On This Day / September 5, 1970

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Reproduced with permission from The Irish News.

19700905

Reference Date

19700905

Publication Date

‘Fantastic Risk’ from RUC Shots

‘I MIGHT as well tell you, Constable, that what troubles me considerably is that two police officers fired into a populated block of flats in an attempt, presumably, to quell some activity on the roof of [Divis] Flats, thus putting the lives of the people in the flats at a fantastic risk.’

This was stated yesterday morning by Lord Justice Scarman after RUC Constable, Frederick Mahood, who had been stationed at Hastings Street police station on observation duty with two marksmen on the night of August 14, 1969, told the Court that his two companions had fired 18 rounds into the Divis Flats complex.

They had been armed with two high-velocity rifles. Constable Mahood, when asked by Scarman if he thought that Hastings Street station had been under fire that night, said he had not.

The constable said that his two companions had fired after they had seen the muzzle flashes of an automatic weapon coming from the top of the maisonettes within the Flats area.

Mr Garrett McGrath, QC, for the Falls residents, while cross-examining the witness, referred to a forensic science report which stated that the damage caused to Divis Flats had been caused by three weapons – an SLR (self-loading rifle), a .303 rifle and a Browning machine-gun.

‘You know that Trooper Anthony McCabe was shot with a SLR bullet that night. The time of his death has not been established, but would you agree that it was one of the bullets fired from the roof of Hastings Street police station?’ asked Mr McGrath.

The witness replied: ‘That is possible.’

 

Man Killed in Belfast Blast

A MAN was blown to pieces and another is in hospital after an explosion at an electricity transformer in New Forge Lane, Malone Road, Belfast last night and early today a big Army-RUC search was going on in the wooded area beside the transformer in case there were any other people dead or injured.

One line of inquiry is that the explosion was premature and that the bomb had gone off before those who had planted it made their escape.

[Dr Phoenix notes: As Lord Scarman vigorously probed the RUC’s use of heavy machine guns against Divis Flats in August 1969, The Irish News reported the stepping-up of the IRA’s bombing campaign. Michael Kane from west Belfast died while planting a bomb and was given an IRA funeral.]

 

JFK Widow to Visit Shipyard

FINAL preparations were being made last night for today’s whistle-stop visit to Belfast by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his wife, Jackie [widow of President John F Kennedy] to the Harland and Wolff shipyard.

19700905

Reference Date

19700905

Publication Date

‘Fantastic Risk’ from RUC Shots

‘I MIGHT as well tell you, Constable, that what troubles me considerably is that two police officers fired into a populated block of flats in an attempt, presumably, to quell some activity on the roof of [Divis] Flats, thus putting the lives of the people in the flats at a fantastic risk.’

This was stated yesterday morning by Lord Justice Scarman after RUC Constable, Frederick Mahood, who had been stationed at Hastings Street police station on observation duty with two marksmen on the night of August 14, 1969, told the Court that his two companions had fired 18 rounds into the Divis Flats complex.

They had been armed with two high-velocity rifles. Constable Mahood, when asked by Scarman if he thought that Hastings Street station had been under fire that night, said he had not.

The constable said that his two companions had fired after they had seen the muzzle flashes of an automatic weapon coming from the top of the maisonettes within the Flats area.

Mr Garrett McGrath, QC, for the Falls residents, while cross-examining the witness, referred to a forensic science report which stated that the damage caused to Divis Flats had been caused by three weapons – an SLR (self-loading rifle), a .303 rifle and a Browning machine-gun.

‘You know that Trooper Anthony McCabe was shot with a SLR bullet that night. The time of his death has not been established, but would you agree that it was one of the bullets fired from the roof of Hastings Street police station?’ asked Mr McGrath.

The witness replied: ‘That is possible.’

 

Man Killed in Belfast Blast

A MAN was blown to pieces and another is in hospital after an explosion at an electricity transformer in New Forge Lane, Malone Road, Belfast last night and early today a big Army-RUC search was going on in the wooded area beside the transformer in case there were any other people dead or injured.

One line of inquiry is that the explosion was premature and that the bomb had gone off before those who had planted it made their escape.

[Dr Phoenix notes: As Lord Scarman vigorously probed the RUC’s use of heavy machine guns against Divis Flats in August 1969, The Irish News reported the stepping-up of the IRA’s bombing campaign. Michael Kane from west Belfast died while planting a bomb and was given an IRA funeral.]

 

JFK Widow to Visit Shipyard

FINAL preparations were being made last night for today’s whistle-stop visit to Belfast by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his wife, Jackie [widow of President John F Kennedy] to the Harland and Wolff shipyard.

19700905

Reference Date

September 5, 2020

Publication Date

‘Fantastic Risk’ from RUC Shots

‘I MIGHT as well tell you, Constable, that what troubles me considerably is that two police officers fired into a populated block of flats in an attempt, presumably, to quell some activity on the roof of [Divis] Flats, thus putting the lives of the people in the flats at a fantastic risk.’

This was stated yesterday morning by Lord Justice Scarman after RUC Constable, Frederick Mahood, who had been stationed at Hastings Street police station on observation duty with two marksmen on the night of August 14, 1969, told the Court that his two companions had fired 18 rounds into the Divis Flats complex.

They had been armed with two high-velocity rifles. Constable Mahood, when asked by Scarman if he thought that Hastings Street station had been under fire that night, said he had not.

The constable said that his two companions had fired after they had seen the muzzle flashes of an automatic weapon coming from the top of the maisonettes within the Flats area.

Mr Garrett McGrath, QC, for the Falls residents, while cross-examining the witness, referred to a forensic science report which stated that the damage caused to Divis Flats had been caused by three weapons – an SLR (self-loading rifle), a .303 rifle and a Browning machine-gun.

‘You know that Trooper Anthony McCabe was shot with a SLR bullet that night. The time of his death has not been established, but would you agree that it was one of the bullets fired from the roof of Hastings Street police station?’ asked Mr McGrath.

The witness replied: ‘That is possible.’

 

Man Killed in Belfast Blast

A MAN was blown to pieces and another is in hospital after an explosion at an electricity transformer in New Forge Lane, Malone Road, Belfast last night and early today a big Army-RUC search was going on in the wooded area beside the transformer in case there were any other people dead or injured.

One line of inquiry is that the explosion was premature and that the bomb had gone off before those who had planted it made their escape.

[Dr Phoenix notes: As Lord Scarman vigorously probed the RUC’s use of heavy machine guns against Divis Flats in August 1969, The Irish News reported the stepping-up of the IRA’s bombing campaign. Michael Kane from west Belfast died while planting a bomb and was given an IRA funeral.]

 

JFK Widow to Visit Shipyard

FINAL preparations were being made last night for today’s whistle-stop visit to Belfast by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his wife, Jackie [widow of President John F Kennedy] to the Harland and Wolff shipyard.

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.

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