October 1977: Nobel Peace Prize
In October 1977, RCA released David Bowie's 12th studio album; "Heroes". That month also saw the Peace People, whom many in Northern Ireland classed as heroes, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Political Developments in October 1977
October 1977 began with the launch of the Irish Independence Party. The IIP was a Nationalist political party which advocated British withdrawal from Northern Ireland. The founding members were Frank McManus and Fergus McAteer. It was seen as a potential challenge to the domination of nationalist politics by the SDLP.
On the 10th of October, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, who were both founding members of the Peace People, were awarded the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize. The Unionist-dominated Belfast City Corporation refused to hold a civic reception in honour of the prize winners. The associated prize money of £80,000 was later to be the source of controversy within the Peace People.
The following day, Lenny Murphy was found guilty of possession of firearms and sentenced to 12 years in jail. It was later revealed that Murphy was the leader of the 'Shankill Butchers' a UVF gang which was responsible for the killings of at least 19 Catholic civilians.
Tomás Ó Fiaich was appointed as the new Catholic Primate of Ireland on the 14th of October, replacing William Conway.
Member of Parliament and a member of the Council of Europe William Craig was appointed by the council on the 18th of October to report on the updating of the European Convention on Human Rights. This appointment was criticised by some of those associated with the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland.
European Commission President Roy Jenkins paid a visit to Belfast on the 20th and confirmed the European Community would open a Northern Ireland information office.
Shootings in October 1977
05/10/77 - Seamus Costello, founder member and leader of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), was shot dead near North Strand, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Both the Official Irish Republican Army and the Provisional IRA denied that they were responsible for the killing.
07/10/77 - Chairman of the Northern Ireland Prison Officers' Association Desmond Irvine (38) was shot dead by the IRA in Wellington Park, Belfast.
08/10/77 - UDR member Margaret Hearst (24) was shot dead, while she was off duty, by the IRA at her parent's home near Tynan, County Armagh.
08/10/77 - IRA gunmen opened fire on Forkhill RUC Station in South Armagh.
12/10/77 - The IRA shot dead civilian Francis Canavan (47) near Ballygawley, County Tyrone. The victim was mistaken for an off-duty UDR soldier.
18/10/77 - Ex-RUC officer John Anderson (61) was shot dead by the IRA near Keady, County Armagh.
19/10/77 - The IRA shot dead civilian George Wilson (64) at his home on Ainsworth Pass, Belfast. The motive for the killing remains unclear.
24/10/77 - Michael Neill (16), a Catholic boy, was shot dead by the British Army on Cliftonville Road, Belfast. He had been in the vicinity of an attempted bus hijacking.
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Bombings in October 1977
10/10/77 - There were five separate IRA bomb attacks on NI cinemas – The Strand Cinema in Belfast, the Tudor Cinema in Comber, the Queen's Cinema in Bangor, the Regal Cinema in Larne and the Regent Cinema in Newtownards.
14-19/10/77 - There were Multiple IRA bomb attacks targeting commercial premises in Belfast.
19/10/77 - There were IRA bomb attacks on the homes of two prison officers in Belfast. The bombs were placed on window ledges outside the officers’ homes. There were no injuries.
22/10/77 - The IRA attempted to paralyse the Northern Ireland rail network, and planted a total of 15 bombs at stations and on trains at Lisburn and Portadown, and at York Road in Belfast.
26/10/77 - IRA bomb attack on the Greenan Lodge Hotel in Belfast. There were no injuries, but the building was destroyed.
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Some recommended reading based on research for this instalment.
Wasted Years, Wasted Lives Volume 1: The British Army in Northern Ireland 1975–77 by Ken Wharton.