bomb when he drove tractor into field, Greaghnagleragh, near Belcoo, County Fermanagh.
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05 September 1975
Robert Lloyd, (-9) nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed during bomb explosion in foyer of Hilton Hotel, London. Inadequate warning given.
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05 September 1975
Grace Loohuis, (-9) nfNIB
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Killed during bomb explosion in foyer of Hilton Hotel, London. Inadequate warning given.
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05 September 1978
William McAlpine, (46)
Protestant
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Part-time Cadet Force Officer. Shot while driving his car, near to his home, Chapel Street, Newry, County Down.
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05 September 1981
Sohan Virdee, (20) nfNI
Status: British Army (BA),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Off duty. Shot shortly after being lured to house
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05 September 1982
Brian Smyth, (30)
Protestant
Status: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot while sitting in stationary car, from passing motorcycle, Crimea Street, Shankill, Belfast. Internal Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) dispute.
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05 September 1992
Samual Rice, (29)
Protestant
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Shot while in relative’s home, Solway Street, off Newtownards Road, Belfast. Alleged criminal.
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05 September 1995
Tony Kane, (29)
Catholic
Status: Civilian (Civ),
Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Shot, while sat in his stationary car, St. Agnes Drive, Andersonstown, Belfast
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A Belfast Child - My True Story of life & death in the troubles 