{"id":2916,"date":"2014-12-07T20:57:42","date_gmt":"2014-12-07T20:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2916"},"modified":"2014-12-07T20:58:04","modified_gmt":"2014-12-07T20:58:04","slug":"17-in-belfast-james","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2916","title":{"rendered":"17 in Belfast: James"},"content":{"rendered":"

17 in Belfast.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is late June 1974. I have just turned 17. I live in the middle of Belfast. In the middle of the troubles. This is just some memories of one year.<\/p>\n

July. It is a great month although its wetter than usual. \u00a0Still doesn\u2019t stop us enjoying the bonefire on the 12th<\/sup>.\u00a0 The 3 Degrees are belting it out and the Osmonds have hit the UK.\u00a0 While I\u2019m not a Liverpool supporter Bill Shankly has resigned. This is sad because I like him as a person.<\/p>\n

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The Provos have set a bomb in London killing one policeman. There is madness in South Belfast.\u00a0 A woman is beaten to death by loyalists with her child outside the room. I recall sitting having breakfast before school when a report on the radio says a woman\u2019s body has been found on the side of the M1.\u00a0 It is all women and one man who are lifted for it. \u00a0The victim is Ann Ogilby. It is basically a fight over a man. \u00a0\u00a0We hear sirens all the time now. \u00a0Im not into rugby but we have been \u00a0watching the famous British lions team (the Invincibles) play in south Africa. It\u2019s the dirtiest\u00a0 play I\u2019ve ever seen in rugby. \u00a0\u00a0Players from here are Mike Gibson,\u00a0 Willie John McBride, McKinney, Milliken and Grace.<\/p>\n

August. It is a lazy warm month although half inch of rain falls on the 10th<\/sup>. \u00a0One of them heavy, \u00a0summer plumps. \u00a0I mess about not doing much. I kick ball on the street but the young ones are out and they annoy me.\u00a0 They are children. I am grown up now. There are daily riots around Belfast but they are so common they are not reported unless, \u00a0\u00a0a) there is a foreign news crew or b) it is a slow \u00a0news day. \u00a0There are only 13 people killed this month due to the troubles.\u00a0 One is a 13 year old school boy.\u00a0 Wearing a school uniform is a problem these days. It can identify you to the \u2018other side\u2019. Arnotts shop in town closes. My mum is sad. I remember us going \u00a0shopping there.\u00a0 \u00a0There are regular bomb scares these days.<\/p>\n

September.\u00a0 I start my new school.\u00a0 I am not happy. No friends and strange new routines.\u00a0 I do not know anything about social class until now. It is made obvious that I am regarded as coming from a poor family and a poor place. I got a scholarship to be here but that does not seem to matter. It ends up with me fighting. I blacken the guys eye real good. I\u2019m in front of the headmaster but I soon have friends who tell me that the bully deserved his punching.\u00a0 At the same time Karl Douglas is singing away to the number 1 spot with King Fu Fighting. So after the Bruce Lee period a while back, everyone is out in the street giving it loads of karate chops and flying kicks.<\/p>\n

October. \u00a0It is a busy month. We are having a second general election this year. \u00a0Big John Parkes runs a shop in the Donegall Pass. While he is a DUP man, all shades of Unionist are helping the Rev Robert Bradford keep the South Belfast seat.\u00a0 Leaflets are given out and posters put up. \u00a0He keeps his seat but that night there are numerous Provo\u00a0 bombs about Belfast.\u00a0\u00a0 It is a cool but dry month but the nights are getting chilly. Homework\u2019s are starting to pile up for me.\u00a0 \u00a0One evening the news carries a story of a fire in the long Kesh prison outside Lisburn. I know one of the guys in there. No one knows what is happening.\u00a0 The UDA mobilises and big patrols are out on the streets. I see a patrol of about 30 UDA men on the Shankill road. People are afraid. But David Essex is Gonna make us all stars. \u00a0My dad,\u00a0 friends and I watch Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle on our black and white TV.<\/p>\n

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November. \u00a0\u00a0It is a violent month even by our standards. \u00a0Bombs explode in pubs in Birmingham killing a lot of people. The government rush in new anti-terror laws. \u00a0Everyone is my street is angry.\u00a0 The killings continue here, over 40 troubles deaths. \u00a0A doorman, a catholic, \u00a0is killed at the Club Bar on the University Road.\u00a0 A man, a Prod, who worked in the Markets is found\u00a0 shot dead in a car in Apsley Street.\u00a0 A man, a Catholic, is shot dead at Carolyn Road\u00a0 at the top of the Ormeau Road. \u00a0Barry White, \u00a0the big black dude with the white suit is crooning all over the charts. \u00a0It is a cold month but very windy.<\/p>\n

December. \u00a0Getting ready for Xmas. Still watching Blue Peter and seeing how their charity appeal is coming along. There is a feeling of fear at this festive time. If you go shopping in the city centre you are assured of searches, bomb scares and maybe even a real bomb going off. \u00a0Army and police jeeps race about the streets.\u00a0 If not in school uniform I wear my black DMs,\u00a0 skinners\u00a0 and bomber jacket. I love my Orange Widows badge. I am stopped often for a \u2018pat down\u2019.\u00a0 The dark cold nights and troubles mean people stay in their homes. \u00a0The Monty Python TV show is finishing.<\/p>\n

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At least Top of the Pops is still on. \u00a0Thursday night is usually a good TV night. Mud will be at number 1 this Christmas with Lonely this Christmas.\u00a0 Mud,\u00a0 a name that they wanted to \u00a0stick. A catholic man who was shot at the City Hospital in October dies on Christmas Eve. Won\u2019t be a great Xmas for that family. A woman is accidentally shot dead in a club. \u00a0I know the man who is charged. He is mentally wrecked. It was his friends wife. His friend has forgiven him and knows it was a terrible accident. We have a traditional family dinner with one invited guest.\u00a0\u00a0 There are fewer toys in the house now that we are all growing older. Clothes are more usual now. \u00a0No white Xmas,\u00a0 more like cloudy\u00a0 grey.<\/p>\n

1975.<\/p>\n

January. The year starts off with Status Quo and \u2018Down, \u00a0Down\u2019. Excellent. I already have one of their LPs.\u00a0 My collection of 45\u2019s is growing. I get my pocket money on a Saturday and it is down to the Gramophone shop in the city centre. \u00a0Back to school. It\u2019s a long slog until June. We are told about our mocks this year.\u00a0 Only 9 people killed in the troubles this month.\u00a0 A young catholic is shot dead off Great Victoria Street. He is 17 years old. Same as me. The FA Cup starts for real on the 4th<\/sup>. Still love reading Shoot! The mighty Everton are held by little Altricham at Goodison. Liverpool win as do Leeds but Man United only draw with Walsall only to be beaten in the replay.\u00a0 After a local church youth club on a Saturday night I go home to watch Match of the Day along with buttered bread and a bowl of Dads vegetable soup. Happy days.<\/p>\n

February. It is turning out to be a mild winter. No snow.\u00a0 Steve Harley and his Cockney rebel are going up to see the Number 1 spot. \u00a0Some woman called Thatcher has taken over from Teddy Heath as leader of the Tories. \u00a0A Catholic and Protestant are killed on the Ormeau Road. \u00a0Merlyn Rees is the Secretary of State. He\u2019s annoying the Unionists. I always think of Harry Worth the comedian when I see him.\u00a0 I have taken up playing squash through school.\u00a0 Not a working class game but good fun. \u00a0Leeds and Arsenal look strong in the F.A . Cup. \u00a0But neither make it to the final.<\/p>\n

March\u00a0 \u00a0The Shadows represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest . They sang \u2018Let me be the One\u2019. Instead they were 9th<\/sup>. \u00a0Another young catholic is shot dead off the Ormeau Road. The loyalists are having a deadly feud. 15 people die this month. The first policewoman dies in the troubles, \u00a0killed by loyalists \u00a0in Bangor. \u00a0My favourite bald, lolly sucking, American policeman, has made it to the top of the charts. \u00a0IF he would only\u00a0 stick to catching baddies. \u00a0\u2018Who loves ya baby\u2019? One of my grand uncles has died.\u00a0 It is a country funeral in a small country church. He was a happy go lucky man. I will miss him. Our whole family are at the funeral. It is good to see them all but sad that we only meet when someone dies. \u00a0Leeds and Ipswich go on a marathon tie needing to play 4 matches before Ipswich win out. Bryan Hamilton who plays for N. Ireland scores one Ipswich goal.<\/p>\n

April. \u00a0I have backed Red Rum this year in the National after backing him last year when he won. We are a once-a-year betting family. My mum gets L\u2019Escargot.\u00a0 We all put a shilling each way.\u00a0 Its nice to win. Especially when we haven\u2019t a clue about horse racing. We banter Dad. His is still running somewhere.\u00a0 I am putting in a lot more revision for the class tests. Although, \u00a0I am coming to hate maths.\u00a0 The teacher knows that I am struggling with it. Mud are back at Number 1 with Oh Boy. \u00a0Fulham and West Ham win their semis to book a place at Wembley in May.\u00a0 5 Prods die in the IRA bombing of the Montainview on the Shankill. It is one of the bloodiest weekends in Belfast. 13 men die in the space of 3 days in Belfast.\u00a0 The army shoot dead a young Shankill man after a bar is attacked in Lavinia St. \u00a0The leader of the Sticks is shot dead on the Falls. \u00a0A man is shot\u00a0 dead behind the City Hospital. \u00a0Rangers win the league in Scotland. Some of their best players\u00a0 are Jardine, Johnston,\u00a0 Jackson, Mclean and Parlane (top scorer)<\/p>\n

May.\u00a0 I have to go away on a residential with school. Feels very odd being away from family. And its only a\u00a0 weekend. Only 11 dead in the troubles this month. Tammy Wynette is standing by Her man and West Ham win the FA Cup.\u00a0 Man United are promoted from the second division back into the First Division. We watch Leeds being beaten in the European Cup final by Bayern Munich. Then the riot starts. There is an election to a Convention.\u00a0 It was doomed from the start. \u00a0Another grand uncle dies. I am aware of a generation moving through and that we are all mortal. Even my generation today will be old at some time. And then?<\/p>\n

June. I will be 18 this month.\u00a0 Childhood has gone.\u00a0 Summer holidays then one more year in school. What will I do then? All my mates have jobs. I see less of them. \u00a0A storm blows in at the start of the month. My birthday is a non-event.\u00a0 It\u2019s more about getting the card with the money inside and then a spending spree.\u00a0 I think about a job and money of my own.\u00a0 The killings carry on unabated.\u00a0 A 3 year girl dies in her daddy\u2019s booby trapped car in the Ormeau Road. The Daily Mirror headline screams \u2018Bastards\u2019.\u00a0 A Protestant man is shot dead off the Ormeau Road. A 16 year old is shot dead in north Belfast. His killer is aged 16. It\u2019s a warm and dry June but probably will be a long hot summer.\u00a0\u00a0 What will I do with my life? What can I do. Where would I go? I have never left this island. People just seem to plough on and hope for the best.\u00a0 Wonder what the next year will bring.<\/p>\n

James.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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