The McGurks Bar Massacre
Other Events that Day
Below are more events that took place on the same day as the McGurks Bar Bombing throughout Northern Ireland and several days after the massacre.
Monday 6th December 1971: Derry Gun Battles
Three men and a petrol bomber were believed shot when a 500-strong Army search party met with fierce opposition in the Creggan and Bogside areas of Derry during the night. Over 20 gelignite bombs were thrown at the troops who fought running battles with gunmen in several places, with sporadic shooting continuing into the morning. Three shots were fired at an Army helicopter by a gunman in the Kildrum Gardens area of Creggan, and later troops at the Mex garage returned fire at a gunman who fired a shot from a house in the Bishop Street area.
Monday 6th December 1971: Carpet Store Bombed
A five storey building in Belfast was blazing fiercely after bombs ripped through it shortly after lunchtime. Three armed men burst into Carpets and Linoleum on the Dublin Road and ordered staff out and planted two bombs. Minutes later the bombs exploded, and firemen moved in as the building was engulfed in flames. As the flames spread, more firemen rushed to the scene and at the height of the blaze ten engines were fighting the fire. Flames shot 100 feet in the air and soon the fire had spread to the adjoining textile firm of Brown Brothers. Firemen were forced to fight the fire from 50 feet away because of the intense heat. While the fire raged there was also a bomb scare in the nearby Alexander’s Garage.
Monday 6th December 1971: Soldiers Injured by Nail Bombs
Two soldiers, injured by nail bombs when confronting rioters in the Bogside area of Derry have been admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital and are said to be “quite satisfactory”. There had been sporadic rioting at various points in the Bogside throughout the afternoon and troops fired CS gas and rubber bullets to disperse stone throwers in the William Street-Chamberlain Street area and near the Army posts at Bligh’s Lane and Foyle Road. Shots were exchanged and in one incident, said the Army, a man carrying a shotgun was fired on. He is reported to have staggered back into a block of flats at Rossville Street. A bomb blast at the car showrooms of Thomson and McGrady in Strand Road damaged the premises but no one was injured. Gunmen firing from the South opened up on an Army patrol on the Newtownbutler-Clones Road. The ambushers fired about thirty shots and men of the 16/5 Lancers shot back but there were no casualties. In Belfast, Army mobile patrols came under automatic fire as they moved along York Street. Two men were seen running down Nelson Street after the shooting. There were no injuries and the Army did not return fire. Five men were detained in the city after two empty cartridges were found in a car stopped at a roadblock. A pistol and shotgun were discovered during a search in the New Lodge area. Security forces also uncovered a pistol and 50 rounds in another search. A soldier was slightly injured by a ricochet in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. He was hit in the ankle. Two people were treated for burns after a small incendiary device ignited in the Bulls Head public house in the Markets area on Saturday night. The premises were gutted by fire. Tension is high in the New Lodge area following the explosion at McGurk’s public house in nearby North Queen Street. There were sporadic stone throwing incidents and some premises in Duncairn Gardens were damaged. Two petrol bombs were hurled into an elderly couple house in Pittsburg Street. The ground floor was extensively damaged but the occupants were at a relative’s house when the attack took place. A 20 lb bomb placed at the front of Belleek Orange Hall has badly damaged the building. This is the third attempt to destroy the building. The motor taxation office in Downpatrick has been badly damaged by an explosion. Two other explosions in the town have caused structural damage to the courthouse.
A temporary Customs caravan at Aghalane, Kinawley, has been destroyed by fire and ramps on the road nearby were removed. About 20 men were observed sitting in cars on the southern side of the border after the incident. In Strabane a small bomb damaged a garage at Ballycolman Avenue. UDR men on duty at Derry Road, Omagh fired two shots in the air after a man was seen acting suspiciously nearby. The man fled and a quick search of the area was mounted but he was not found. The RUC are investigating a fire at Butler’s grocery store, Shane Street, Randalstown, which has caused extensive damage.
Monday 6th December 1971: Army Remove Border Road Ramps
Road ramps on approved border crossing between Strabane and Lifford have been removed – by the Army. The Army erected the ramps in mid November and during the operation a young Donegal waitress was fatally wounded in a gun attack on the soldiers. “We now believe,” said an Army statement, “that any benefit we might have gained from these ramps has come to an end and rather than leave them – which is only inconveniencing the public – we are removing them without in any way prejudicing our right to replace them should we consider it necessary.” Rioters have made several attempts to remove the ramps and troops have fired CS gas and rubber bullets to disperse them.
Monday 6th December 1971: Summons Server Tarred
A 50-year-old County Fermanagh summons server was taken from his home on Saturday night and tarred and feathered. One theory for the attack on the Derrylin man is that he had been serving summonses on people taking part in the civil disobedience campaign. Shortly after 9.00pm four men called at his home. They told the man that their car had broken down and they needed help. They then produced revolvers and forced them to go with them. The man was taken to a gateway on the Enniskillen-Belturbet road and after tying him to the gate they poured tar and feathers over him and left a placard with the words “traitor” on it beside him.
Tuesday 7th December 1971: Bombs Rip Through Belfast Store
Bombs have exploded in Belfast wrecking a Co-op store and a petrol station. Four people were taken to hospital with shock when two bombs ripped through the store at West Circular Road. And as emergency services stood by after the blast at Kennedy Way filling station, Andersonstown, there were fears that another unexploded bomb was in the building. The Co-op store was attacked by three men, one with a machine gun and the other two with bombs. The explosions almost demolished the store and fire broke out almost immediately. It was contained by firemen from Ardoyne.
Tuesday 7th December 1971: 15-year-old Boy Arrested
A 15-year-old boy and a man are being questioned by the RUC about Monday’s explosion and subsequent fire which gutted a Belfast factory block. The teenager was detained after the search of a house in the Ballymurphy estate. Shortly afterwards security forces swooped on a house in the New Lodge Road area of the city and took a man away for questioning. It is believed that a suitcase containing diagrams of the Dublin Road building is in the hands of the RUC. An estimated £1m worth of damage was caused when two bombs exploded sending flames racing through the 40 yards long block. At one point crews of ten fire engines fought the blaze. Later a woman member of the Salvation Army died and five other people were injured after the wall of their Dublin Road citadel, next door to the factory, collapsed. It has been confirmed that about 500 people have lost their jobs as a result of the blaze.
Tuesday 7th December 1971: Four Shots at Helicopter
A gunman has fired four shots at an Army helicopter in Derry. There were no hits and no casualties were reported.
Tuesday 7th December 1971: Release of 18 Internees Recommended
The release of 18 internees has been recommended by the Advisory Committee appointed by the Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Brian Faulkner. To date 14 internees have been released, two recommendations are being considered by Mr. Faulkner and in two other cases both internees refused to give an undertaking required by the Advisory Committee and were not released. The committee has now considered the cases of 205 internees and has made recommendations in 202 of them. Three cases are to receive further consideration. In 184 cases the committee recommended that releases should not be made. The Advisory Committee pointed out that 142 internees refused to go to it, but even so their cases were heard.
Tuesday 7th December 1971: Woman Dies in Attack on Shirt Factory
A woman was killed and her husband and four other men were injured when a wall collapsed in the Salvation Army Citadel next door to the burned out shirt factory of Munton Bros, in Dublin Road. The woman, Mrs Mamie Thompson (60) of Blythe Street and the men had gone into the Citadel to salvage furniture and fittings. Earlier they had been supplying hard-pressed firemen with tea. As they were about to leave a wall collapsed burying them under the rubble.
Tuesday 7th December 1971: Army’s Apology for Break-in
Soldiers who broke down the front door of a hall during a search in Derry’s Bogside left behind a £2 donation for repairs when they realised the hall was used by Derry Welfare Committee. Local residents think that the troops who entered the Wolfe Tone Hall in the Brandywell area saw posters on the walls which made it plain what the hall was being used for. The Brandywell Tenants Association have said that following the raid a note enclosing £2 was found. It said: “To whom it may concern. We apologise for having broken your door down. Please accept this donation to the cost of repairing the door. From the 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets.
Source: The Troubles Magazine Issue 08 by The Glenravel Project (www.glenravel.com)