Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actions

This is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group formed in 1966. It includes actions carried out by the Red Hand Commando (RHC), a group integrated into the UVF shortly after their formation in 1972. It also includes attacks claimed by the Protestant Action Force (PAF), a covername used by the UVF. Most of these actions took place during the conflict known as "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland.

The UVF's declared goal was to destroy Irish republican paramilitary groups. However, most of its victims were Irish Catholic civilians, who were often chosen at random.[1] Whenever it claimed responsibility for its attacks, the UVF usually claimed that those targeted were Provisional Irish Republican Army members or IRA sympathizers.[2] At other times, attacks on Catholic civilians were claimed as "retaliation" for IRA actions, since the IRA drew most of its support from majority-Catholic areas. Such retaliation was seen as both collective punishment and an attempt to weaken the IRA's support.[3] Many retaliatory attacks on Catholics were claimed using the PAF covername.

Attacks resulting in at least three deaths are marked in bold.

1960s

1966

1969

1970s

1970

1971

1972

1973

January-June

July-December

18 November: The UVF leadership declared a ceasefire to allow the political process to develop.[43]

1974

14 May: The UVF, along with Sinn Féin, were declared legal following the passing of legislation at Westminster.

1975

March: A feud began between the UVF and Ulster Defence Association (UDA)/Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), the other main loyalist group.

1976

References for this year:[106] and [107]

1977

References for this year:[109] and [110]

1978

References for this year:[112] and [113]

1979

20 February: Eleven members of the UVF known as the "Shankill Butchers" were sentenced to life in prison for 19 murders. The infamous group was named for their practice of torturing and mutilating their victims with butcher’s knives.

References for this year:[115] and [116]

1980s

1980

References for this year:[117] and [118]

1981

References for this year:[119] and [120]

1982

16 July: Lenny Murphy (leader of the "Shankill Butchers") was released from prison.

References for this year:[124] and [125]

1983

11 April: In a ‘supergrass’ trial in Belfast, 14 UVF members were jailed for a total of 200 years. Their convictions were quashed on 24 December 1984.

References for this year:[128] and [129]

1984

References for this year:[132] and [133]

1985

References for this year:[134] and [135]

1986

16 September: A number of Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians attended the funeral of leading UVF member John Bingham.

References for this year:[138] and [139]

1987

References for this year:[141] and [142]

1988

References for this year:[145] and [146]

1989

References for this year:[150] and [151]

1990s

1990

References for this year:[153] and [154]

1991

References for this year:[158] and [159]

1992

References for this year:[162] and [163]

1993

15 July: The UVF issued a statement admitting sole responsibility for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974.

1994

2 August: A meeting was held by representatives of the UVF and UFF. At that meeting it was decided that loyalist paramilitaries would continue attacking Catholic civilians regardless of any future Provisional IRA ceasefire.
31 August: The Provisional IRA announced a ceasefire.
13 October: The Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC) issued a statement which announced a ceasefire on behalf of all loyalist paramilitaries. The statement noted that "The permanence of our cease-fire will be completely dependent upon the continued cessation of all nationalist/republican violence".

1995

1996

References for this year:[175] and [176]

1997

References for this year:[177] and [178]

1998

References for this year:[179] and [180]

1999

2000s

2000

References for this year:[183] and [184]

2001

References for this year:[185] and [186]

2002

References for this year:[187]

2003

References for this year:[188]

2004

References for this year:[189]

2005

References for this year:[190]

2007

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northern Ireland Troubles.

References

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