On This Day / October 5, 1971
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
October 5, 2021
Publication Date
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Summary: On This Day – 5th October 1971, Bishop William Philbin demanded an investigation after troops fired rubber bullets and CS gas at St Agnes’ Church during Mass, while Catholic families left Donegall Pass. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Bishop Lashes Military | On This Day – 5th October 1971
THE behaviour of British troops who fired CS gas and rubber bullets at St Agnes’ Church, Andersonstown during the celebration of Mass and the arrival of the remains of a young man killed in a weekend explosion at Lisburn, brought a call last night by Most Rev Dr Philbin, Bishop of Down and Connor, for ‘an immediate investigation into the sacrilege’.
Troops fired rubber bullets through two Church windows and others into the porch where women and children were standing.
The parish priest, Fr Thomas Cunningham, was showered with glass fragments as he stood in the Sanctuary and later a number of gas canisters and more than 24 rubber bullets were found in the Church grounds.
Bishop Philbin described the military action as an outrage and said he shared the feelings of the congregation and of many others besides at the unprovoked attack with rubber bullets and gas missiles on the Church and worshippers during the celebration of Mass.
The attack came shortly after the remains of 19-year- old Terence McDermott were received in the Church. Mr McDermott was killed in an explosion at Lisburn Rural Council offices.
Troops had taunted over 1,000 mourners who followed the Tricolour-draped coffin to the Church. There was no provocation given for the taunts.
Fr Cunningham said later: The military caused the trouble themselves from beginning to end. They began firing rubber bullets and gas canisters indiscriminately. They fired rubber bullets at women and children standing in the porch.’
It also became clear last night that two priests, Fr F Parke, CC and Fr P McWilliams, CC had made unsuccessful attempts to have troops withdrawn from around the Church.
Negotiations had been carried out at a Saracen armoured vehicle. ‘We got no satisfaction,’ said Fr Parke.
Police Claim Evictions ‘Exaggerated’
POLICE claimed last night that reports of Catholic families were forced to evacuate the Donegall Pass area were ‘greatly exaggerated’.
The RUC statement said that eight families were known to have moved ‘and others may have done so without this being known to the police’. ‘The RUC are giving the area very close surveillance.’
Protestant ministers were last night visiting homes in the area assuring the Catholic families that they would be protected.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: BY THE autumn of 1971 The Irish News carried daily reports of provocative behaviour by troops in nationalist areas.
In this case the mild-mannered Bishop William Philbin was moved to accuse the troops of sacrilege in a sharp protest to General Tuzo.
The GOC defended his men who, he claimed, had been attacked. Meanwhile, thousands were fleeing their homes due to sectarian threats.)
On This Day – 5th October 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.