Blog

In May 1972, the British Minister of State for Northern Ireland requested a short note on the origins of the Black and Tans and the B Specials. Lord Windlesham requested the historical brief regarding the Black and Tans and B Specials “at a time when the Royal Ulster Constabulary is under strength and there is […]

Remembering the Soldiers’ Truce on the Western Front 105 years ago, Christmas Day 1914. The festive miracle continued throughout Christmas Day and is recorded in the War Diary of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. “At dawn 25th, the Germans shouted out ‘Merry Xmas’ from their trenches and danced and sang in front of their […]

Remembering the Soldiers’ Truce on the Western Front 105 years ago, Christmas 1914. Peace broke out 105 years ago along certain sections of the Western Front when troops on both sides of the trenches put down their weapons and sang Christmas hymns during a Soldiers’ Truce. Thanks to the great work of the National Archives, […]

Nobody in the Market was certain who killed Joseph Downey. A local witness at the inquest said he had watched Joseph Downey walking up McAuley Street in the Market, Belfast, close to his home and had shouted a warning to him there was shooting in the area. He thought Joseph had been drinking and did […]

? Listen: Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill discusses the murder of Michael Leonard by the RUC in 1973. Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill was interviewed by Ocean FM  (7th October 2019) about the murder of Donegal civilian, Michael Leonard, by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in 1973 and the family’s on-going campaign for truth. This followed the […]

The murder of Donegal civilian, Michael Leonard, by RUC in 1973 is to be raised in the Seanad. An important Commencement Matter regarding the murder of Donegal civilian, Michael Leonard, by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) on 17th May 1973 will be discussed in Seanad Éireann today (2nd October 2019) as the family fight for […]

Vindication for campaigning families at the EU Committee of Ministers last week. The Deputies of the Committee of Ministers at the European Parliament (link): 1. recalled that this group of cases concerns the effectiveness of investigations into the deaths of the applicants’ next-of-kin in Northern Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s, either during security force […]

Read about British Information Policy and Propaganda in the North of Ireland 1971 in these short papers. In July 1971, Clifford Hill was seconded by Britain’s covert propaganda unit, Information Research Department, to the Northern Ireland Office to promote British information policy and propaganda. In Stormont circles, he was known as “Cliff the Spy”. His […]

The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland has ordered an independent investigation into the murder of Jean Smyth-Campbell. Jean Smyth-Campbell was a single mother who was shot dead in an unprovoked attack in June 1972. The Royal Ulster Constabulary told her family that she was murdered by the local members of the […]