Bloody Sunday (1921) facts for kids

Bloody Sunday in Belfast was a day of intense violence. It happened in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 10 July 1921. This event took place during the Irish War of Independence. The fighting broke out just one day before a truce was supposed to start. This truce would end the war in most of Ireland.

As the truce neared, police officers from the RIC raided an area where republicans lived. But they were ambushed by the IRA. An officer was killed in the attack. In response, Protestant loyalists attacked Catholic neighborhoods in west Belfast. They burned homes and businesses. This led to riots and gun battles between Protestants and Catholics. Even armed groups joined the fighting. There were also gun battles between republicans and the police. Some police patrols even fired randomly at Catholic civilians.

On 10 July, seventeen people were killed or badly wounded. Three more people died before the truce began at noon on 11 July. At least 100 people were injured. Around 200 houses were destroyed or badly damaged. Most of these were Catholic homes, leaving about 1,000 people without a place to live. This event is part of a larger period known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland (1920–1922).

Why Did Violence Erupt in Belfast?

Belfast saw a lot of violence between 1920 and 1922. Nearly 500 people were killed. This was due to political and religious differences during the Irish War of Independence. Most of Ireland had a Catholic and Irish nationalist majority. They wanted Ireland to be independent from Britain. However, the north-east of Ireland had a Protestant and Unionist majority. They wanted to stay connected to Britain.

Violence between these groups started in the city of Derry in April 1920. It continued with gun battles and riots into May. Derry saw intense fighting in June, where 19 people were killed. In Belfast, violence began on 21 July 1920. Protestant Loyalists forced about 8,000 "disloyal" co-workers out of their jobs. Most of these were Catholics. This was partly a reaction to attacks by the IRA. It was also fueled by strong speeches from Unionist politicians. More than 50 people died in riots between Protestants and Catholics. In nearby towns, loyalists burned many Catholic businesses and homes.

How Did Northern Ireland Form?

Violence continued on and off in Belfast over the next year. In May 1921, Ireland was divided by British law. This created Northern Ireland as a self-governing part of the United Kingdom. Belfast became its capital. The borders were drawn to make sure Northern Ireland had a Protestant majority. A new police force, the Ulster Special Constabulary (USC), was formed. Almost all its members were Protestant. Some members carried out revenge attacks on Catholics.

Violence grew worse in the summer of 1921. At this time, leaders from the self-declared Irish Republic and the British government were talking about a truce. They wanted to end the war. On 10 June, IRA volunteers shot three Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) officers in Belfast. Constable James Glover was badly wounded and later died. The IRA believed he was involved in killing Catholics. This attack led to three days of loyalist violence. At least 14 people were killed. This included three Catholics who were taken from their homes and killed by uniformed police.

Sporadic violence continued in Belfast for the next month. On 8 July, police tried to search homes in the Catholic area of Carrick Hill. But about 15 IRA volunteers confronted them. This led to an hour-long gunfight.

What Happened After Bloody Sunday?

After the violence, a strict curfew was put in place in Belfast. This meant people had to stay indoors at certain times. On 11 July, Eoin O'Duffy, a leader from the IRA, was sent to Belfast. He was there to work with the British authorities and try to keep the truce. He described Belfast as being "in a veritable state of war." He saw gunshots, angry crowds, and people running in fear. Ambulances were carrying the dead and injured to hospitals.

There were no major problems during the yearly Orange Order parades on 12 July. But violence started again the next day. By the end of that week, 28 people had been killed or badly wounded in Belfast.

O'Duffy set up his base in St Mary's Hall in Belfast city centre. He contacted British forces and the news reporters. With the quiet agreement of the RIC, he organized IRA patrols in Catholic areas. He wanted to help bring back order. He also announced that the IRA would stop fighting unless they had to defend themselves. Both Protestants and Catholics saw the truce as a win for the republicans. Protestant unionists were especially upset to see police and soldiers meeting with IRA officers. Even though the truce stopped fighting in most of Ireland, violence quickly started again in Belfast. IRA members later said, "The Truce was not observed by either side in the north." One person said the truce in Belfast "lasted six hours only."

The violence in Belfast during this time often happened in cycles. After the events of July 1921, things quieted down for a while. But then, from 29 August, another 20 people died in the west and north of the city over three days.