Newry PD History -- Stormont Watch

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Date Posted: Wed, Jan 07 2009, 14:16:01 PST
Author: CR Vets
Subject: Newry PD History

NEWRY PD HISTORY, 1968/9 by P.A. HOBEN

Civil Rights leaders, Austin Currie of Tyrone, Finbar Doherty of Derry, Thomas Keane and Margo Collins are gathering in Newry on November 14th for an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Civil Rights. 1968 began the N. Ireland Civil Rights Association campaign of �non-violent street protest�. August saw its first March and in November, Newry Peoples` Democracy joined the campaign.

People today must wonder why a 1968 campaign is being celebrated now. This is because- rights we take for granted today �like a vote for local Council and fair allocation of houses � did not exist then. These were won by Civil Rights marchers.

The event in Newry Arts Centre tells the story of Newry PD in 1968 and 1969. A debate between Civil Rights leaders, an exhibition and film brings the story to life. If you think you or yours were committee members, come and see the records!
In 1968, �on November 9th, under the chairmanship of Thomas Keane� Newry PD was formed. Immediately it`s work began �picketing Newry Council, protesting that 126 houses were being given out by individual councillors and not by points system. That system was adopted by the Rural Council in December � a branch success.

1969 began with Newry`s first March on January 11th. Suddenly �the world`s spotlight was on Newry� revealed the Frontier Sentinel � because Loyalists who had just attacked a PD March to Derry � announced a counter demonstration in Newry. This caused Stormont`s Cabinet to re-route the march, away from � Protestant areas�.
The march went ahead but �in Newry, marchers turned violent for the first time�. Police were attacked and tenders thrown in the Canal. Unionists said Civil Rights was a �republican plot�.

The branch blamed the violence on �the re-routing and 200 irresponsibles� and ashamed, called a public meeting. �1000 attended� and Chairman Keane announced the Committee was resigning en bloc. In fact, the Chair, secretary and P.R.O. were elected, as was �a more adult committee�.
In February, N. Ireland Prime Minister, O`Neill found his promised reforms not enough for Civil Righters but too much for his Unionists. He called an election but his position weakened, while Civil Righters were strengthened because their leaders, like S. Armagh`s Paddy O`Hanlon, were elected. In April, O`Neill resigned.

In Newry, protests over housing intensified. In May, out of the blue, �in a James Bond type operation,� the PD squatted a family in a Ministry house. In June, it picketed the Electricity Board, demanding �jobs on merit�, its placards saying �Jobs reserved for Protestants�. Then trouble loomed � a march on 7th July was to be over the route banned before. When marchers reached Monaghan Street Bridge � where January`s violence happened- �2000 stood in silence�, then walked the full route without incident. Establishing, the branch stated � no part of Newry belongs to any religion�.

By August, N. Ireland was on the verge of civil war. In Derry on the 11th and 12th , a battle erupted between Bogside residents and police. �To take the heat off Derry,� NICRA called for street protests. Newry PD responded and O`Hanlon led 300 to the police station in �peaceful protest�. Others had a different plan and August 18th began �3 Nights of Violence�. Police were petrol bombed, lorries hi-jacked, �sealing the town�. It became known the violence was organised by a �Citizens` Action Committee �.who had taken over Newry CRA � whose Committee resigned in protest�. The Action Committee did not name its members but later it`s statements were issued by Sam Dowling, chairman. Calling itself `the Reformed Newry CRA`,
in December it protested at the police station over the internment of 2 men.

1968 and 1969 were dramatic for Newry PD. It`s marches in 1969 turned violent in January then August, when its Committee was overthrown. But it had victories over the Council: �housing on need� was achieved in October 1969 when the points system was adopted. �Jobs on merit� was won in 1970 when the appointment of Baths Manager was squashed by the Ombudsman. But Newry PD`s real claim to fame was its upholding of NICRA`s non-sectarian stance. What was unique about Newry CRA, said Canavan was �its agitating- not just against abuse of power across N. Ireland - but also its abuse in Newry Council � which was Catholic controlled�.

VIEW THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY WEBSITE @

www.nicivilrights.org

or

www.civilrights1968.com

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