Northern Ireland

1997 saw continuation of IRA campaign, pickets at Harryville Catholic Church and the murder of LVF leader Billy Wright

GAA official Sean Brown was murdered in 1997
GAA official Sean Brown was murdered in 1997 GAA official Sean Brown was murdered in 1997

1997 began with the low-level continuation of the IRA campaign, resumed after the breakdown of its ceasefire a year earlier. As the Inter-party talks resumed at Stormont, calls were made for the expulsion of the two loyalist parties because of several attacks.

In the wake of the serious violence across Northern Ireland following the Drumcree crisis of 1996, the North Report recommended the establishment of an independent body, the Parades Commission to adjudicate on disputed marches.

On February 12, a young soldier was killed by an IRA sniper in south Armagh. At the same time, Tánaiste Dick Spring warned that the continued detention of Róisín McAliskey, daughter of activist Bernadette McAliskey, in England could damage the peace process. She was later released.

Behind the scenes, SDLP leader John Hume informed the Northern Ireland Office that he was seeking to re-establish the IRA ceasefire by secretly involving a group of Protestant churchmen.

In March, there was fury when Gerry Adams was quoted as telling Sinn Féin activists that nationalist protests against Orange parades were part of a Sinn Féin strategy.

In April, the Grand National at Aintree was delayed for two days due to an IRA bomb scare – part of a wave of IRA explosions across England.

On May 1, the UK elections saw a landslide victory for Tony Blair’s New Labour. Dr Mo Mowlam was appointed Secretary of State for NI.

On May 8, a Catholic man, Robert Hamill died following a kicking by a loyalist mob in Portadown. His family accused an RUC patrol nearby of failing to intervene. Five days later, prominent GAA official Sean Brown, from Bellaghy in Co Derry, was murdered by loyalists.

In a speech in Belfast, Tony Blair said that his ‘agenda is not a United Ireland’ and that the consent principle was almost universally established. He warned Sinn Féin that ‘the settlement train’ was leaving.

In June there was an attempt to set fire to Harryville Catholic Church in Ballymena which had been picketed by loyalists for the previous six months.

On June 6 a general election in the Republic saw the return of a Fianna Fáil/Progressive Democrat coalition led by Bertie Ahern.

On June 16, two RUC men on foot patrol were murdered by the IRA in Lurgan.

On July 8 widespread rioting flared in nationalist areas after Orangemen were permitted to march down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown yet again. However, the Orange Order voluntarily agreed to re-route four other marches.

On July 19, the IRA announced the restoration of its 1994 ceasefire. This enabled Sinn Féin to join the talks process, triggering the permanent departure of the DUP and UKUP in protest.

In August, the British Government established an International Commission on Decommissioning. In September Sinn Féin signed up to the Mitchell Principles on non-violence and all-party Talks began under the chairmanship of Senator George Mitchell.

In October, Professor Mary McAleese won the Irish Presidency with 59 per cent of the vote.

The autumn saw bombs planted by Loyalists and the Continuity IRA. On December 27, the notorious LVF leader, Billy Wright, was shot dead by INLA prisoners in the Maze.

The death toll from violence for the year was 22.