The Killing Fields, 1971 - 1998

A chronology of the deaths through the Northern Ireland troubles

January 9, 1971: The IRA murdered six civilians in a land mine explosion at Brougher Mountain, near Trillick, Co Tyrone.

January 30, 1972: The British Army murdered 14 Catholics in Derry on what has become known as “Bloody Sunday”.

June 21, 1972: The IRA murdered 9 people, including two British soldiers, in explosions in Belfast, on what has been remembered as “Bloody Friday”.

July 31, 1972:The IRA murdered 9 people in three car bomb explosions in the main street of Claudy, Co Derry.

August 22, 1972: 9 people were killed in a premature IRA bomb explosion at the Custom's Office at Newry. Three of the victims were members of the IRA who were planting the bomb, the others were civilians.

February 4, 1974: 12 people were murdered (9 British soldiers and three civilians) in an IRA bomb attack on a British Army coach travelling on the
M62 in Yorkshire.

May 17, 1974: 32 people were murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in three bomb explosions in Dublin and one in
Monaghan.

November 21, 1974: 21 people were murdered in IRA bomb explosions at the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town public houses in Birmingham.

February 12, 1978: 12 people were murdered in an IRA firebomb attack on La Mon Restaurant at Gransha outside Belfast.
August 27, 1979: 22 people were murdered by the IRA in bomb attacks at Mulloughnore Harbour, Co Sligo, and at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint, Co Down. The murdered included Lord Mountbatten (79), Lady Brabourne (82), Nicholas Brabourne (14), Paul Maxwell (15) and 18 British soldiers, four of whom were aged 18.
July 20, 1982: 11 British soldiers were murdered by two remote bomb explosions on a British Army regiment at Hyde Park, London.

December 6, 1982: 17 people were murdered (11 British soldiers and 6 civilians) in an INLA bomb attack at the Droppin Well bar at Ballykelly, Co Derry.

February 28, 1985: 9 RUC officers were murdered by the IRA in a mortar bomb attack on Newry RUC station.

May 8, 1987: The British Army murdered 8 IRA members in an ambush during a run and bomb attack on Loughgall RUC base in Co Armagh. A civilian was also murdered. (The characterisation of these killings as “murder” is made because there was no apparent attempt by the security forces to prevent the attack on the RUC station, suggesting that the strategy was to wipe out an IRA unit.)
November 8, 1987: 11 people were murdered (all Protestant civilians apart from one off-duty RUC officer) in an IRA explosion near the war memorial during the Remembrance Day ceremony at Enniskillen.
August 20, 1988: 8 British soldiers murdered in an IRA land mine explosion near Ballygawley, Co Tyrone.

September 22, 1989: 11 British soldiers murdered in an IRA bomb attack on an army base at Deal in Kent.

January 17, 1992: 8 Protestant workers murdered in an IRA land mine attack at Teebane Cross, near Cookstown, Co Tyrone. The workers had been doing repairs to a British army base near Omagh.

October 23, 1993: 9 Protestant civilians murdered and one IRA member killed in an IRA bomb explosion on Shankill Road, Belfast.