Falls curfew
35 years since the Falls Curfew
click to view - ‘BELFAST 1971 - off the Falls Road’ - photo from here
This year sees the 35th anniversary of one of the most important events in the history of the conflict in Belfast, the Falls Curfew from 1-3 July 1970.
As part of the Sinn Féin Cead Bliain celebrations, a series of events have been organised to commemorate this significant event in modern history. On Friday 1 July, a panel of local republicans who led the resistance to the curfew will give their recollections of those turbulent days at an event in the Sean MacDiarmada GAA clubrooms (facing Dunville Park) beginning at 8pm.
On Saturday 2 July a plaque commemorating those murdered during the curfew by the British army will be unveiled at the 7-10 shop next door to the Sinn Féin Centre at 2.00pm. This will be followed by a special video showing of the curfew along with a photographic exhibition compiled by local republicans of life under curfew again in the MacDiarmada GAC.
On Sunday 3 July there will be a re-enactment of the breaking of the curfew by the women of Belfast starting at 2.00pm at Cavendish Street outside St Paul’s Church. This will be followed by a political discussion and social function afterwards in the MacDiarmada GAC.
We would appeal to everyone who lived in the Falls at the time but have since moved to make a special effort to return to take part in the week’s events.
The Falls Curfew was a watershed in modern Irish history and marked a clear turning point in the relationship between the British Crown Forces and the nationalist community. Anyone who has old photographs that they would like shown as part of the exhibition can contact Gerard or Robert at 90508989 and they can be copied and the originals returned. We would urge everyone to show their support once again for the people of the Falls by attending the weekend of events.
Is sinne,
Gerard Fusco
Robert McClenaghan
