On This Day / November 9, 1971

Summary: On This Day – 9th November 1971, Kathleen Thompson was shot dead by troops in Derry, while Faulkner claimed gunmen were a waning force amid mounting violence and controversy over Army actions. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.

Housewife Shot Dead | On This Day – 9th November 1971

A YOUNG Derry housewife was shot dead early today in the Creggan estate as 200 troops were completing a search operation.

She was named as Mrs Kathleen Thompson, Rathlin Drive. Reports said she was shot in the shoulder and was dead on admission to Altnagelvin Hospital.

The circumstances in which Mrs Thompson died were still not clear this morning. During the military search shots were fired by gunmen at troops. The fire was returned.

Meanwhile a British Army major was seriously ill last night after being shot in his car outside his home in the Finaghy area of Belfast.

Finaghy has seen numerous bomb attacks on the homes of policemen and their families.

Faulkner: ‘Gunmen a Waning Force’

THE Prime Minister, Mr Brian Faulkner claimed yesterday it was a tragedy that the present conflict in Northern Ireland was often referred to as religious.

It was only religious in that it contained a certain degree of group identification and historical association, he said.

He told the gathering of Christian Businessmen that gunmen were a waning influence.

He stated that there would have been a bloody civil war in NI if the community had not been united against terrorism.

Mr Faulkner described the suggestion of direct rule as a ‘lunatic assumption’.

CS Gas Fired at MP’s Home

TWO CS gas cylinders were last night fired into the rear of Mr Ivan Cooper’s home while an Army presence was in the immediate area.

Mr Cooper, who lives in Crawford Square, Derry, protested to the Army authorities.

Man Vows to Clear Dead Wife’s Name

BELFAST man Jim Meehan vowed last night that he will clear his dead wife’s name of the ‘slanderous charges that she was a gun-woman’.

Mr Meehan’s wife, Maura and her sister, Miss Dorothy Maguire, were shot dead recently by troops at Cape Street, Lower Falls. The Army had claimed later that shots had come from the vehicle.

Troops Provoke Riot at Tyrone Church

A RIOT developed in the County Tyrone village of Carrickmore last night after soldiers had shouted obscenities while Mass was being held in the local church and continued to do so as the congregation was leaving.

Carrickmore curate, Fr James Donnelly afterwards condemned the activities of the troops.

(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: BY 1971 violence had spread to every part of the north as the IRA bombing campaign was matched by controversial killings and provocative acts by the British army.

At the same time Catholic RUC officers were being forced out of nationalist areas.

Faulkner’s declaration that the IRA’s influence was ‘waning’ beggared belief, while the likelihood of direct rule grew.)

On This Day – 9th November 1971

Further Reading on Irish History:

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