SAOIRSE32

News Letter
30 December 2008

January:

• Irish Prime Minister Jack Lynch called Britain to declare its intent to withdraw from Northern Ireland. The statement caused unionist and internal UK Government anger.

• The European Court of Human Rights offered its judgement on the European Commission on Human Rights’ 1976 decision that Britain had to answer a case of ill-treatment of internees. The Court decided that the Commission was wrong to use the word ‘’torture’’ of detainees but agreed that “inhuman and degrading treatment” had taken place in some cases in the early 70s.

FEBRUARY:

• The LA Mon House restaurant was fire-bombed – killing 12 people and leaving 23 badly injured. The IRA left an inadequate warning and the hotel was being cleared when the bomb exploded. Many of those killed were burnt to death.

• The Ulster Vanguard was dissolved as a political party.

• Gerry Adams, then vice-president of Sinn Fein, was charged with membership of the IRA (he was later freed when the judge hearing the case ruled that there was insufficient evidence).

JUNE:

• David Cook of the Alliance Party became the first non-unionist Lord Mayor of Belfast.

• Amnesty International claimed, in a report, that people held at Castlereagh detention centre had been ill-treated. Chief Constable Kenneth Newman rejected the claims. Roy Mason promised an inquiry into the allegations.

AUGUST:

• Tomás Ó Fiaich, Catholic Primate of Ireland released a statement claiming that the prisoners on the “blanket protest” were living in inhuman conditions.

• The Secretary of State announced that the DeLorean sports car factory would be built in west Belfast and would mean 2,000 new jobs.

• The Daily Mirror announced its support for a British withdrawal from Northern Ireland.

SEPTEMBER:

• Roy Mason and Airey Neave, Conservative Party spokesperson on Northern Ireland, issued statements rejecting continued calls in Britain for a British withdrawal from Northern Ireland.

• Ian Paisley held a religious service in Dublin, at the Mansion House, for the first time.

NOVEMBER:

• Albert Miles, Deputy Governor of Crumlin Road Prison, was shot dead by the IRA outside his north Belfast home. This was one of a series of attacks on prison officers.