Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actions explained

This is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group since 1966. It includes actions carried out by the Red Hand Commando (RHC), a group integrated into the UVF shortly after their formation in 1972. It also includes attacks claimed by the Protestant Action Force (PAF), a covername used by the UVF. Most of these actions took place during the conflict known as "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland.

The UVF's declared goal was to destroy Irish republican paramilitary groups. However, most of its victims were Irish Catholic civilians, who were often chosen at random.[1] Whenever it claimed responsibility for its attacks, the UVF usually claimed that those targeted were Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) members or sympathisers.[2] At other times, attacks on Catholic civilians were claimed as "retaliation" for IRA actions, since the IRA drew most of its support from majority-Catholic areas. Such retaliation was seen as both collective punishment and an attempt to weaken the IRA's support.[3] Many retaliatory assaults on Catholics were claimed using the PAF covername. Members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) and the British Army colluded with the UVF in a number of incidents.[4] [5]

1960s

1966

1967

1968

1969

January–June

July–December

1970s

1970

1971

1972

January–April

May–August

September–December

1973

January–June

July–December

18 November: The UVF leadership declared a ceasefire to allow the political process to develop.[70]

1974

14 May: The UVF and Sinn Féin were declared legal following the passing of legislation at Westminster.

1975

March: A feud began between the UVF and Ulster Defence Association (UDA)/Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), the other main loyalist group.

1976

1977

1978

1979

20 February: Eleven members of the UVF known as the "Shankill Butchers" were sentenced to life in prison for 19 murders. The infamous group was named for their practice of torturing and mutilating their victims with butcher’s knives.

1980s

1980

1981

1982

1983

11 April: In a ‘supergrass’ trial in Belfast, 14 UVF members were jailed for a total of 200 years. Their convictions were quashed on 24 December 1984.

1984

1985

1986

16 September: A number of Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians attended the funeral of leading UVF member John Bingham.

1987

1988

1989

1990s

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000s

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2007

2009

2010s

2010

2011

2012

2013

2019

2020s

2021

2022

See also

Notes and References

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  2. Kentucky New Era, 14 April 1992
  3. Book: Mitchell, Thomas G. . Native vs. Settler . 2000 . Greenwood Press . 154–165 . Chapter 7 subsection: The Loyalist terrorists of Ulster, 1969–94.
  4. News: Security 'links' to murder plots. 6 November 2006. BBC News. 6 June 2019. en-GB.
  5. News: Britain urged to acknowledge NI collusion. 10 November 2006. The Irish Times. en. 6 June 2019.
  6. Jordan, Hugh. Milestones in Murder: Defining Moments in Ulster's Terror War. Random House, 2011.
  7. McDonald, Henry; Cusack, Jim; UVF. Poolbeg Publishing, 2000
  8. Web site: CAIN: Background: Chronology of Key Events 1800 to 1967. 22 November 2014.
  9. "Widow burned still very ill", The Belfast Telegraph, 9 May 1966.
  10. Dillon, Martin. The Shankill butchers: the real story of cold-blooded mass murder. Routledge, 1999. pp. 20–23
  11. Web site: 2011-09-27. The loyalist gunman turned peacemaker we should never forget. 2020-09-09. Irish Examiner. en.
  12. "UVF caused damage to home, court rules", The Belfast Telegraph, 4 March 1970.
  13. "Shooting: Man is helping police", The Belfast Telegraph, 26 April 1967.
  14. "Currie squats in house", The Belfast Telegraph, 20 June 1968.
  15. Web site: CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1969. 22 November 2014.
  16. News: Bomb damages RTÉ studios. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 27 December 2013. 1 December 2011.
  17. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VQMgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TGQFAAAAIBAJ&dq=dublin%20bomb&pg=5360%2C8003868 "Dublin blast"
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  19. Cusack & McDonald, p. 75
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  21. McKittrick, p. 43
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  23. Telegraph Herald, 26 December 1969.
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  27. Cusack, pp. 76–78
  28. Cusack, pp. 83–85
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  30. "Bakery hit in blast at NUM office", The Belfast Telegraph, 3 February 1970.
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  37. The Belfast Telegraph, 18 January 1971
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  83. Gadsden Times, 9 November 1974
  84. The Vancouver Sun, 21 November 1974
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  95. [Martin O'Hagan|O'Hagan, Martin]
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  102. The Leader Post, 15 May 75
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  104. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 24 May 1975
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  106. Cassell Report (2006), p. 48
  107. McKittrick, p. 565
  108. Cassell Report (2006), p. 49
  109. McKittrick, p. 566
  110. McKittrick, p. 573
  111. McKittrick, p. 579
  112. Cassell Report (2006), p. 50
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  115. McKittrick, p. 616
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  118. Cassell Report (2006), p. 53
  119. McKittrick, p. 639
  120. McKittrick, p. 642
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  127. McKittrick, p. 672
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  135. McKittrick, p. 760
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  138. Observer-Reporter, 30 October 1982
  139. Youngstown Vindicator, 22 November 1982
  140. Reading Eagle, 23 April 1983
  141. McKittrick, p. 964
  142. McKittrick, p. 982
  143. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 30 March 1985
  144. Fortnight: Issues 247–268 (1987), p. 2
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  251. News: Simon Coveney: Loyalist paramilitaries 'behind north Belfast security alert', police say. BBC News . 25 March 2022 . 25 March 2022.
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  253. Web site: Co Down hoax alert business owner not told about UVF link. 2 April 2022 . 2 April 2022.