Springhill massacre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Springhill massacre |
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| Part of the Troubles | |
Poster demanding an inquiry in the Beechmount area of Belfast
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| Location | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Date | 9 July 1972 |
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Attack type
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Mass shooting |
| Deaths | 5 |
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Non-fatal injuries
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2 |
The Springhill massacre was a sad event that happened in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 9 July 1972. During this event, five Catholic people living in the Springhill area were killed by the British Army. This happened during a time known as the Troubles. Three of the people who died were teenagers. One was a 13-year-old girl. Another person killed was a Catholic priest. He was waving a white flag to show he was not fighting as he went to help someone who was hurt.
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What Was Happening in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland had a lot of fighting and disagreements starting in 1969. This period is called the Troubles. It was a conflict between different groups of people. Some people wanted Northern Ireland to stay part of the United Kingdom. Others wanted it to join the Republic of Ireland.
This conflict led to violence between different groups. These groups included paramilitary groups, the police (called the Royal Ulster Constabulary), and the British Army. Many people were killed or hurt during this time. West Belfast was a place where a lot of these fights happened. People there often did not want the police or army around. Groups like the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) were also very active there. The Springhill shooting happened when these tensions were very high.
The Shooting Incident
On 9 July 1972, a shooting happened in Springhill. There are different ideas about what exactly took place.
What the IRA Said Happened
The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) gave their version of events. They said that British Army snipers from the Parachute Regiment took a position in a timber yard in Springhill. They were seen building up their spot with sandbags.
The IRA stated that two cars then drove nearby. The British soldiers started shooting at these cars. One car drove away quickly. The other car stopped a short distance away, and the people inside got out. When they got out, the soldiers shot at them again. One person from the stopped car was hit in the head and badly hurt.
A local person named Brian Petticrew saw what was happening. He ran to help the wounded man but was also shot in the back and arm. Then, the wounded man's brother and a friend ran to help. They were both also shot and hurt.
During this time, a 13-year-old girl named Margaret Gargan was shot and died. A local priest, Father Noel Fitzpatrick, and a passer-by, Patrick Butler, ran to help her. Father Fitzpatrick was seen waving a white cloth. This showed he was not involved in any fighting. But both he and Patrick Butler were also shot and killed. All the people who died were not carrying any weapons.
What the British Army Said Happened
The British Army had a different story. They said that Provisional Irish Republican Army gunmen shot at their troops first. They claimed this ended a temporary ceasefire in West Belfast.
A British Army spokesperson said there was a "heavy exchange of fire" between the IRA and their soldiers. They stated that some of the people who died or were hurt were "caught in a crossfire." The next day, the British Army said that gunmen at the scene had been shot during the fighting. Two of the five people who died, John Dougal (16) and David McCafferty (15), were reported to be part of Fianna Éireann. This group was linked to the Provisional Irish Republican Army.
What Happened After?
An "open" verdict was given at an inquest into the Springhill event. This means the court could not fully decide how the deaths happened. This event is sometimes called "the forgotten massacre." This is because other big shootings happened around the same time. For example, Bloody Sunday happened a few months earlier in Derry. In that event, British soldiers shot 26 unarmed people, and many died. Also, the Ballymurphy massacre happened the year before. In that event, soldiers from the same army group killed 11 people over three days.
For many years, the families of those killed in Springhill have asked for a new investigation. In 2014, the main legal advisor for Northern Ireland, John Larkin, said that new investigations would be held into the deaths.
There are two places that remember those who died in Springhill. Both are in Ballymurphy, Belfast. One is the Springhill Massacre Memorial Garden, opened in 1999. The other is Ballymurphy Gairdin Cuimhneachain, finished in 2005. This second memorial also remembers other local people killed by the British Army and other groups.
