On This Day / August 22, 1970

Go Back

Reproduced with permission from The Irish News.

19700822

Reference Date

19700822

Publication Date

New party launched

A new political party – with an initial membership of six MPs – was formed in NI yesterday with the principal aim of starting a united opposition against the unionist government.

Led by Mr Gerry Fitt, Stormont and Westminster MP, the new Social Democratic and Labour Party will be based on radical left-of-centre principles.

The formation of the new party will erase local political labels such as Republican Labour, Northern Ireland Labour, Nationalist and Independent which its members have held up to now.

Six MPs attended yesterday’s conference: Mr Gerry Fitt (Dock), Mr Austin Currie (East Tyrone), Mr Paddy Devlin (Falls), Mr Ivan Cooper (Mid-Derry), Mr Paddy O’Hanlon (South Armagh) and Mr John Hume (Foyle).

Senator Paddy Wilson (Belfast) was also present.

[Dr Phoenix notes: The SDLP quickly supplanted the old rural-based Nationalist Party, securing 22 per cent of the vote in the 1973 assembly elections.]

 

Du Pont man on ‘silly troubles’

It was about time the people of the north stopped having ‘these damned silly troubles’ because of the adverse effects they were having on industry.

So said Mr Jeffrey Agate, works director at the Du Pont plant at Maydown [Derry].

Mr Agate, a member of the Derry Development Commission, was speaking at a ceremony at which nine apprentices were indentured by the company.

[Dr Phoenix notes: Jeffrey Agate, then head of Du Pont in Derry, was shot dead by the IRA in 1977 as part of its assassination campaign against businessmen.]

 

’98 monument to be replaced

THE Celtic Cross erected to the memory of Roddy McCorley at Toome which was severely damaged by an explosion last year is to be replaced by a suitable memorial to the young 1798 patriot who was hanged on the Bridge of Toome and who is immortalised in song by ‘Ethna Carbery’ [Note: the Ballymena-born poetess Anna Johnston].

 

Applause in court

THERE was loud applause in court at the Special Riots Court in Belfast when charges against 39 people, including ten juveniles, of possessing explosive substances were withdrawn.

The explosive substances had been found in a school in Raglan Street (west Belfast) during the riots last July.

19700822

Reference Date

19700822

Publication Date

New party launched

A new political party – with an initial membership of six MPs – was formed in NI yesterday with the principal aim of starting a united opposition against the unionist government.

Led by Mr Gerry Fitt, Stormont and Westminster MP, the new Social Democratic and Labour Party will be based on radical left-of-centre principles.

The formation of the new party will erase local political labels such as Republican Labour, Northern Ireland Labour, Nationalist and Independent which its members have held up to now.

Six MPs attended yesterday’s conference: Mr Gerry Fitt (Dock), Mr Austin Currie (East Tyrone), Mr Paddy Devlin (Falls), Mr Ivan Cooper (Mid-Derry), Mr Paddy O’Hanlon (South Armagh) and Mr John Hume (Foyle).

Senator Paddy Wilson (Belfast) was also present.

[Dr Phoenix notes: The SDLP quickly supplanted the old rural-based Nationalist Party, securing 22 per cent of the vote in the 1973 assembly elections.]

 

Du Pont man on ‘silly troubles’

It was about time the people of the north stopped having ‘these damned silly troubles’ because of the adverse effects they were having on industry.

So said Mr Jeffrey Agate, works director at the Du Pont plant at Maydown [Derry].

Mr Agate, a member of the Derry Development Commission, was speaking at a ceremony at which nine apprentices were indentured by the company.

[Dr Phoenix notes: Jeffrey Agate, then head of Du Pont in Derry, was shot dead by the IRA in 1977 as part of its assassination campaign against businessmen.]

 

’98 monument to be replaced

THE Celtic Cross erected to the memory of Roddy McCorley at Toome which was severely damaged by an explosion last year is to be replaced by a suitable memorial to the young 1798 patriot who was hanged on the Bridge of Toome and who is immortalised in song by ‘Ethna Carbery’ [Note: the Ballymena-born poetess Anna Johnston].

 

Applause in court

THERE was loud applause in court at the Special Riots Court in Belfast when charges against 39 people, including ten juveniles, of possessing explosive substances were withdrawn.

The explosive substances had been found in a school in Raglan Street (west Belfast) during the riots last July.

19700822

Reference Date

August 22, 2020

Publication Date

New party launched

A new political party – with an initial membership of six MPs – was formed in NI yesterday with the principal aim of starting a united opposition against the unionist government.

Led by Mr Gerry Fitt, Stormont and Westminster MP, the new Social Democratic and Labour Party will be based on radical left-of-centre principles.

The formation of the new party will erase local political labels such as Republican Labour, Northern Ireland Labour, Nationalist and Independent which its members have held up to now.

Six MPs attended yesterday’s conference: Mr Gerry Fitt (Dock), Mr Austin Currie (East Tyrone), Mr Paddy Devlin (Falls), Mr Ivan Cooper (Mid-Derry), Mr Paddy O’Hanlon (South Armagh) and Mr John Hume (Foyle).

Senator Paddy Wilson (Belfast) was also present.

[Dr Phoenix notes: The SDLP quickly supplanted the old rural-based Nationalist Party, securing 22 per cent of the vote in the 1973 assembly elections.]

 

Du Pont man on ‘silly troubles’

It was about time the people of the north stopped having ‘these damned silly troubles’ because of the adverse effects they were having on industry.

So said Mr Jeffrey Agate, works director at the Du Pont plant at Maydown [Derry].

Mr Agate, a member of the Derry Development Commission, was speaking at a ceremony at which nine apprentices were indentured by the company.

[Dr Phoenix notes: Jeffrey Agate, then head of Du Pont in Derry, was shot dead by the IRA in 1977 as part of its assassination campaign against businessmen.]

 

’98 monument to be replaced

THE Celtic Cross erected to the memory of Roddy McCorley at Toome which was severely damaged by an explosion last year is to be replaced by a suitable memorial to the young 1798 patriot who was hanged on the Bridge of Toome and who is immortalised in song by ‘Ethna Carbery’ [Note: the Ballymena-born poetess Anna Johnston].

 

Applause in court

THERE was loud applause in court at the Special Riots Court in Belfast when charges against 39 people, including ten juveniles, of possessing explosive substances were withdrawn.

The explosive substances had been found in a school in Raglan Street (west Belfast) during the riots last July.

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.

Visit Irish News

* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.