Battle of St Matthew's
Encyclopedia
The Battle of St Matthew's or Battle of Short Strand was a gun battle fought between volunteers
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) and Ulster loyalists
on 27 June 1970. It took place in the area around St Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, which is in the mainly nationalist
Short Strand
district of Belfast
. It was the Provisional IRA's first major action during The Troubles
and its first major clash with loyalist volunteers
.
marked the beginning of The Troubles. Belfast saw the fiercest clashes between republicans
(mainly Catholics), loyalists
(mainly Protestants
) and the Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC). During the riots, which saw both communities in the grip of a mounting paranoia about the other's intentions—Catholics convinced that they were about to become "victims of a Protestant pogrom" and Protestants that they were on the "eve of an IRA insurrection"—loyalists burnt whole streets in mainly Catholic and republican areas. The Irish Republican Army, which then had very few members, was unable to hold off the attackers, and in December 1969 split into the Official IRA and Provisional IRA—with the Provisionals vowing to act as defenders of the area in future.
Short Strand is a mainly Catholic and nationalist enclave
surrounded by the mainly Protestant and unionist east Belfast
. In the early years of "the Troubles", Catholics in Short Strand numbered about 6,000, while their Protestant neighbours totalled about 60,000.
Republicans and nationalists claim that the violence was started by a mob of loyalists who were returning from an Orange Order parade. They say that the loyalists tried to set the church alight with petrol bombs and invade Short Strand, with the intention of burning the nationalists from their homes. Hence, the republicans argue that they were simply defending the church and Short Strand from loyalist attack. Loyalists claim that the violence was begun by the republicans; allegedly when the returning Orangemen and supporters came under attack on Newtownards Road. They also claim that republicans attacked homes on Newtownards Road in order to lure the loyalists into a trap.
Whatever sparked the violence, a small group of IRA volunteers and members of the Citizens' Defence Committee took up positions in the grounds of St Matthew's Church and in the surrounding streets; intending to hold back the loyalists. The IRA was led by Billy McKee
, who was then commander of the IRA's Belfast Brigade
.
Shortly after the shooting began, Stormont
MP Paddy Kennedy went with Short Strand residents to the local RUC base and demanded protection for their homes. British Army
Colonel Mike Dewar later said: "The whole incident had taken its course because the Army was so chronically overstretched that night in Belfast". A British Army company did arrive but it did not intervene. BBC
journalist Peter Taylor later said:
Liz Maskey, who was a volunteer nurse that night, said that Short Strand was surrounded by loyalists and claimed that they attacked her ambulance as it tried to leave the area.
After about five hours, the loyalists retreated. IRA leader Billy McKee claimed that his unit had fired 800 rounds during the battle.
Many Catholics and nationalists believed that the IRA had failed to defend them during the August 1969 riots. However, it is argued that the IRA's defence of Short Strand redeemed it in the eyes of many Catholics and nationalists. Among republicans, the battle is seen as a key event in the growth of the Provisional IRA.
Less than a week later, the British Army seized a large haul of Official IRA weapons during a three-day operation in west Belfast
. Nationalists saw this as a confiscation of their defences.
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The 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...
(IRA) and Ulster loyalists
Ulster loyalism
Ulster 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...
on 27 June 1970. It took place in the area around St Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, which is in the mainly nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
Short Strand
Short Strand
The Short Strand is a mainly-nationalist area in east Belfast, surrounded by a mainly-unionist area. It is within the townland of Ballymacarret and sits on the east bank of the River Lagan in County Down.-Security issues:...
district of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. It was the Provisional IRA's first major action during The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
and its first major clash with loyalist volunteers
Volunteer (Ulster loyalist)
Volunteer, abbreviated Vol., is a title used by a number of Ulster loyalist paramilitary organisations to describe their members.-History of the term volunteer in Ireland:...
.
Background
The Northern Ireland riots of August 19691969 Northern Ireland Riots
During 12–17 August 1969, Northern Ireland was rocked by intense political and sectarian rioting. There had been sporadic violence throughout the year arising from the civil rights campaign, which was demanding an end to government discrimination against Irish Catholics and nationalists...
marked the beginning of The Troubles. Belfast saw the fiercest clashes between republicans
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
(mainly Catholics), loyalists
Ulster loyalism
Ulster 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...
(mainly Protestants
Protestantism in Ireland
Protestantism in Ireland- 20th Century decline and other developments:In 1991, the population of the Republic of Ireland was approximately 3% Protestant, but the figure was over 10% in 1891, indicating a fall of 70% in the relative Protestant population over the past century.The effect of...
) and the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The 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). During the riots, which saw both communities in the grip of a mounting paranoia about the other's intentions—Catholics convinced that they were about to become "victims of a Protestant pogrom" and Protestants that they were on the "eve of an IRA insurrection"—loyalists burnt whole streets in mainly Catholic and republican areas. The Irish Republican Army, which then had very few members, was unable to hold off the attackers, and in December 1969 split into the Official IRA and Provisional IRA—with the Provisionals vowing to act as defenders of the area in future.
Short Strand is a mainly Catholic and nationalist enclave
Enclave and exclave
In political geography, an enclave is a territory whose geographical boundaries lie entirely within the boundaries of another territory.An exclave, on the other hand, is a territory legally or politically attached to another territory with which it is not physically contiguous.These are two...
surrounded by the mainly Protestant and unionist east Belfast
Belfast East
Belfast East can refer to:*The eastern part of Belfast.*Belfast East *Belfast East *Belfast East *Belfast East...
. In the early years of "the Troubles", Catholics in Short Strand numbered about 6,000, while their Protestant neighbours totalled about 60,000.
The battle
The shooting began shortly after 10pm on Saturday 27 June and lasted for about five hours. However, republicans and loyalists disagree over what sparked the violence and who fired the first shots.Republicans and nationalists claim that the violence was started by a mob of loyalists who were returning from an Orange Order parade. They say that the loyalists tried to set the church alight with petrol bombs and invade Short Strand, with the intention of burning the nationalists from their homes. Hence, the republicans argue that they were simply defending the church and Short Strand from loyalist attack. Loyalists claim that the violence was begun by the republicans; allegedly when the returning Orangemen and supporters came under attack on Newtownards Road. They also claim that republicans attacked homes on Newtownards Road in order to lure the loyalists into a trap.
Whatever sparked the violence, a small group of IRA volunteers and members of the Citizens' Defence Committee took up positions in the grounds of St Matthew's Church and in the surrounding streets; intending to hold back the loyalists. The IRA was led by Billy McKee
Billy McKee
Billy McKee is an Irish republican and was a founding member and former leader of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .-Early life:McKee was born in Belfast in the early 1920s, and joined the Irish Republican Army in 1939. During the Second World War, the IRA carried out a number of armed...
, who was then commander of the IRA's Belfast Brigade
Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas, based in the city of Belfast. Founded in 1969, along with the formation of the Provisional IRA, it was historically organised into three battalions; the First Battalion based in the...
.
Shortly after the shooting began, Stormont
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
MP Paddy Kennedy went with Short Strand residents to the local RUC base and demanded protection for their homes. British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Colonel Mike Dewar later said: "The whole incident had taken its course because the Army was so chronically overstretched that night in Belfast". A British Army company did arrive but it did not intervene. BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
journalist Peter Taylor later said:
The shooting intensified but the soldiers still declined to intervene and separate the two sides – either because they felt they were not numerically strong enough or because did not wish to get caught up in the middle of a sectarian fight, in the darkness, with shots being fired by both sides.
Liz Maskey, who was a volunteer nurse that night, said that Short Strand was surrounded by loyalists and claimed that they attacked her ambulance as it tried to leave the area.
After about five hours, the loyalists retreated. IRA leader Billy McKee claimed that his unit had fired 800 rounds during the battle.
Casualties
Three people were killed in the clash. An unknown number were wounded—including Billy McKee, who was shot five times.- Robert Neil, a 38-year-old Protestant, died instantly when a shot fired from the church bounced off the pavement and hit him in the spine.
- James McCurrie, a 34-year-old Protestant, was shot dead on Beechfield Street.
- Henry McIlhone, a 33-year-old Catholic, was helping to defend Short Strand when he was accidentally shot from the republican side. He died on 29 June. However, McKee maintains that McIlhone was shot by loyalists. Tírghrá, the IRA's official list of its fallen, lists McIlhone as a "volunteer" but adds "although not a member of the IRA, Henry McIlhone was included in the republican role of honour as a mark of respect for this great Irishman by republican comrades he fought alongside".
Aftermath
The following day, loyalists expelled 500 Catholic workers from the Belfast shipyard. Shortly after, the British government’s representative at Stormont said that the decision to allow Orange parades to go ahead on that day was "the greatest single miscalculation I have ever seen made in the course of my life".Many Catholics and nationalists believed that the IRA had failed to defend them during the August 1969 riots. However, it is argued that the IRA's defence of Short Strand redeemed it in the eyes of many Catholics and nationalists. Among republicans, the battle is seen as a key event in the growth of the Provisional IRA.
Less than a week later, the British Army seized a large haul of Official IRA weapons during a three-day operation in west Belfast
Falls Curfew
The Falls Curfew was a British Army operation during 3–5 July 1970 in an area along the Falls Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The operation started with a weapons search but quickly developed into rioting and gun battles between British soldiers and the Official Irish Republican Army...
. Nationalists saw this as a confiscation of their defences.
See also
- Timeline of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions
- Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actionsTimeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actionsThis is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Volunteer Force , a loyalist paramilitary group formed in 1966. It includes actions carried out by the Red Hand Commando , a group integrated into the UVF shortly after their formation in 1972. It also includes attacks claimed by the Protestant Action...