May 1973 saw the death of American politician, women’s rights advocate and pacifist, Jeannette Rankin. Rankin was the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress. This wasn’t the only first in May ‘73, as we also had the first Southern IRA member to die during The Troubles.
Political developments in May 1973
May began with the news that a meeting was held on the 25th of April 1973 to discuss the coroner’s report on the 13 deaths that occurred on Bloody Sunday on the 30th of January 1972. There were several questions raised.
On the 2nd of May 1973, a meeting was held at Stormont Castle (available from the PRONI Records released), which was attended by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland William Whitelaw amongst many other high-ranking officials. the meeting covered 5 key topics; Security Review, Extradition of a UDA Member, Derry/Londonderry Inquests, Demolition of Derelict Property in the Lower Falls area and the Grosvenor Road Ramps.
Security Review
The GOC reviewed the events of the 48 hours since the previous meeting.
The security forces had made some important arms finds and arrests - all the officers of the Ardoyne IRA (except for the female Finance Officer, who had been released) were now in custody.
A murder victim had been found on the outskirts of Belfast
There had been a murder attempt near Aughnacloy.
Several bombings had occurred.
Extradition of a UDA Member
The Secretary of State referred to the impending extradition of a member of the UDA to face a double murder charge in the Republic of Ireland and said that there could be no interference with the course of justice. The Attorney-General would make a statement to this effect.
Derry/Londonderry Inquests
Despite the suggestion that the inquests could be curtailed by Regulation under the Coroners Act, the Secretary of State decided that the inquests should be held under the normal procedure, but that they should be delayed until after the elections.
Demolition of Derelict Property in the Lower Falls area
The Secretary of State referred to the problem of the requisition of properties mentioned in the GOC's letter on the 24th of April and asked Sir Harold Black to set up a working group, with Army, Police and Ministry of Development representation, to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Grosvenor Road Ramps
On the advice of the GOC, the Secretary of State decided not to press the proposal to build ramps in the Grosvenor Road.
On the 3rd of May, The Northern Ireland Assembly Act received its Royal Assent and became law. The Act provided for a 78-member Assembly elected using Proportional Representation (PR).
Following up on the meeting at Stormont on the 2nd, J. MacMahon, from the Attorney General’s Office wrote a letter to the Chief Crown Solicitor on the subject of the Derry/Londonderry inquests on the 4th of May. In his letter, he highlighted what was discussed in the meeting and that the Secretary of State felt that although there would be certain advantages in making the proposed order, he thought that to do so could create considerable political difficulties and that he decided not to take any action to interfere with the normal procedure. He stated that he did not wish for the inquests to be held until after the elections. He suggested that there would have been difficulties attending during almost any period in the immediate future and that it may create minimum difficulties if the inquests could be held in August. To finish his letter he stated that although the GOC was present at the meeting, he felt that it would be wise for the Chief Crown Solicitor to inform the Ministry of Defence of the current situation, whilst also advising the Counsel and the RUC.
On the 14th of May, Martin McGuinness was released from prison in the Republic of Ireland having served a six-month sentence. McGuinness was arrested near a car containing 250 pounds (110 kg) of explosives and nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition. In court before his sentencing, he declared his membership of the Provisional IRA without equivocation.
"We have fought against the killing of our people... I am a member of Óglaigh na hÉireann and very, very proud of it".
The following day, the British Government introduced the 'Northern Ireland Constitution Bill' in parliament in Westminster. The Act, and related legislation, paved the way for the new assembly with devolved powers to be established at Stormont. The 1973 Act also led to a conflict of loyalties within the Unionist community.
From a political standpoint, May 1973 ended with Local government elections being held in Northern Ireland based on the new 26 District Councils on the 30th of May. The elections were contested on a 'proportional representation' (PR) basis, using the single transferable vote (STV) system, for the first time in Northern Ireland since 1920. The turnout for the election was 68.1 per cent of the electorate. There were several parties which were contesting elections in Northern Ireland for the first time, including the Alliance Party, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Republican Clubs, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and Vanguard. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) took 41.4 per cent of the vote, while the SDLP won almost all of the Nationalist/Catholic vote.
Shootings (and stabbing) in May 1973
01/05/73 - The OIRA claimed to have injured two British soldiers in a shooting incident in the Gobnascale area of Derry.
02/05/73 - Civilian Liam McDonald (18) was found shot in a disused quarry, Ballyduff Road, Carnmoney, Newtownabbey, County Antrim. The UDA were responsible.
03/05/73 - British soldier Thomas Crump (27) died one day after being shot by an IRA sniper while on foot patrol at the junction of Foyle Road and Bishop Street, Derry City.
10/05/73 - Off-duty UDR soldier Franklin Caddoo (24) was shot dead by the IRA at his farm, Rehaghy, near Aughnacloy, County Tyrone.
11/05/73 - The UVF shot Catholic civilian John McCormac (34) on Raglan Street, Belfast. He died on the 14th of May.
13/05/73 - In County Tyrone, IRA volunteer Kevin Kilpatrick (21), was shot dead when he attempted to smash his car through a UDR Vehicle Check Point (VCP), The Diamond, near Coagh, County Tyrone.
16/05/73 - Civilian, Joseph McKenna (24), died two months after being shot by a Loyalist group from a passing car, Grosvenor Road, Belfast.
17/05/73 - Thomas Ward (34), a Catholic civilian, was shot dead by members of the Ulster Volunteer Force during a bomb and gun attack on Jubilee Arms, Lavinia Street, off Ormeau Road, Belfast.
17/05/73 - Eileen Mackin (14) was shot dead while walking along Springhill Avenue in Ballymurphy. (Sutton's Index of Deaths lists a 'non-specific Loyalist group' as being responsible for the shooting. However, the book 'Lost Lives' states that she was killed when the IRA opened fire on a British Army patrol.
17/05/73 - Civilian, Michael Leonard (22), was shot while driving his car, being pursued by an RUC vehicle, in Letter, near Pettigoe, County Fermanagh.
17/05/73 - Thomas Friel (21), a Catholic civilian, was struck in the head with a rubber bullet fired by British Army soldiers, during street disturbances in the Creggan Heights area of Derry. Mr Friel was unconscious when taken to hospital and later died without regaining consciousness on the 22nd of May 1973.
18/05/73 - IRA volunteer Sean McKee (17) was shot dead by the British Army while carrying out a sniper attack on a British patrol on Fairfield Street, Ardoyne, Belfast.
19/05/73 - Civilian, Edward Coogan (39), was shot by a passing car while walking along Adela Street, off Antrim Road, Belfast. It’s reported a Loyalist group were responsible. Some reports suggest it may have been the UDA.
19/05/73 - Suspected UVF member, Robert McIntyre (24), died two days after being shot by an off-duty Ulster Defence Regiment member while attempting to hijack a car, on the Shankill Road, Belfast.
25/05/73 - Civilian, Joseph Matthews (30), was found shot at Giant's Ring, near Shaw's Bridge, Belfast. Reports suggest it was the UDA.
26/05/73 - Civilian, Paul Crummey (4), was shot during an IRA sniper attack on a British Army foot patrol, Finaghy Road North, Belfast.
27/05/73 - Civilian Margaret Hrykiewicz (24), was found stabbed to death on waste ground, Adela Street, off Antrim Road, Belfast. It’s believed a Loyalist Group were responsible.
31/05/73 - Civilian English seaman, Thomas Curry (50), was shot during a bomb and gun attack on Muldoon's Bar, Corporation Square, Belfast. At 8:30 pm a Loyalist gunman believed to be a member of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name for the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), opened fire on customers in Muldoon's Bar with a Sterling sub-machine gun. It was later revealed that the gun used in the attack had been stolen from an Ulster Defence Regiment base on the 23rd of October 1972 (Irish News; 3rd of May 2006).
Bombings in May 1973
05/05/73 - Three members of the British Army, William Vines (37), John Gibbons (21) and Terence Williams (35), were killed by a booby-trap bomb near Crossmaglen, County Armagh. The attack was carried out by the Irish Republican Army.
10/05/73 - IRA volunteer Anthony Ahern (18), a native of County Cork, was killed when a landmine he was preparing at Mullanahinch, near Rosslea, County Fermanagh, exploded prematurely. It’s been reported that Anthony Ahern was the first Southern IRA member to die.
13/05/73 - Two members of the British Army, Thomas Taylor (26) and John Gaskell (22), were killed when the IRA detonated a remote-controlled bomb as their foot patrol passed by a disused factory on the Donegall Road, Belfast.
14/05/73 - Civilian, Roy Rutherford (33), was killed after triggering an IRA booby-trap bomb, intended for the security forces. The bomb had been hidden in a derelict cottage on Moy Road, Portadown, County Armagh.
17/05/73 - The IRA carried out a booby-trap bomb attack on five members of the British Army who were off duty at the time. The attack occurred in Omagh, County Tyrone. Four soldiers, Barry Cox (28), Derek Reed (28), Arthur Place (29) and Sheridan Young (26), were killed on the day and the fifth soldier, Frederick Drake (25), died on the 3rd of June 1973.
24/05/73 - Two British soldiers, John Wallace (32) and Ian Donald (35) were killed in an IRA remote-controlled bomb attack as they searched houses in Cullaville, County Armagh.
31/05/73 - Loyalist paramilitaries carried out three bomb and gun attacks on Catholic-owned public houses in Belfast, killing 2 men and injuring over 20 people. In the first attack at 8:30 pm a Loyalist gunman believed to be a member of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name for the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), opened fire on customers in Muldoon's Bar with a Sterling sub-machine gun. A bomb was also thrown into the bar. Later there was a bomb attack on McGlade's Bar in Donegall Street in which Gerard Barnes (31), a Catholic civilian, was killed as he walked past the bar. Members of the UVF were believed to be responsible.
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