Battle of Lenadoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lenadoon Avenue Battle |
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| Part of The Troubles | ||||||||
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| Belligerents | ||||||||
 British Army |
 Provisional IRA Official IRA |
 Ulster Volunteer Force Ulster Defence Association |
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| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
| General Robert Ford Lieutenant Colonel John Charteris Lieutenant Robert Williams-Wynn |
Brendan Hughes Seamus Twomey |
Sammy Murphy | ||||||
| Units involved | ||||||||
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UDA South Belfast Brigade Various UVF gunmen |
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| Strength | ||||||||
| 600+ soldiers |
100+ volunteers
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unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
| 3 killed 30 wounded |
2 killed 12 injured 3 (2 from Youth Wing) killed |
At least 1 killed unknown injured |
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| 14 civilians killed | ||||||||
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The Battle of Lenadoon was a series of intense clashes that happened over six days, from July 9th to 14th, 1972. It involved the Provisional IRA and the British Army. The fighting began in the Lenadoon Avenue area of Belfast and quickly spread to other parts of the city. Other groups, like Loyalist paramilitaries and the Official Irish Republican Army, also took part in some of the events. Sadly, 28 people lost their lives in Belfast during this period. This outbreak of fighting brought an end to a two-week agreement to stop fighting between the British Government and the IRA.
Contents
What Caused the Lenadoon Battle?
A Time of Trouble in Northern Ireland
By 1972, a period known as The Troubles had been happening in Northern Ireland for three years. During this time, armed groups called Irish Republican paramilitaries often clashed with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the British Army. There was a lot of tension and conflict between different groups of people. This kind of widespread disagreement had not been seen in Ireland since the 1920s. Daily life in Northern Ireland often involved clashes, bombings, and protests. From August 1971, armed conflicts between Irish Republican groups, the British Army, and Loyalist paramilitaries became common. This was especially true in the North and West areas of Belfast, where many different communities lived close together.
The Ceasefire and Its End
After an event known as "Bloody Sunday" in January 1972, many more people joined Irish Republican groups like the Provisional (PIRA) and Official (OIRA). By spring 1972, some in the IRA felt they were gaining strength. In June 1972, the IRA leadership agreed to a temporary stop in fighting, called a ceasefire. This was to allow for discussions between IRA representatives and the British Government. The ceasefire lasted for two weeks. However, some members of the IRA wanted to continue fighting. They believed they had an advantage and that they could achieve their goals.
The Battle Unfolds
Day One: July 9th
On July 9th, two days after peace talks failed, a tense situation began in the Lenadoon Estate. Catholic families, who had been forced to leave their own homes, tried to move into empty houses. These houses had been left by Protestant families who had also moved because of recent unrest. To prevent further conflict between these groups, the British Army used armored vehicles to block the road. The situation grew worse when the Army stopped a moving truck, leading to a larger disturbance. That evening, the IRA in Belfast announced that their ceasefire was over. They stated this was due to the events in Lenadoon. A leader from the IRA, Seamus Twomey, then ordered his unit to open fire on the British Army. This started the armed clashes.
That night, other conflicts happened across Belfast. In an event known as the "Springhill Massacre", British Army snipers caused the deaths of three civilians, a member of the Official IRA, and a 16-year-old from the IRA's youth group, Na Fianna Éireann. Two other civilians were also injured. In other parts of Belfast, three more people lost their lives. It is thought that Republican groups were responsible for these deaths. In total, eleven people lost their lives on July 9th in Belfast.
Days Two and Three: July 10th & 11th
On July 10th, more clashes and disturbances occurred, but no additional lives were lost. William Whitelaw, a British government official, confirmed that secret discussions had happened between the IRA and the British government.
On July 11th, the IRA tried to attack a British Army observation post. They used a large digging machine with a bomb. However, the bomb did not explode as planned. Later that day, a 16-year-old member of the Official IRA's youth group, Gerard Gibson, was killed by the British Army near Lenadoon. Charles Watson, a 21-year-old civilian, also lost his life. It is thought that the UDA was responsible for his death.
Day Six: July 14th
On July 14th, 600 more British soldiers arrived in Lenadoon Avenue. They came to confront the IRA, who had gained control of much of the estate. This led to more intense fighting, and six more people lost their lives. A PIRA sniper killed a British soldier, Robert Williams-Wynn (24), who was leading an armored car unit. This unit was trying to contain IRA members in the area. A 64-year-old civilian also died during a PIRA sniper attack on a British Army base. Louis Scullion (27), a PIRA member, was killed by the British Army.
William Whitelaw mentioned in the British Parliament that the IRA had used a powerful rocket launcher during one of the clashes. He stated they had six such weapons at that time.
More fighting also happened in the Ardoyne area. Edward Brady (30), a member of the Official IRA Belfast Brigade, was killed by the British Army. Two British soldiers also lost their lives due to gunmen from the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade. While the British Army and the Official IRA at the time identified Edward Brady as an IRA member, his family later said he was not involved with any armed groups.
What Happened Next?
After the battles in Lenadoon, the IRA continued their activities, including bombings and other attacks. Just one week later, the Provisional IRA carried out a very large bombing operation. This event is known as Bloody Friday. They set off 22 car bombs in Belfast City within 75 minutes. Sadly, 9 people lost their lives, including civilians and members of security forces. About 130 others were seriously injured.
See also
- Battle at Springmartin
- Battle of St Matthew's
- Falls Curfew
- 1973 Old Bailey bombing
- 1997 Northern Ireland riots
