On This Day / April 12, 1971
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19710412
Reference Date
19710412
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 12th April 197 an IRA trainee was killed, Ballymurphy saw a major protest under heavy military presence, an arms amnesty yielded weapons, and the GAA abolished its controversial ban. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
IRA ‘Trainee’ Shot | On This Day 12th April 1971
A NINETEEN year old Belfast bricklayer was accidentally shot dead yesterday while on a ‘training course’ in the Twenty Six Counties, the IRA Provisionals said in a statement.
He was Tony Henderson of Shaws Road, Belfast who went to Dublin to work only a week ago.
A spokesman at Jervis Street Hospital said Mr Henderson’s body was brought there but he was already dead on arrival.
The IRA announced his death as that of ‘a Volunteer from Occupied Ireland who had been shot accidentally while on a training course’.
Arrangements are being made to bring the body to Belfast for burial.
Sinn Fein Protest in Ballymurphy
HUNDREDS of riot troops were concentrated at Ballymurphy in Upper Falls, Belfast yesterday in advance of the Sinn Fein-organised torchlight protest meeting against ‘the latest phase of the war of provocation’ against the people of the area.
More than one thousand people gathered at Glenalina Green, Ballymurphy to listen to speeches by prominent Republicans.
Ballymurphy had been virtually sealed off by troops throughout the day and estimates put the number on duty in the district at a thousand. A
Ballymurphy housewife commented: ‘The district is more like a military camp than a housing estate. There are troops everywhere.’
Meanwhile the Rev Ian Paisley addressed a meeting in Lurgan on Saturday night protesting about yesterday’s anti-internment meeting being allowed to take place.
Amnesty Brings in 1600 Guns
THE nine-day Arms Amnesty here has brought in over 1,600 weapons – including nearly 600 rifles – and 100,000 rounds of ammunition. The guns, 85 per cent of them illegally held, were handed in at police stations all over the North. The Chief Constable, Mr Graham Shillington, said: ‘I am delighted with the response. I think it shows increasing confidence of the public in the security forces …’
GAA ‘Ban’ Abolished
IT TOOK only four minutes to abolish the GAA’s most controversial rule – the ‘ban’ on attending, participating in or promoting foreign games such as soccer.
At the Whitla Hall of Queen’s University yesterday morning, Waterford-born president, Pat Fanning signalled the end of Rule 27. The moment was something of an anticlimax.
The deletion of the rule was proposed by Armagh delegate, Con Shortt and seconded by long-term leader of the anti-ban movement, Tom Woulffe from Dublin.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: As Belfast and Derry prepared for rival Easter parades by the Provisional and Official wings of the IRA fifty years ago this week, the staggering arsenal netted in the Stormont government’s ‘arms amnesty’ only scratched the surface.
Both Republican and SDLP figures demanded the withdrawal of troops from Ballymurphy while West Belfast braced itself for another IRA funeral.)
On This Day – 12th April 1971
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19710412
Reference Date
19710412
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 12th April 197 an IRA trainee was killed, Ballymurphy saw a major protest under heavy military presence, an arms amnesty yielded weapons, and the GAA abolished its controversial ban. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
IRA ‘Trainee’ Shot | On This Day 12th April 1971
A NINETEEN year old Belfast bricklayer was accidentally shot dead yesterday while on a ‘training course’ in the Twenty Six Counties, the IRA Provisionals said in a statement.
He was Tony Henderson of Shaws Road, Belfast who went to Dublin to work only a week ago.
A spokesman at Jervis Street Hospital said Mr Henderson’s body was brought there but he was already dead on arrival.
The IRA announced his death as that of ‘a Volunteer from Occupied Ireland who had been shot accidentally while on a training course’.
Arrangements are being made to bring the body to Belfast for burial.
Sinn Fein Protest in Ballymurphy
HUNDREDS of riot troops were concentrated at Ballymurphy in Upper Falls, Belfast yesterday in advance of the Sinn Fein-organised torchlight protest meeting against ‘the latest phase of the war of provocation’ against the people of the area.
More than one thousand people gathered at Glenalina Green, Ballymurphy to listen to speeches by prominent Republicans.
Ballymurphy had been virtually sealed off by troops throughout the day and estimates put the number on duty in the district at a thousand. A
Ballymurphy housewife commented: ‘The district is more like a military camp than a housing estate. There are troops everywhere.’
Meanwhile the Rev Ian Paisley addressed a meeting in Lurgan on Saturday night protesting about yesterday’s anti-internment meeting being allowed to take place.
Amnesty Brings in 1600 Guns
THE nine-day Arms Amnesty here has brought in over 1,600 weapons – including nearly 600 rifles – and 100,000 rounds of ammunition. The guns, 85 per cent of them illegally held, were handed in at police stations all over the North. The Chief Constable, Mr Graham Shillington, said: ‘I am delighted with the response. I think it shows increasing confidence of the public in the security forces …’
GAA ‘Ban’ Abolished
IT TOOK only four minutes to abolish the GAA’s most controversial rule – the ‘ban’ on attending, participating in or promoting foreign games such as soccer.
At the Whitla Hall of Queen’s University yesterday morning, Waterford-born president, Pat Fanning signalled the end of Rule 27. The moment was something of an anticlimax.
The deletion of the rule was proposed by Armagh delegate, Con Shortt and seconded by long-term leader of the anti-ban movement, Tom Woulffe from Dublin.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: As Belfast and Derry prepared for rival Easter parades by the Provisional and Official wings of the IRA fifty years ago this week, the staggering arsenal netted in the Stormont government’s ‘arms amnesty’ only scratched the surface.
Both Republican and SDLP figures demanded the withdrawal of troops from Ballymurphy while West Belfast braced itself for another IRA funeral.)
On This Day – 12th April 1971
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19710412
Reference Date
April 12, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 12th April 197 an IRA trainee was killed, Ballymurphy saw a major protest under heavy military presence, an arms amnesty yielded weapons, and the GAA abolished its controversial ban. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
IRA ‘Trainee’ Shot | On This Day 12th April 1971
A NINETEEN year old Belfast bricklayer was accidentally shot dead yesterday while on a ‘training course’ in the Twenty Six Counties, the IRA Provisionals said in a statement.
He was Tony Henderson of Shaws Road, Belfast who went to Dublin to work only a week ago.
A spokesman at Jervis Street Hospital said Mr Henderson’s body was brought there but he was already dead on arrival.
The IRA announced his death as that of ‘a Volunteer from Occupied Ireland who had been shot accidentally while on a training course’.
Arrangements are being made to bring the body to Belfast for burial.
Sinn Fein Protest in Ballymurphy
HUNDREDS of riot troops were concentrated at Ballymurphy in Upper Falls, Belfast yesterday in advance of the Sinn Fein-organised torchlight protest meeting against ‘the latest phase of the war of provocation’ against the people of the area.
More than one thousand people gathered at Glenalina Green, Ballymurphy to listen to speeches by prominent Republicans.
Ballymurphy had been virtually sealed off by troops throughout the day and estimates put the number on duty in the district at a thousand. A
Ballymurphy housewife commented: ‘The district is more like a military camp than a housing estate. There are troops everywhere.’
Meanwhile the Rev Ian Paisley addressed a meeting in Lurgan on Saturday night protesting about yesterday’s anti-internment meeting being allowed to take place.
Amnesty Brings in 1600 Guns
THE nine-day Arms Amnesty here has brought in over 1,600 weapons – including nearly 600 rifles – and 100,000 rounds of ammunition. The guns, 85 per cent of them illegally held, were handed in at police stations all over the North. The Chief Constable, Mr Graham Shillington, said: ‘I am delighted with the response. I think it shows increasing confidence of the public in the security forces …’
GAA ‘Ban’ Abolished
IT TOOK only four minutes to abolish the GAA’s most controversial rule – the ‘ban’ on attending, participating in or promoting foreign games such as soccer.
At the Whitla Hall of Queen’s University yesterday morning, Waterford-born president, Pat Fanning signalled the end of Rule 27. The moment was something of an anticlimax.
The deletion of the rule was proposed by Armagh delegate, Con Shortt and seconded by long-term leader of the anti-ban movement, Tom Woulffe from Dublin.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: As Belfast and Derry prepared for rival Easter parades by the Provisional and Official wings of the IRA fifty years ago this week, the staggering arsenal netted in the Stormont government’s ‘arms amnesty’ only scratched the surface.
Both Republican and SDLP figures demanded the withdrawal of troops from Ballymurphy while West Belfast braced itself for another IRA funeral.)
On This Day – 12th April 1971
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.