1985 in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
Events
- 28 February - The Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
carries out a mortar attack1985 Newry mortar attackThe 1985 Newry mortar attack was an attack carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on a Royal Ulster Constabulary station in Corry Square, Newry, Northern Ireland. The attack killed nine RUC officers.-Background:...
on the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster ConstabularyThe Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
police station at NewryNewryNewry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, killing nine officers in the highest loss of life for the RUC on a single day. - 3 July - Thousands of LoyalistsUlster loyalismUlster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
demonstrate against a proposed Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster ConstabularyThe Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC) decision to re-route a church parade away from the 'Tunnel' (the Catholic Obins Street) area of PortadownPortadownPortadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
. - 6 July - RUC decide to allow a church parade through the area, but impose a ban on similar marches on the 12 and 13 July.
- 7 July - Serious clashes occur in Portadown between Nationalist protesters and police as the parade of 2,500 Orangeman, passes through the Catholic Obins Street. Eight policemen were injured and three people were arrested.
- 12–13 July - Further rioting in Portadown, this time between Loyalists and the RUC, as the Orange OrderOrange InstitutionThe Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
and Royal Black Institution parades were re-routed from the 'Tunnel' area. 52 policemen were injured and 43 people were arrested during these two days of rioting. - 15 November - TaoiseachTaoiseachThe Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Garret FitzGeraldGarret FitzGeraldGarret FitzGerald was an Irish politician who was twice Taoiseach of Ireland, serving in office from July 1981 to February 1982 and again from December 1982 to March 1987. FitzGerald was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1965 and was subsequently elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD in 1969. He...
, and the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Margaret ThatcherMargaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, sign the Anglo-Irish AgreementAnglo-Irish AgreementThe Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and Ireland which aimed to help bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland...
at Hillsborough Castle, County DownCounty Down-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. Treasury Minister Ian GowIan GowIan Reginald Edward Gow TD was a British Conservative politician and solicitor. While serving as Member of Parliament for Eastbourne, he was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army who exploded a bomb under his car outside his home in East Sussex.-Life:Ian Gow was born at 3 Upper...
resigns in protest at the deal.
Arts and literature
- Anne DevlinAnne Devlin (writer)Anne Devlin is a short story writer, playwright and screenwriter born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She was a teacher from 1974 - 1978 and started writing fiction in 1976 in Germany...
's play Ourselves Alone is performed for the first time.
Football
- Irish League
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- Winners: LinfieldLinfield F.C.Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
- Winners: Linfield
- Irish CupIrish CupFor the equivalent tournament in the Republic of Ireland, see FAI Cup.The Irish Cup is the national cup knock-out competition in Northern Irish football. Inaugurated in 1881, it is the fourth oldest national cup competition in the world...
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- Winners: GlentoranGlentoran F.C.Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...
1 - 1, 1 - 0 LinfieldLinfield F.C.Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
- Winners: Glentoran
Births
- 1 January - Steven DavisSteven DavisSteven Davis is a Northern Irish association footballer who currently plays for Scottish Premier League club Rangers and the Northern Ireland national team...
, soccer player. - 1 February - Dean ShielsDean ShielsDean Andrew Shiels is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premier League. Shiels is on loan to Kilmarnock from Doncaster Rovers...
, soccer player. - 3 March - Sam MorrowSam MorrowSamuel Morrow , aka Sam Morrow or Sammy Morrow, is a professional football player currently playing for Scottish First Division side Ross County. Morrow, who was raised in Limavady, started as a youth at Institute FC before beginning his career at Ipswich Town were he made his debut as an 18 year...
, soccer player. - 29 May - Jeff HughesJeff Hughes (footballer)Jeff Hughes is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a left sided midfielder. He has also played internationally for Northern Ireland, making his debut during their summer tour of the United States of America...
, soccer player. - 15 June - Nadine CoyleNadine CoyleNadine Coyle is an Irish singer, songwriter, actress, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the band Six before becoming a member of successful girl-group Girls Aloud. The group amassed a joint fortune of £25 million by May 2009...
, singer. - 29 June - Conall MurtaghConall MurtaghConall Francis Murtagh is a Northern Irish footballer who currently plays for Bala Town. He has made over 70 appearances in the Scottish League, the Welsh Premier League, the Football League and the Football Conference.-Career:...
, soccer player. - 14 October - Emmet FriarsEmmet FriarsEmmett Friars is a professional footballer, currently signed for Derry City.-Notts County:Emmett began his career as a trainee with Notts County, but failed to establish himself in the first team...
, soccer player. - 2 November - John Lowry-Corry, Viscount Corry.
- 18 November - Jonny HarknessJonny HarknessJonathan Harkness is a Northern Irish footballer who currently plays as a left fullback for Donegal Celtic. Harkness is a former Northern Ireland youth international and he had spells with Walsall and Cambridge United....
, soccer player.