Major Disturbances
in Belfast
Introduction
from Chronology
O’Halpin and Ó Corráin record 32 deaths in Belfast during this period
caused by the riots and disturbances.
Seventeen were Protestants and fifteen were Catholics. (One of the Protestants died from injuries
received during the summer but another Protestant – not included in the 32 -
dies on December 2nd from injuries that he received on November 23rd.)
Abbott says that, between November 19th and 25th,
27 people are killed in Belfast.
More Detail
During the early morning of the 21st, Neil McConvey (or
Convery), his wife Kathleen and a lodger, Minnie Kelly, were killed when a
stray police bullet burst the gas pipe in their Thompson St home and they
succumbed to the gas fumes. All three
were Catholics.
On the morning of the 21st, three Protestant workmen – William
Hanna (40); Robert Graham (45 or 50) and Henry Stirling (25) – receive fatal
wounds on their way to work. (McDermott says that Hanna was shot by
loyalists but that Graham was shot by the IRA. McDermott comments “The
Belfast IRA was being dragged into a sectarian conflict.” O’Halpin
and Ó Corráin agree that Hanna was shot by loyalists but say that Graham was killed on
November 24th on his way to work. O’Halpin and Ó Corráin do not mention
Stirling.)
In the late afternoon/early evening, a Catholic barman – James Hagan
(22) - is shot in the head in the Turbine bar where he worked (probably by a
loyalist). Later in the evening, a Protestant – Andrew James Stewart or Andrew
James (22 or 24) was shot as he returned from work in firing between the BA and
loyalists.
The Belfast Telegraph labelled November 22nd as
Belfast’s ‘Big Day of Terror’. A Protestant, Andrew Patton (32) died
from injuries sustained during disturbances the previous night when a bomb was
thrown at a crowd on the Newtownards Rd.
Parkinson says two Protestant clerks – William McMordie (22) and JP
Keating (28) – were killed at lunchtime when shipyard workers came under fire.
McDermott says that the fire came from a loyalist sniper. O’Halpin & Ó Corráin
say that Keating was a Catholic.
Also, a Catholic, Patrick Malone was shot dead in his Beerbridge Rd.
spirit grocer shop. Another Catholic spirit grocer, Patrick Connolly, was
shot in his uncle’s Duncairn Gardens shop and died the following day. A
Protestant, Bertie (Hubert) Phillips (25) was shot dead by an IRA sniper in
Molyneaux St. A Catholic, Patrick John McNally was shot dead on Park St. or
Stanhope St. by uniformed men. (O’Halpin and Ó Corráin
say that Philips was shot on the 23rd and McNally on the 24th.)
Around six o’clock, in an IRA operation, a bomb is thrown at a tram in
the Corporation St area carrying people returning from work. Three
Protestant men are killed due to this attack – William Cairnduff (40); James
Rodgers and Robert Nesbitt (17) – and there are several injured.
(McDermott quotes Hassan as saying that the tram contained ‘pogromists’ but he
points out that the Belfast Telegraph was equally biased by
claiming that Catholics from the small, isolated and vastly outnumbered Short
Strand area attacked loyalists first “apparently with the sole object of
creating a riot”.) The Northern Whig
reports that the cries and moans of the wounded was “harrowing in the extreme”.
On November 23rd, four people received fatal wounds from
snipers: Patrick Brunton or Burton (38); Ellen Bell (70); Michael Spallen
(27 or 29) and Margaret Jane Miller or Millar (48 or 60). (All Catholics
according to McDermott and O’Halpin & Ó Corráin.)
There was looting and gunfire in various parts of the city including
Royal Av. A bomb was thrown at a group of Protestants who had burnt down
the gate lodge of St Matthew’s Church killing one and injuring 45 others. In addition, a Protestant, Alfred Phippen
(60) was shot in his shop on North Thomas St and died on December 2nd.
Also, according to O’Halpin and Ó Corráin, a young Presbyterian,
David Cunningham died on November 23rd of injuries received in
disturbances earlier in the Summer.
On November 24th, the funeral of Andrew Patton was
attacked. A spirit grocer, John Kelly, and his brother or son Eugene were
killed in their shop at 38 Ohio St shop by a sole gunman. They were
Catholics. Thomas Thompson, a member of the Orange Order, who went to Mr
Kelly’s assistance was also fatally wounded. (O’Halpin and Ó
Corráin say that Eugene Kelly was erroneously reported at a fatality.)
A tram, bound for the Shankill, is bombed on Royal Av. resulting in the
deaths of four Protestants and nearly 30 people are injured. The four
people killed are: Richard Graham (42); Jeremiah Fleming (54); Robert Johnston
(41 or 45) and Thomas Rodgers (66). McDermott gives an account of an IRA man (Sean Montgomery) who
was involved in this bombing.
On November 25th, James Mc Ivor (45), a Catholic, is shot dead at the door of his shop in Little Patrick St. Also, Harbour Constable John McHenry was shot dead on patrol on Milewater Rd, Belfast. (McHenry was a Catholic.)