The Troubles Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

1 troubles

1.1 battle of bogside
1.2 bloody sunday
1.3 irsp
1.4 support prisoners
1.5 wounded in loyalist shooting

the troubles
battle of bogside

a mural in derry depicting devlin @ bogside.

after engaging, on side of residents, in battle of bogside, convicted of incitement riot in december 1969, served short jail term. after being re-elected in 1970 general election, devlin declared sit in parliament independent socialist.

bloody sunday

having witnessed events of bloody sunday, devlin infuriated later consistently denied floor in house of commons speaker selwyn lloyd, despite fact parliamentary convention decreed mp witnessing incident under discussion granted opportunity speak therein. full transcript can read @ hansard.

devlin slapped reginald maudling, home secretary in conservative government, across face when stated in house of commons paratroopers had fired in self-defence on bloody sunday.

irsp

devlin helped form irish republican socialist party seamus costello in 1974. revolutionary socialist breakaway official sinn féin , paralleled irish national liberation army s split official irish republican army. served on party s national executive in 1975, resigned when proposal inla become subordinate party executive defeated. in 1977, joined independent socialist party, disbanded following year.

support prisoners

bernadette devlin stood independent candidate in support of prisoners on blanket protest , dirty protest @ long kesh prison in 1979 elections european parliament in northern ireland constituency, , won 5.9% of vote. leading spokesperson smash h-block campaign, supported hunger strikes in 1980 , 1981.

wounded in loyalist shooting

on 16 january 1981 , husband shot members of ulster freedom fighters, broke home near coalisland, county tyrone. gunmen shot devlin fourteen times in front of children. british soldiers watching mcaliskey home @ time, failed prevent assassination attempt, indeed has been claimed devlin s assassination ordered british authorities , collusion factor. army patrol of 3rd battalion, parachute regiment, entered house , waited half hour. bernadette devlin mcaliskey has claimed waiting couple die. group of soldiers arrived , transported helicopter nearby hospital. paramilitaries had torn out telephone , while wounded couple being given first aid newly arrived troops, soldier ran neighbour s house, commandeered car, , drove home of councillor telephone help. couple taken helicopter hospital in nearby dungannon emergency treatment , musgrave park hospital, military wing, in belfast, under intensive care. attackers, ray smallwoods, tom graham (38), both lisburn, , andrew watson (25) seymour hill, dunmurry, captured army patrol , subsequently jailed. 3 members of south belfast uda. smallwoods driver of getaway car.