If you’re trying to remember where you were in October 1975, you may recall the biggest event that took place that month; “The Thrilla in Manilla”. Muhammad Ali stopped Joe Frazier in 14 rounds in Quezon City, the Philippines to retain his WBC/WBA heavyweight titles. In Northern Ireland, a political heavyweight was defeated, when William Craig was expelled from the UUUC for his support of a coalition with the SDLP.
Political Developments in October 1975
On the 3rd of October 1975, The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was declared a 'proscribed' (illegal) organisation.
Following the developments within the UUUC in September surrounding the coalition, October saw a split in the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party following William Craig's support for an alliance with the SDLP. Craig was expelled from the UUUC on the 12th of October.
On the 22nd of October, Patrick Armstrong, Gerard Conlon, Paul Hill, and Carole Richardson (who became known as the 'Guildford Four') were found guilty at the Old Bailey in London of causing explosions in London in October 1974. The four were sentenced to life imprisonment. Following an appeal, the four were released on the 19th of October 1989. The court of appeal decided that the 'confessions' had been fabricated by the police.
Shootings, Abductions and Sieges in October 1975
02/10/75 - The UVF shot dead Catholic civilians Marie McGrattan (47), Frances Donnelly (35), Gerard Grogan (18) and Thomas Osbourne (18) at their workplace, Casey's Bottling Plant, in Belfast.
02/10/75 - Catholic civilian John Stewart (35) was killed in a UVF gun and grenade attack on McKenna's Bar near Aldergrove Airport.
02/10/75 - Civilian Ronald Winters (26) was shot at his parents' home, London Road, Belfast.
03/10/75 - A Dutch industrialist living and working in the Republic of Ireland, Tiede Herrema, was abducted and held hostage at a house in Monasterevin, County Kildare. On the 21st of October, Gardaí surrounded the house and a siege began which lasted until the release of Herrema on the 6th of November.
08/10/75 - Catholic civilian Richard McCann (32) died six weeks after being shot by the UVF on Shore Road, Belfast.
10/10/75 - British Army soldier Private David Wray (18) died two weeks after being shot by an INLA sniper while on patrol on Iniscarn Road, Derry.
10/10/75 - UDA member Ernest Dowds (21) was shot dead by the IRA while walking near his home, Haywood Avenue, off Ormeau Road, Belfast.
10/10/75 - The OIRA shot dead civilian Sean McNamee (24) during an armed robbery at his workplace in Whiterock, Belfast.
14/10/75 - The UVF shot dead one of its members, Stewart Robinson (23), and dumped his body off Aberdeen Street, Belfast. It’s reported that this was part of an internal dispute.
17/10/75 - The UVF shot dead Protestant taxi driver John Greer (30) as he arrived to pick up a passenger on Cavehill Road, Belfast. They mistakenly assumed he was a Catholic.
19/10/75 - Civilian Billy Wright (34) died two weeks after being shot by the OIRA along Cabra Road, Dublin.
23/10/75 - Catholic civilians Peter McKearney (63) and his wife Jane McKearney (58) were shot dead by the UVF at their home near Moy, County Tyrone.
27/10/75 - INLA members shot and wounded two Protestant garage workers on Strand Road, Derry, alleging they were members of the UDA. Both men had been before the courts on arms charges. It was retaliation for a UDA under-car booby-trap bomb which severely injured a Catholic man three days earlier.
29/10/75 - The Provisional IRA shot dead Official IRA volunteer Robert Elliman (27), in McKenna's Bar, Stanfield Street, Markets, South Belfast.
29/10/75 - The UVF shot dead Catholic civilian James Griffin (21) at his home in Lurgan.
30/10/75 - Eileen Kelly (6) was shot dead by the IRA at her home, Beechmount Grove, Falls, Belfast. Her Official IRA volunteer father was the intended target during the Official IRA/Provisional IRA feud.
31/10/75 - The Provisional IRA shot dead Official IRA volunteer Thomas Berry (27) outside Sean Martin's Gaelic Athletic Association Club, Beechfield Street, Short Strand, Belfast.
31/10/75 - Provisional IRA volunteer Seamus McCusker (40), was shot dead by the Official IRA in New Lodge, Belfast.
31/10/75 - Columba McVeigh (17) was abducted and became one of the 'disappeared'. He is believed to have been killed by the IRA, as they suspected him to be an informer. His body has not been recovered.
Bombings in October 1975
02/10/75 - Catholic civilian Thomas Murphy (29) was killed by a UVF booby-trap bomb at his photography shop on Cranburn Street, Belfast.
02/10/75 - Protestant civilian Irene Nicholson (37) was killed in a UVF bomb attack on Anchor Bar, Killyleagh.
02/10/75 - UVF members Samuel Swanson (28), Mark Dodd (17), Robert Freeman (17) and Aubrey Reid (25) died when a bomb they were transporting exploded prematurely near Coleraine, County Derry.
06/10/75 - RUC officer David Love (45), was killed in an IRA bomb attack at Roeview Inn, near Limavady, County Londonderry.
06/10/75 - Civilian Alice McGuinness (57) was killed three days after sustaining critical injuries in an IRA bomb attack on John McKeague's hardware shop on the Albertbridge Road, Belfast. John McKeague's sister was severely injured in the same bombing.
09/10/75 - British soldier on patrol Edward Gleeson (28) was killed in an IRA landmine attack, Lurgancullenboy, near Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
09/10/75 - Civilian Graham Tuck (23) was killed when an IRA bomb exploded outside Green Park tube station, in London, England. 20 others were injured.
13/10/75 - An IRA bomb planted outside Locket's Restaurant in London is defused by explosive officers.
14/10/75 - RUC officer Andrew Baird (37) died three weeks after being injured by a booby trap bomb attached to a security barrier, Church Street, Portadown, County Armagh.
23/10/75 - Civilian Gordon Hamilton-Fairley (45) was killed when a bomb attached to the car of Conservative MP Hugh Fraser exploded prematurely, at Campden Hill Square, Kensington, London.
29/10/75 - 18 civilians are injured in an IRA bombing in a West End restaurant.
30/10/75 - The INLA bombed a garage in Armagh, County Armagh. They accused the business of servicing the vehicles of security forces.
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Some recommended reading based on research for this instalment.
The Provisional IRA in England: The Bombing Campaign 1973-1997 by Gary McGladdery.