A Chronology of the Conflict - 1969

1969

January 1969

Wednesday 1 January 1969
People's Democracy March Began
Approximately 40 members of People's Democracy (PD) began a four-day march from Belfast across Northern Ireland to Derry. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) and some nationalists in Derry had advised against the march. The march was modelled on Martin Luther King's Selma to Montgomery march. The first day involved a walk from Belfast to Antrim. [Over the next four days the number of people on the march grew to a few hundred. The march was confronted and attacked by Loyalist crowds on a number of occasions the most serious attack occurring on 4 January 1969.]

Thursday 2 January 1969
The People's Democracy (PD) march continued, on day two, from Antrim to Maghera.

Friday 3 January 1969
The third day of the People's Democracy (PD) march took it from Maghera to Claudy.

Saturday 4 January 1969
Burntollet Ambush
The fourth, and final, day of the People's Democracy (PD) march took the marchers from Claudy to Derry. Seven miles from its destination, the People's Democracy (PD) march was ambushed and attacked by a loyalist mob at Burntollet Bridge. The ambush had been planned in advance and around 200 loyalists, including off-duty members of the 'B-Specials', used sticks, iron bars, bottles and stones to attack the marchers, 13 of whom received hospital treatment. The marchers believed that the 80 Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers, who accompanied the march, did little to protect them from the Loyalist crowd. As the march entered Derry it was again attached at Irish Street, a mainly Protestant area of the city. Finally the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) broke up the rally that was held in the centre of the city as the march arrived. This action, and the subsequent entry of the RUC into the Bogside area of the city, led to serious rioting.

Sunday 5 January 1969
Terence O'Neill, then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, issued a statement on the events since 1 January 1969.

Thursday 9 January 1969
Terence O'Neill, then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, travelled to London to meet James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary, to brief him on the growing violence in Northern Ireland.

Saturday 11 January 1969
There was rioting in a number of areas of Northern Ireland particularly in Derry and Newry.

Wednesday 15 January 1969
Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, announced the setting up of an official inquiry into the disturbances in Derry and elsewhere. The inquiry, under the chairmanship of Lord Cameron, a Scottish judge, was asked to look into the causes of the civil unrest. [The Cameron Report (Cmd. 532) into disturbances in Northern Ireland was published on 12 September 1969.]

Friday 24 January 1969
Faulkner Resigned
Brian Faulkner, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, resigned from the Northern Ireland cabinet in protest at the policies of Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, and the lack of 'strong government'.

Sunday 26 January 1969
William Morgan, then Minister of Health and Social Services, resigned from the Northern Ireland government.

February 1969

Monday 3 February 1969
Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, announced the dissolution of the Stormont parliament and the holding of an election on 24 February 1969. [This was a political gamble by O'Neill in an attempt to strenghten the hand of of those in favour of reform.]

Thursday 6 February 1969
The New Ulster Movement (NUM) was formed. This pressure group was established to promote moderate and non-sectarian policies and to assist those candidates who supported Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, in the election on 24 February 1969.

Monday 17 February 1969
In the run-up to the election on 24 February 1969 the BBC programme 'Panorama' interviewed the main political figures. This programme was broadcast across the UK and was an early instance of viewers in Britain having an opportunity to see the conflict in Northern Ireland being discussed in depth..

Monday 24 February 1969
Stormont Election
An election to the Stormont parliament was held. The main feature of this election was the fragmentation of the Unionist party into 'Official Unionist' and 'Unofficial Unionist'. Of the 39 unionist candidates returned in the election 27 were in support of the policies of Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, while 12 were against or undecided.

Friday 28 February 1969
Terence O'Neill was re-elected as leader of the Unionist Parliamentary Party and thus was confirmed as Northern Ireland Prime Minister.

March 1969

Monday 3 March 1969
The Cameron commission was established to consider the reasons for the unrest in Derry.

Tuesday 11 March 1969
The Parliamentary Commissioner Bill was introduced which would allow for the appointment of an Ombudsman to investigate complaints against Stormont government departments.

Tuesday 25 March 1969
Ian Paisley and Ronald Bunting were jailed for organising an illegal counter demonstration in Armagh on 30 November 1968.

Sunday 30 March 1969
Loyalist Bombs
There were a number of explosions at an electricity substation at Castlereagh, east Belfast. The explosions resulted in a blackout in a large area of Belfast and did damage estimated at £500,000. [It was later established that the bombs were planted by Loyalists who were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). This incident was initially blamed on the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and was part of a campaign by Loyalist groups to destabilise Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, and bring an end to reforms. Other bombs were planted by Loyalists on 4 April 1969, 20 Arpil 1969, 24 April 1969, 26 April 1969, and 19 October 1969.]

April 1969

Friday 4 April 1969
Loyalist Bomb
There was an explosion at a water installation at Dunadry, County Antrim. This was one of the main water supply pipes to Belfast. [It was later established that the bomb was planted by Loyalists who were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). See 30 March 1969.]

Thursday 17 April 1969
Westminster By-Election
In a by-election to the Westminster parliament Bernadette Devlin, standing as a Unity candidate in Mid-Ulster, was elected and, at 21 years of age, became the youngest woman ever to be elected as a Member of Parliament (MP).

Saturday 19 April 1969
There was serious rioting in the Bogside area of Derry following clashes between Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) marchers, and Loyalists and members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). A number of RUC officers entered the house of Samuel Devenny, who had not been involved in the disturbances, and severely beat him with batons causing internal injuries and a heart attack. A number of other people in the house were also beaten by the police including Devenny's 16 year old and 18 year old daughters. [Samuel Devenny died on 17 July 1969 as a result of his injuries. The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland issued a report on 4 October 2001 about the death of Devenny (PDF File; 44KB).]

Sunday 20 April 1969
Loyalist Bombs
There was an explosion at Silent Valley reservoir in County Down cutting off water supplies to Belfast. There was a second explosion at an electricity pylon at Kilmore, County Armagh. [It was later established that the bombs were planted by Loyalists who were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). Following these, and earlier attacks on other installations, British troops were assigned to guard key utilities across the region. See 30 March 1969.]

Monday 21 April 1969
The Ministry of Defence in London announced that British troops would be used in Northern Ireland to guard key public installations. The announcement was made in response to a request from the Northern Ireland government. [The troops to be used were ones already stationed in the region.]

Tuesday 22 April 1969
Bernadette Devlin, then a newly elected MP, made a controversial maiden speech in the House of Commons. Devlin was the youngest woman ever to be elected to Westminster and took her seat on her 22nd birthday.

Wednesday 23 April 1969
The Unionist Parliamentary Party voted by 28 to 22 to introduce universal adult suffrage in local government elections in Northern Ireland. The demand for 'one man, one vote' had been one of the most powerful slogans of the civil rights movement. James Chichester-Clark, then Minister of Agriculture, resigned in protest at the reform. [This move further undermined the position of O'Neill who resigned on 28 April 1969, to be replaced by Chichester-Clark.]

Thursday 24 April 1969
Loyalist Bomb
There was an explosion at a water pipeline between Lough Neagh and Belfast. [It was later established that the bomb was planted by Loyalists who were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). See 30 March 1969.]

Saturday 26 April 1969
Loyalist Bomb
There was another explosion at a water pipeline carrying supplies to Belfast. [It was later established that the bomb was planted by Loyalists who were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). Much of Belfast was without water following the latest explosion. See 30 March 1969.]

Monday 28 April 1969
As he was unable to regain the confidence of the Unionist party Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, resigned to be replaced later by James Chichester-Clark.

May 1969

Thursday 1 May 1969
Chichester-Clark Elected Prime Minister
James Chichester-Clark was elected as leader of the Unionist party and succeeded Terence O'Neill as the Northern Ireland Prime Minister. Brian Faulkner was appointed as Minister of Development. Chichester-Clark announced that he would continue the reforms began by Terence O'Neill.

Tuesday 6 May 1969
Chichester-Clark, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, announced an amnesty for all offences associated with demonstrations since 5 October 1968 and this resulted in the release of, among others, Ian Paisley and Ronald Bunting.

Friday 9 May 1969
Following his release from prison Ian Paisley held a 'victory' meeting.

Saturday 10 May 1969
In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph Terence O'Neill, the former Northern Ireland Prime Minister, is reported as saying that: "... if you give Roman Catholics a good job and a good house, they will live like Protestants, ... They will refuse to have 18 children."

Wednesday 21 May 1969
James Chichester-Clark, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, together with other members of the Northern Ireland government, travelled to London for a meeting with Harold Wilson, then British Prime Minister, and James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary.

June 1969

Sunday 15 June 1969
The Campaign for Social Justice published a second edition of 'Northern Ireland The Plain Truth', [PDF; 1544KB], which set out the allegations of discrimination against Catholics by Unionists in the region.

Wednesday 18 June 1969
A report was published by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on the British government's policy in Northern Ireland. The report was critical of both the British government and the Northern Ireland government.

Tuesday 24 June 1969
The Parliamentary Commissioner Act (Northern Ireland) became law. The act provided for a Commissioner to investigate complaints of maladministration against government departments.

July 1969

Saturday 12 July 1969
As the 'marching season' reached its height there was serious rioting in Derry, Belfast and Dungiven. Many familles in Belfast were forced to move from their homes. [The upsurge in violence followed a period of relative calm.]

Sunday 13 July 1969
Ian Paisley addressed a crowd at Loughgall, County Antrim, and is reported to have said: "I am anti-Roman Catholic, but God being my judge, I love the poor dupes who are ground down under that system."

Monday 14 July 1969
First Death of the Conflict
Francis McCloskey (aged 67), a Catholic civilian, died one day after being hit on the head with a baton by an officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) during street disturbances in Dungiven, County Derry. [In some accounts of 'the Troubles' this is recorded as the first death.]

Tuesday 15 July 1969
Chichester-Clark, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, mobilised the 'B-Specials'.

Thursday 17 July 1969
Devenny Died
Samuel Devenny (42) died as a result of injuries he received when he was severely beaten by Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers using batons. The attack took place in Devenny's home in William Street, Bogside, Derry, on 19 April 1969. [In some accounts of 'the Troubles' this is recorded as the first death.]

August 1969

Friday 8 August 1969
James Chichester-Clark, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, held a meeting with James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary, in London. Callaghan agreed to an increase in the number of security force personnel. It was also decided to allow the annual Apprentice Boys parade to go ahead in Derry.

Tuesday 12 August 1969
Battle of the Bogside Began
As the annual Apprentice Boys parade passed close to the Bogside area of Derry serious rioting erupted. The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), using armoured cars and water cannons, entered the Bogside, in an attempt to end the rioting. The RUC were closely followed and supported by a loyalist crowd. The residents of the Bogside forced the police and the loyalists back out of the area. The RUC used CS gas to again enter the Bogside area. [This period of conflict between the RUC and Bogside (and Creggan) residents was to become known as the 'Battle of the Bogside' and lasted for two days.]

Wednesday 13 August 1969
Serious rioting spread across Northern Ireland from Derry to other Catholic areas stretching the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The rioting deteriorated into sectarian conflict between Catholics and Protestants and many people, the majority being Catholics, were forced from their homes.
Jack Lynch, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), made a television address in which he announced that 'field hospitals' would be set up in border areas. He went on to say that: "... the present situation is the inevitable outcome of the policies pursued for decades by successive Stormont governments. It is clear also that the Irish government can no longer stand by and see innocent people injured and perhaps worse." [Lynch is often misquoted as saying 'stand idly by'.]

Thursday 14 August 1969
British Army Troops Deployed
After two days of continuous battle, and with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) exhausted, the Stormont government asked the British government for permission to allow British troops to be deployed on the streets of Northern Ireland. Late in the afternoon troops entered the centre of Derry.
John Gallagher, a Catholic civilian, was shot dead by the Ulster Special Constabulary ('B-Specials') during street disturbances on the Cathedral Road in Armagh. [John Gallagher was recorded, by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), as the first 'official' victim of 'the Troubles'.]
In Belfast vicious sectarian riots erupted and continued the following day. In Divis Street the RUC fired a number of shots, from a heavy Browning machine-gun mounted on an armoured car, into the Divis Flats and Towers. One of the shots killed a young Catholic boy while he lay in bed.

Friday 15 August 1969
Six People Killed
Six people were killed and many more injured during sectarian riots in Belfast. Many families were also forced to move from their homes. British troops took up duties on the streets of west Belfast.

Tuesday 19 August 1969
Representatives of the British and Northern Ireland governments held a meeting in London lasting two days. A Communique and Declaration was issued at the end of the first day. The declaration affirmed that there would be no change in the constitutional status of Northern Ireland without the consent of the Parliament of Northern Ireland. [This Joint Declaration became known as the 'Downing Street Declaration', a name which was applied to another document on 15 December 1993.]

Tuesday 26 August 1969
The Hunt Committee was appointed to consider the structure of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the 'B-Specials' (Ulster Special Constabulary; USC).

Wednesday 27 August 1969
James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary, visited Belfast and Derry for talks with the Unionist government and others. The Stormont government announced the establishment of an Inquiry, to be chaired by Justice Scarman, into the circumstances of the riots during the year.

Thursday 28 August 1969
Ian Freeland, then General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the British Army, became Director of Operations for security matters, thus effectively removing control of security from the Stormont government.

Friday 29 August 1969
Following the visit to Northern Ireland by James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary, a Communiqué on behalf of the Northern Ireland and British governments was released. This communiqué provided an outline of the work that would be undertaken on a number of further reforms mainly in the area of local government administration, housing, and employment.

September 1969

Thursday 4 September 1969
The Derry Citizens' Defence Association (DCDA) published an edition of its 'Newsletter' (Vol.15). [Informal publications such as this were used by various groups at various times to inform their supporters of developments.]

Monday 8 September 1969
Members of the Northern Ireland Government held a meeting with the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions at Stormont. A joint statement was issued following the meeting.
A man was shot dead in Belfast.

Tuesday 9 September 1969
'Peace Line' Constructed
Chichester-Clark, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, announced that the British Army would erect a temporary 'peace-line' between Catholic and Protestant areas of Belfast to try to prevent rioting. [This temporary structure was replaced over the years by a more substantial 'peace wall' that still remains in place.]

Wednesday 10 September 1969
A 'peace line' was completed by the British Army in areas of Belfast. The 'no-go' areas in Derry and Belfast were recognised.

Friday 12 September 1969
Cameron Report Published
The Cameron Report (Cmd. 532) into disturbances in Northern Ireland was published. The Cameron Inquiry had been set up on 15 January 1969.

Saturday 20 September 1969
Jack Lynch, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), gave a speech in Tralee, Republic of Ireland, entitiled 'The Situation in the Six Counties of North-East Ireland: the basis of our thinking and policy'.

October 1969

Thursday 9 October 1969
James Callaghan, then British Home Secretary, made a second visit to Northern Ireland between 9 and 10 October 1969. Following meetings between Callaghan and the Stormont government, plans for further reforms were agreed in a communiqué. The matters covered included: the establishment of a central housing authority; reforms to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in light of the Hunt Report; reforms to the legal system; and the issue of fair employment.

Friday 10 October 1969
Hunt Report Published
The Hunt Report was published. The Report recommended that: the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) should become an unarmed force; the Ulster Special Constabulary (USC; the 'B Specials') should be disbanded; a new RUC Reserve should be set up; and a new locally recruited part-time force should be established under the control of the British Army (BA) [this force was to become the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR)].
Arthur Young was appointed as Chief Constable of the RUC at the request of Harold Wilson, then British Prime Minister. Young was appointed to oversee the reforms recommended in the Hunt Report. The publication of the report sparked serious rioting by loyalists in Belfast.

Saturday 11 October 1969
First RUC Officer Killed
Victor Arbuckle (aged 29), a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), was shot dead by Loyalists during street disturbances on the Shankill Road in Belfast. [Arbuckle was the first member of the RUC to be killed in 'the Troubles'.] Two Protestant civilians were shot dead by the British Army during rioting.

Sunday 19 October 1969
Loyalist Bomb
Thomas McDowell (45), a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), was severely injured when a bomb he was planting exploded prematurely at a power station near Ballyshannon in County Donegal. [McDowell died from his injuries on 21 October 1969. McDowell was also a member of the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV) a paramilitary style organisation formed by Ian Paisley (Holland, 1999: p23). See 30 March 1969.]

Tuesday 21 October 1969
Thomas McDowell (45), a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), died from injuries he received when a bomb he was planting exploded prematurely at a power station near Ballyshannon, County Donegal, on 19 October 1969.

November 1969

Tuesday 11 November 1969
The act establishing a Ministry for Community Relations was passed.

Tuesday 25 November 1969
The Commissioner for Complaints Act (Northern Ireland) became law. The act allowed for the establishment of a Commissioner to deal with complaints against local councils and public bodies.
The Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) became law. The main provision of the act was to make the franchise in local government elections in Northern Ireland the same as that in Britain.

Thursday 27 November 1969
A Commissioner for Complaints, John Benn, was appointed to deal with matters related to local government and public bodies.

December 1969

Monday 1 December 1969
Patrick Corry (61) died four months after being struck with batons during an altercation with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) on 2 August 1969.

Thursday 18 December 1969
The Northern Ireland Police Authority (NIPA) was established. The Act to establish Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was passed.

Sunday 28 December 1969
Split in the IRA
There was a split in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). [The breakaway group became known as the Provisional IRA and the remaining group became known as the Official IRA. The split in the IRA became public knowledge on 11 January 1970.]

• Bew, P. and Gillespie, G. (1999). Northern Ireland A chronology of the Troubles 1968-1999. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan Ltd.
• Elliott, S. and Flackes, W.D. (1999). Northern Ireland A Political Directory 1968-1999. Belfast: The Blackstaff Press.
• 'Fortnight' magazine's monthly chronology of 'the Troubles'.
• Sutton, M. (1994). An Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland 1969-1993. Belfast: Beyond the Pale Publications. An updated searchable version is available: The Sutton Index of Deaths 1969-2001 - see in particular the list of deaths for 1969.
• Various newspapers

See Also:

• Material listed in the CAIN Bibliography which was published during 1969.
• For a full list of, and links to, on-line sources see the Guide to the Internet.

Notes

• Each entry contains information, where relevant, on the following topic areas:
  • Major security incidents
  • Political developments
  • Policy initiatives
  • Economic matters
  • Other relevant items
• Information contained within square brackets [   ] may contain commentary or information that only became publicly available at a later date.
• Any piece of information which is followed by a question mark in parenthesis (?) is a best estimate while awaiting an update.