 A Chronology of the Conflict -
[CAIN_Home]
[Key_Events][Key_Issues][CONFLICT_BACKGROUND]
BACKGROUND:[Acronyms][Glossary][NI Society][Articles][CHRONOLOGIES][People][Organisations][CAIN_Bibliography][Other_Bibliographies][Research][Photographs][Symbols][Murals][Posters][Maps][Internet]
Text and Research:Martin Melaugh
The following is adraft chronology of the conflict for the year1988
1988JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
SourcesNotes
1988 January 1988 Friday 8 January 1988
 The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) searched three cars near Portadown, County Armagh and found a large number of firearms. The arms were being transported to the Ulster Defense Association (UDA) in Belfast. The haul of around 100 guns included 45 rifles, hand guns, magazines and thousands of bullets. (Source: The Irish Times, 9 February 1988, page 1.) [The arms were believed to be part of a shipment imported into Northern Ireland by three Loyalist paramilitary organisations - UDA, UVF, and Ulster Resistance - during 1987.]
Peter Robinson was re-elected as deputy leader of the DemocraticUnionist Party (DUP) at the party's annual meeting (he had resignedon 2 July 1987 ??). Monday 11 January 1988
John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and LabourParty (SDLP), met with Gerry Adams, then leader of Sinn Féin(SF). [This was the first in a series of discussions between thetwo men; the last meeting took place on 30 August 1988. Some commentators consider these meetings to mark the beginning of the Irish 'Peace Process'. The two leaders held another series of meetings beginning on 10 April 1993.] Saturday 16 January 1988
Two members of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) were killed in separate incidents.
 Wednesday 20 January 1988
The British government opposed the classification of NorthernIreland as one of Europe's poorest regions thus reducing the amountof regional structural funds that it received. (??) Sunday 24 January 1988
Representatives of constituency members of the Social Democraticand Labour Party (SDLP) stated their support for the talks betweenJohn Hume, then leader of the SDLP, and Gerry Adams, then leaderof Sinn Féin (SF). Monday 25 January 1988
A member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was killed in Belfast.
A Catholic civilian was shot dead in County Down.
Sir Patrick Mayhew, then Attorney-General of the United Kingdom,announced that there were to be no prosecutions of security forcemembers arising from the Stalker and Sampson inquiry into an alleged'shoot to kill' policy by the security forces in Northern Ireland.The reason given was one of 'national security'. Tuesday 26 January 1988
James Molyneaux, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party(UUP) and Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic UnionistParty (DUP) met with Tom King, then Secretary of State for NorthernIreland, and proposed a form of devolved administration for NorthernIreland. The system proposed involved committees with chairpersonsbeing decided on party strength. Wednesday 27 January 1988
Garda Síochána (the Irish police) uncovered one of the largest stores of Irish Republican Army (IRA) weapons in the Republic of Ireland. The find was made at a beach near Malin Head, County Donegal. Thursday 28 January 1988
The appeal of the 'Birmingham Six', the six men imprisonedfor the Birmingham pub bombings of 1974, was rejected by the LondonCourt of Appeal. Fresh evidence, particularly the fact that theoriginal forensic tests were flawed, was rejected by the appealjudges. [The men were subsequently released on 14 March 1991.] [ PRONI Records – January 1988 ] [ NAI Records – January 1988 ] February 1988 Thursday 4 February 1988
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) uncovered a large cache of weapons on the outskirts of Belfast. The arms included an RPG rocket launcher with 26 rockets and 25 boosters, 38 rifles, 15 pistols, 100 grenades, and 40,000 rounds of mixed ammunition. (Source: The Irish Times, 6 February 1988, page 1.) [The arms were believed to be part of a shipment imported into Northern Ireland by three Loyalist paramilitary organisations - UDA, UVF, and Ulster Resistance - during 1987.] Friday 5 February 1988
John Stalker, who initially investigated the 'shoot tokill' inquiry, alleged that he was removed from the inquiry becausehis investigations would have caused political embarrassment. Saturday 13 February 1988
Representatives of Sinn Féin (SF) endorsed the talks between John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and Gerry Adams, then leader of Sinn Féin(SF). Monday 15 February 1988
Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, met Charles Haughey, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), following a European Community summit in Brussels. Tuesday 16 February 1988
William Quinn was extradited from the United States of America to Britain under extradition legislation that came into force in July 1986. Sunday 21 February 1988
Aidan McAnespie (24), a Catholic civilian, was shot dead by a British soldier while walking past the permanent British Army Vehicle Check Point (VCP), at Aughnacloy, County Tyrone. Three shots were fired in the direction of McAnespie and it is believed that he was hit in the back by a ricochet bullet. [McAnespie's father claimed that his son had been the subject of continual harassment by British soldiers. The soldier (David Holden) who fired the shots claimed his finger slipped on the trigger. In 2008 the PSNI's Historical Enquiries Team (HET) examined the case and produced a report for the McAnespie family. In 2015 the Attorney General invited the director of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to review the case. In January 2018 the PPS informed Holden that a decision had been taken to prosecute him for McAnespie's manslaughter. On 25 November 2022, in a judgement by Belfast Crown Court, the soldier David Holden was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence (See:Judgement, [2022] NICC 29).] Tuesday 23 February 1988
Ian Thain, a Private in the British Army and the first solder to be convicted of murder (14 December 1984) while on duty in Northern Ireland, was released from a life sentence. He had served 26 months (??) and was allowed to rejoin his regiment. Wednesday 24 February 1988
Two members of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) were killed by a remote controlled bomb in Belfast. The attack was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Thursday 25 February 1988
John Hume, then leader of the Social Democratic and LabourParty (SDLP), was invited to talks on devolution by Tom King,then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Monday 29 February 1988
Two Irish Republican Army (IRA) members were killed in a premature explosion in County Armagh.
[ PRONI Records – February 1988 ] [ NAI Records – February 1988 ] March 1988 Sunday 6 March 1988
Three unarmed Irish Republican Army (IRA) members wereshot dead by undercover members of the Special Air Service (SAS)in Gibraltar. [The episode sparked intense controversy and begana chain of events that lead to a series of deaths in NorthernIreland on16 March 1988 and19 March 1988. The British government claimed that the SAS shot the IRA members because they thought a bomb was about to be detonated.Eye-witnesses claimed that those shot were given no warning.]
Tuesday 8 March 1988
A car believed to belong to those killed in Gibraltar wasfound in Marbella and was discovered to contain 140 pounds ofhigh explosives. Thursday 10 March 1988
Sixty British Labour Party Members of Parliament (MPs) criticisedthe shootings in Gibraltar on 6 March 1988. Friday 11 March 1988
Andy Tyrie, then chairman of the Ulster Defense Association(UDA), resigned his post after losing a vote of confidence. Abomb had been planted under his car several days earlier and itwas widely assumed to have been planted by Loyalists. Wednesday 16 March 1988
During the funerals, at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast, forthe three Irish Republican Army (IRA) members killed in Gibraltar(6 March 1988) a Loyalist gunman, Michael Stone, launched a grenadeand gun attack on mourners. Three people were killed and 50 injured.The whole episode was recorded by television news cameras.The police and the army had withdrawn to avoid any confrontationwith the mourners. Stone was chased to a nearby motorway werehe was attacked by a number of mourners. The police arrived intime to save his life. [The main loyalist paramilitary groups deniedany involvement with Stone. One of those killed, Kevin Brady,was a member of the IRA.]
A Catholic civilian died eight months after being shot in Belfast.
Saturday 19 March 1988
During the funeral of Kevin Brady, killed at Milltown Cemetery(16 March 1988), a car approached the funeral procession at highspeed. It was claimed by some present that they feared anotherattack by Loyalist gunmen. The car's passage was blocked and agroup of the mourners attacked the two passengers. The two menin the car were later identified as corporals Derek Wood and DavidHowes of the British Army. One of the soldiers fired a warningshot but both were beaten and overpowered. The two soldiers weredriven to waste ground and shot dead. Part of this incident wasalso recorded on television news cameras. [The presenceof the two soldiers in plain clothes in a republican districtof Belfast was never adequately explained.]
Tuesday 22 March 1988
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) asked television companies(BBC, ITN and RTE) to give them untransmitted film of the incidentinvolving the two British Army corporals on 19 March 1988. [Thetelevision companies initially refused but later allowed the RUCaccess to the material. The event caused further friction betweenthe British government and the media.] Thursday 31 March 1988
The Human Rights organisation, Amnesty International, announcedthat it was to investigate the deaths of the three Irish RepublicanArmy (IRA) members in Gilbraltar on 6 March 1988. [ PRONI Records – March 1988 ] [ NAI Records – March 1988 ] April 1988 Saturday 16 April 1988
Proinsias De Rossa replaced Tomás Mac Giolla asleader of the Workers Party (WP). Tuesday 26 April 1988
Two members of the security forces were killed in separate incidents.
A delegation from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)met with Tom King, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland,at Stromont. Thursday 28 April 1988
A Thames Television documentary,Death on the Rock,about the deaths of the three Irish Republican Army (IRA) membersin Gilbraltar on 6 March 1988 was screened. Sir Geoffrey Howe,then British Foreign Secretary, unsuccessfully tried to have theprogramme banned. [ PRONI Records – April 1988 ] [ NAI Records – April 1988 ] May 1988 Sunday 1 May 1988
Three members of the Royal Air Force (RAF) were killed in two separate attacks carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the Netherlands.
Wednesday 4 May 1988
Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, failedin an attempt to stop a Northern Ireland British BroadcastingCorporation (BBC) programme about the Gibraltar inquests beingshown on 5 May 1988. Sunday 15 May 1988
The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) killed three Catholic civilians and injured nine others in a machine-gun attack on the Avenue Bar, Union Street, in the centre of Belfast.
Wednesday 25 May 1988
AWhite Paper on fair employment was issued by theBritish government. Suggestions included the compulsory monitoringof the religious composition of workforces in companies in NorthernIreland. A new Fair Employment Commission (FEC) was proposed toreplace the Fair Employment Agency (FEA). [A Bill was brought forward on 15 December 1988.] 26 May 1988
James Molyneaux, then leader of the Ulster Unionist Party(UUP) and Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic UnionistParty (DUP) met with Tom King, then Secretary of State for NorthernIreland, for what turned out to be the last in the series of 'talksabout talks'. [ PRONI Records – May 1988 ] [ NAI Records – May 1988 ] June 1988 Tuesday 7 June 1988
The Northern Ireland Police Federation (NIPF), an organisationrepresenting the views of many Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)officers, called for the introduction of internment in both NorthernIreland and the Republic of Ireland. Friday 10 June 1988
A branch of the Conservative Party was established in Bangor,County Down. The 'Model Conservative Association' was part ofan attempt to introduce British political parties into NorthernIreland. Monday 13 June 1988
Representatives of the Social Democratic and Labour Party(SDLP) and Sinn Féin (SF) met for further talks in Belfast. Sunday 15 June 1988
An Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb in Lisburn killed sixoff-duty British Army soldiers.
A member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was killed by the IRA in Belfast.
Tuesday 28 June 1988
Margaret Thatcher, then British Prime Minister, met CharlesHaughey, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), following a EuropeanCommunity summit in Hanover.
The British government announced that the Harland and Wolff shipyard was to be privatised.
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) planted a booby-trap bomb on a school bus in an attempt to kill the driver, Ernie Wilson, who was a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). The driver and some school children were injured in the explosion. [One of the school children on the bus was Arlene Foster (17 years of age at the time) who became leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in December 2015.] Wednesday 29 June 1988
The Northern Ireland Police Authority (NIPA) decided, by onevote, not to recommend action against John Hermon, then ChiefConstable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), and two othersenior officers. [ PRONI Records – June 1988 ] [ NAI Records – June 1988 ] July 1988 Monday 4 July 1988
John Hermon, then Chief Constable of the Royal UlsterConstabulary (RUC), announced that disciplinary proceedings wereto be undertaken against 20 RUC officers as a result of the investigationinto the 'shoot to kill' incidents in 1982. Tuesday 5 July 1988
Patrick Ryan, a Catholic priest from the Republic of Ireland,was arrested in Brussels. He was accused of providing supportfor the Irish Republican Army (IRA) (??). Thursday 7 July 1988
A member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was killed in a premature mortar bomb explosion in Pomeroy. Two Catholic civilians were killed in a premature bomb explosion in Belfast.
Thursday 21 July 1988
The British government announced that Shorts aircraft companyin Belfast was to be privatised. Saturday 23 July 1988
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) 'mistakenly' killed a marriedcouple and their six-year old son in a bomb attack at Killeen,County Armagh.
[ PRONI Records – July 1988 ] [ NAI Records – July 1988 ] August 1988 Monday 1 August 1988
An Irish Republic Army (IRA) bomb killed one soldier andinjured nine at an army barracks in London. It was the first IRAbomb in Britain since the 'Brighton' bombing on 12 October 1984. Thursday 4 August 1988
Two Protestant building workers, were killed by the IrishRepublican Army (IRA) in Belleek, County Fermanagh. The two workershad been carrying out repairs at Belleek police station.
Monday 8 August 1988
Two Catholic men were killed by the Protestant Action Force(PAF).
A British soldier died from injuries received three weeks earlier.
Saturday 20 August 1988
Eight British Army soldiers were killed when the Irish RepublicanArmy (IRA) exploded a bomb at Ballygawley, County Tyrone. A further28 soldiers were injured.
Tuesday 23 August 1988
Gerard Harte was extradited from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland (??). Saturday 27 August 1988
Robert Russell was extradited from the Republic of Irelandto Northern Ireland (??). Russell was one of those who had escapedfrom the Maze Prison on 25 September 1983. Tuesday 30 August 1988
Three members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) were shotdead by soldiers of the Special Air Force (SAS) near Drumnakilly,County Tyrone.
Last in a series meetings between John Hume, then leader ofthe Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and Gerry Adams,then leader of Sinn Fein (SF). Ajoint statement was issuedfollowing the meeting. (?) Wednesday 31 August 1988
Sean Dalton and Shelia Lewis, two Catholic civilians werekilled by an Irish Republican Army (IRA) booby-trap bomb in theCreggan area of Derry. A third person, Gerard Curran, was injured and died on 31 March 1989. The three had gone to the flatof a neighbour they hadn't seen for a number of days. Dalton detonatedthe bomb when he climbed through a window of the flat. [The bomb was intended for members of the security forces.]
[ PRONI Records – August 1988 ] [ NAI Records – August 1988 ] September 1988 Saturday 3 September 1988
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) turned out in forceto police the funeral of an Irish Republican Army (IRA) member.[This was a reversal of an earlier low-key approach.] Tuesday 6 September 1988
A loyalist paramilitary gun 'factory' was discovered by theRoyal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) near Ballynahinch, County Down.[A former member of the Ulster Defense Regiment (UDR) was jailedfor his involvement in the gun 'factory' in March 1989.] Friday 30 September 1988
An inquest held in Gibraltar (?) decided that the SpecialAir Service (SAS) soldiers who shot dead three Irish RepublicanArmy (IRA) members on 6 March 1988 had acted lawfully. There wasconflicting evidence on whether or not the IRA members had beengiven a warning before being shot. [ PRONI Records – September 1988 ] [ NAI Records – September 1988 ] October 1988 Wednesday 5 October 1988
Integrated education in Northern Ireland was given a boostwhen Brian Mawhinney, then Minister for education, stated thatthe Department for Education of Northern Ireland (DENI) shouldpromote integrated schools (?). Tuesday 11 October 1988
Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party(DUP) and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for NorthernIreland, was physically removed from the European Parliament buildingwhen he mounted a protest at a speech being made by the Pope. Friday 14 October 1988
Members from four Northern Ireland political parties met fortalks in Duisburg, West Germany. The parties involved were; AllianceParty of Northern Ireland (APNI), Social Democratic and LabourParty (SDLP), Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Democratic UnionistParty (DUP). Little progress was reported from the meetings. Saturday 15 October 1988
Jim Craig, a leading member of the Ulster Defense Association(UDA), was shot dead by members of the Ulster Freedom Fighters(UFF) in a pub in Belfast. Victor Rainey, an innocent member ofthe public was also shot dead and four people injured in the sameincident. Craig was killed as part of an internal UDA feud.
Wednesday 19 October 1988
The British government introduced broadcasting restrictions ('broadcasting ban') on those organisations proscribed in Northern Ireland and Britain.Douglas Hurd, then British Home Secretary, announced restrictionson the broadcasting of direct statements by members of specificproscribed organisations. The organisations affected were; SinnFéin (SF), Republican Sinn Féin (RSF) and the UlsterDefense Association (UDA). The restrictions also applied to individualswho were canvassing support for the named organisations. [Mediaorganisations eventually used a number of methods to try to overcomethe effects of the ban. One approach was to employ actors to mimicthe voices of those being interviewed.] Thursday 20 October 1988
Tom King, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announcedthe introduction of legislation that had the effect of allowinga court to draw an inference from an accused person's decisionto remain silent when questioned by the police. The announcementcaused controversy. Thursday 27 October 1988
Three people from the Republic of Ireland were found guiltyof conspiracy to murder Tom King, then Secretary of State forNorthern Ireland. [ PRONI Records – October 1988 ] [ NAI Records – October 1988 ] November 1988 Tuesday 15 November 1988
Protests organised by Unionists against the Anglo-IrishAgreement were less well supported than previous years. Wednesday 16 November 1988
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) uncovered a large cache of Loyalist arms in several locations in County Armagh. Ten people were arrested in connection with the arms find and held for questioning. The arms included an RPG rocket launcher and five live rounds, three assault rifles, over 12,000 rounds of ammunition, radios, combat equipment, a map of County Monaghan (RoI), and red berets with the cap badge of Ulster Resistance. The items were found in locations around Markethill, Hamiltonsbawn, and in Armagh city. [The cache was believed to be part of a shipment imported into Northern Ireland by three Loyalist paramilitary organisations - UDA, UVF, and Ulster Resistance - during 1987. (Source: The Irish Times, 17 November 1988, page 9.)] Tuesday 22 November 1988
Remission of sentences for prisoners in Northern Ireland wasreduced from a half to one third. It had been raised to 50 percentin 1976. Wednesday 23 November 1988
A Catholic civilian, and his granddaughter, were killed in an attack on the RUC basee in Benburb, County Armagh.
Friday 25 November 1988
Patrick Ryan, a Catholic priest arrested for alleged involvementwith the Irish Republican Army (IRA), was deported from Brusselsdirectly to the Republic of Ireland. The Belgian government hadearlier refused an extradition request from Britain. The issuecaused friction between the Irish and British governments. Tuesday 29 November 1988
The European Court of Human Rights decided that, by detainingsuspects for more than four days, Britain was in breach of theEuropean Convention of Human Rights. This was one of a numberof decisions by European courts that were decided against Britain. [ PRONI Records – November 1988 ] [ NAI Records – November 1988 ] December 1988 Tuesday 13 December 1988
John Murray, then Attorney-General of the Republic ofIreland, refused an extradition request from Britain for PartickRyan, a Catholic priest. Thursday 15 December 1988
Following a White Paper introduced on 25 May 1988 the Britishgovernment brought forward a newFair Employment Bill forNorthern Ireland. The Fair Employment Agency (FEA) was replacedby the Fair Employment Commission (FEC). Compulsory monitoringof the religious composition of workforces of all companies with25 or more employees was introduced. Thursday 22 December 1988
It was announced that, despite the European Court of HumanRights ruling on detention (on 29 November 1988), Britain wouldretain a seven-day detention period. [ PRONI Records – December 1988 ] [ NAI Records – December 1988 ]
[PRONI Records on CAIN - 1988 ] [NAI Records on CAIN - 1988 ]
Sources
This chronology has been compiled from a number of sources:
Bew, P. and Gillespie, G. (1999)Northern Ireland A chronology of the Troubles 1968-1999. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan Ltd.
Elliott, S. and Flackes, W.D. (1999)Northern Ireland A Political Directory 1968-1999. Belfast: The Blackstaff Press.
Fortnight Magazine's monthly chronology of 'the Troubles'.
Sutton, M. (1994)An Index of Deaths from the Conflictin Ireland 1969-1993. Belfast: Beyond the Pale Publications. TheSutton Index of Deaths 1969-2001 - see in particular the list of deaths for1988.
Various newspapers
For a full list of, and links to, on-line sources see theGuide to the Internet.
Notes
Each entry contains information, where relevant, on the following topic areas:
Major security incidents
Political developments
Policy initiatives
Economic matters
Other relevant items
Information contained within square brackets [ ] may contain commentary or information that only became publicly available at a later date. Any piece of information which is followed by a question mark in parenthesis (?) is a best estimate while awaiting an update.
| 
