My Own Memories Of "the troubles"
By ProddyGirl
(This may not be a 100% accurate account of events but it is how I remember it.)

My earliest memory of the Troubles in Ulster is the first day of internment. Although I was only seven years old at the time my memories of this are as clear as yesterday, this was the day my grand father died 9th August 1971, he was taken to the Royal Victoria hospital after a heart attack and died some time later, as the Royal Victoria hospital is on the Falls Road (a mainly Roman Catholic/IRA stronghold and dangerous for ordinary Protestants like myself and family) we couldn’t get from the Shankill to the hospital to see him before he died, the next problem was getting him laid to rest as the troubles escalated his body was embalmed as we had to wait to find out when the funeral could take place.


News archives of the day

1971: NI activates internment law
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Brian Faulkner, has introduced a new law giving the authorities the power to indefinitely detain suspected terrorists without trial.
The decision by Stormont, the government in Northern Ireland, to implement the new measures was made in the wake of escalating violence and increased bombings in the province and the threat to Northern Ireland's economy.

The move has been welcomed by Unionist MPs but has been fiercely condemned by Republicans.

350 people were immediately arrested and interned this included both Protestant and Roman Catholics. The following 48 hours saw violence and protests against internment that left 17 dead including 10 civilians.


Shortly after the death of my grandfather I remember going to my grand mothers house in Riga St from our house in Moscow St a 5 minute walk normally but this day in particular it took, or seemed to take hours as the army were firing their rifles up Snugville St as I was pushed in to the corner shop (Billy Browns) for my own safety. I don’t think my poor granny got her dinner that day as that was my mission to deliver her food to her.
I also can’t forget the men running up our street after tear gas (cs gas) being shot up the Shankill, at every door step there was a basin or bucket of water with rags and face cloths so the men could rinse out their eyes.





I remember the Rex bar being raided after someone had been shot on the Falls road, it was early evening and the police and the army were in almost at every doorway in the street (Moscow St)This was in the early 70's.
No one was allowed in or out of their houses because some men had run up the street, all houses were raided over the night, I remember the 2 soldiers standing in the doorway of my bedroom, and they were talking about what they had planned for their leave (or I think thats what it was about), After they left my mum came up and asked was I ok and did the men come in and talk to me , I said no they talked to each other. Funny thing was they didnt find anything or anyone hiding in the houses so it was all for nothing, Memories of my mum and dad talking down stairs cant really be repeated but they werent words of love for the army .

The Army were based in the bakery (macombs) in Snugville street behind our house , and I often watched them doing their training from the landing window (window at top of the stairs)