Ireland in the 1980s

This page currently covers only events in Northern Ireland

A blanket man Milltown cemetery, minutes before the attack by Michael Stone
Garret Fitzgerald, Taoiseach Aftermath of the Enniskillen bomb

Click here for the related timeline section
Click here to return to the History Links page
Click here to return to the main page

Back to Ireland in the late 1960s and 1970s
Forward to Ireland in the 1990s

Table of Contents
Key figures and political parties
Events in the early eighties
Events in the mid-eighties
Events in the late eighties
Other resources



Key figures and political parties
Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin leader Sinn Féin
Gerry Adams BBC
Robert Bradford, MP killed by IRA Wikipedia
Peter Brooke, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1989 - 1992 Wikipedia
Pat Finucane, lawyer killed by Loyalists Wikipedia
Garret Fitzgerald, Taoiseach General Michael Collins
Garret Fitzgerald Wikipedia
Charles Haughey, Taoiseach Wikipedia
Charles Haughey: the flawed chieftain Guardian
John Hume, SDLP leader BBC
John Hume Wikipedia
John Hume Academy of Achievement
Douglas Hurd, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1984 - 5 Wikipedia
Tom King, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1985 - 1989 Wikipedia
Patrick Magee, IRA bomber BBC
Patrick Magee Guardian
James Molyneux, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Wikipedia
Ian Paisley, DUP leader Wikipedia
Ian Paisley Biography Base
James Prior, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1981 - 4 Wikipedia
Bobby Sands, MP and hunger striker larkspirit
Bobby Sands Wikipedia
Michael Stone, Loyalist Paramilitary Wikipedia
Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister CAIN
Democratic Unionist Party Wikipedia
Sinn Féin Wikipedia
Social Democratic and Labour Party Wikipedia
Ulster Unionist Party, 1972 - 95 Wikipedia

Return to top



Events in the early eighties
Chronology of the conflict: 1980 CAIN
Chronology of the conflict: 1981 CAIN
Paisley and the 'Ulster Declaration' Time
1981: Bobby Sands dies in prison BBC
1981: Violence erupts at Irish hunger strike protest BBC
Irish Hunger Strike Wikipedia
Irish Martyrs (hungerstrike stories) Irish Hunger Strike
What happened in the hunger strike? BBC
Theory that republican hunger strikers were allowed to die in retaliation for Mountbatten The Blanket
Northern Ireland Act 1982 CAIN
1982: IRA bombs cause carnage in London BBC
Hyde Park and Regents Park bombings Wikipedia
Droppin' Well bombing Wikipedia
Village remembers INLA victims (Droppin' Well pub bomb, 1982) BBC
Chronology of the conflict: 1982 CAIN
Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 1982 ARK
Chronology of the conflict: 1983 CAIN
New Ireland Forum, established 1983 Wikipedia
1983: Dozens escape in Maze breakout BBC
The IRA's 'great escape' Time
Harrods bomb blast kills six, 1983 BBC

Return to top



Events in the mid eighties
Chronology of the conflict: 1984 CAIN
1984: Tory cabinet in Brighton bomb blast BBC
Brighton hotel bombing Wikipedia
Was MI6 behind the Brighton bomb? Guardian
Margaret Thatcher's account of the Brighton bomb Margaret Thatcher
Extracts from a speech by Thatcher following an Anglo-Irish summit, Nov 1984 CAIN
The Anglo-Irish Agreement: contents CAIN
Anglo-Irish Agreement: chronology of events CAIN
Anglo-Irish Agreement Wikipedia
Anglo-Irish Agreement 1985 Université Rennes
Ulster Says No, 1985 Wikipedia
Newry mortar attack, 1985 Wikipedia
Chronology of the conflict: 1985 CAIN
Chronology of the conflict: 1986 CAIN
Libyan arms to the IRA Wikipedia

Return to top



Events in the late eighties
Chronology of the conflict: 1987 CAIN
Loughall Martyrs, 1987 Wikipedia
True tale of IRA 'martyrs' revealed Guardian
1987: Bomb kills 11 at Enniskillen BBC
Remembrance Day Bombing Wikipedia
Who knew about Enniskillen plans? BBC
Car bomb hits army base in West Germany, 1987 BBC
Chronology of the conflict: 1988 CAIN
IRA gang shot dead in Gibraltar, 1988 BBC
Tribute to IRA volunteers on the Rock An Phoblacht
Bringing them home (Gibraltar casualties) An Phoblacht
Operation Flavius BBC
Gibraltar: the Truth Sunday Life
1988-9: Gibraltar killings and the release of the Guildford Four BBC
1988: Three shot dead at Milltown Cemetery BBC
Milltown Cemetery attack Wikipedia
2 British soldiers killed at IRA rites, 1988 New York Times
Corporals Killings Wikipedia
Personal account of the Ballygawley bus bombing, 1988 Light Infantry Reunited
Ballygawley bus bomb: did the British army know? Unsolved mysteries
Chronology of the conflict: 1989 CAIN
Security forces aided Loyalist murders BBC
Belfast lawyer Finucane murdered, 1989 BBC
Pat Finucane: a controversial killing BBC
Statement by Dermot Ahern supporting an inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane, 2006 CAIN
Truth or a continuing cover-up? A full public judicial inquiry now Pat Finucane Centre
Ulster town mourns victim of IRA, 1989 New York Times

Return to top



Other resources
Northern Ireland: a British colonial heritage that means nothing but trouble Gegenstandpunkt
Talking politics: reform attempts up to 1989 BBC
The early stages of the Irish peace process Conciliation Resources
The Falklands War Falklands War
The miners' strike National Union of Mineworkers
The Five Demands larkspirit
West Belfast elections 1983 - 92 ARK
The Libyan connection Victims.org
Chronology of parades and marches, 1688 - 1986 CAIN
Northern Ireland Loyalist Paramilitaries Council of Foreign Relations
Sutton index of deaths CAIN
Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution Wikipedia
Pat Finucane Centre Pat Finucane Centre



Return to top of page
Back to main page


Mail the site with comments or links