Birmingham pub bombings 40 years ago this week

SharpshooterTom

On 21st November 1974, 40 years ago this week, a spate of bombings by the IRA killed 21 people, the deadliest terrorist attack on British soil until the 7/7 bombings in 2005 which killed 52.

This was only brought to my attention when I was watching Aston Villa vs Southampton game last night where there was a minutes applause during the 21st minute of the match, in memory of those people, and promoting the justice for the 21 campaign (which if I'm being honest not sure what is going to achieve given the settlement between the IRA/British government).

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/watch-aston-villa-fans-birmingham-8166314

I come from a nationalist family in the north, but I've never been a republican or ever given a vote to Sinn Fein, because it will be a cold day in hell before somebody tells me incidents like this were somehow necessary or acceptable, and therefore my conscious couldn't allow me to vote for a party that somehow still thought it was strategically necessary to carry out such attacks.

However my main interest from this was the wave attacks on the Irish community at the time in the UK, we all know about the tragic case of the Birmingham 6, however I was reading the wiki article linking me to a Sydney morning herald about a month after, and I quote:

Already there has been a spate of petrol bomb attacks on the homes of Irish citizens in England and pubs run by Irish landlords. In Birmingham, there has been talk of English workers dropping bricks on the heads of Irish workmates on building sites and in factories.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZXxXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UvEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1156%2C450835

I have absolutely no idea if this was true, but was there anyone here living in England, or even in Birmingham at the time, and have any experiences of what the atmosphere was like around then? I have never been to Brum (I'm sure its not as sh1t as some people suggest :P), but since this was the city of the worst IRA atrocity, I wonder if there is still a hostility to Irish culture, anything Irish generally, particularly amongst older people at all? I assumed its waned, but I'm just wondering if people have experiences from back then.

Laura Palmer

Remember seeing a documentary about the Birmingham pub bombing and an Irish woman whose son was killed in it describing how she was shunned until people found out she lost someone in the atrocity.
That to me sums up the weirdness of blaming people for simply sharing a nationality.

As far as I know, Birmingham has quite a significant Irish population. That stuff has waned greatly I've no doubt.

yipeeeee

This thread is gonna go the usual way.

Will end up been locked midway through talking about Gerry Adams.

Cantremember

Irish people's favourite word is "ago".

lazybones32

A friend's mom was in Birmingham at the time and the worst she endured was being spat in the face but mostly verbal abuse. The men didn't get off as lightly...

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

A bit late discussing it now.

Buona Fortuna

Thomas - good idea for a thread.

A couple of instances from my own experience:

My wife's uncle has lived in the UK longer than he was ever here. He's never lost his accent though. Around that time he was pulled over by police a couple of times. Nothing more than a complete search of the vehicle, docs check and a few sarky comments - As he says could always have been a lot worse.

I was in the TA with a guy. I knew him quite well but I didn't know that his Mother was killed (iirc) in the Guildford pub bombings. Anyway I saw him in a documentary some years later and he had been convicted of fire-bombing an "Irish" pub - thankfully iirc no one was hurt.

I've relayed this as best I can remember it - it was a good few years ago and I have no written sources - if I have got it wrong I don't mean to cause offense to anyone.

Donkey Oaty

There's a report in the Birmingham Mail from a few days ago recalling the retaliations, which outlines some of the threats, the atmosphere and the actual incidents.

Ficheall

I'm in B'ham these days, haven't heard anything about it.

Will keep you posted if I hear of anything interesting, provided no one does me in.

Its Only Ray Parlour

Ficheall wrote: »

I'm in B'ham these days, haven't heard anything about it.

Will keep you posted if I hear of anything interesting, provided no one does me in.

You should wear one of these: http://www.sinnfeinbookshop.com/ira-undefeated-army/

Banjo String

Braydon Most Mission wrote: »

A bit late discussing it now.

We still discuss the twelfth of July parades each year, that event happened in 1690:pac:

Lapin

Ficheall wrote: »

I'm in B'ham these days, haven't heard anything about it.

Will keep you posted if I hear of anything interesting, provided no one does me in.

You're more likely to be done in by a dodgy ruby in Brum these days than deranged pub bomber.

The families continuing search for the murderers to be brought to justice is understandable but sadly, probably will never happen now.

brummytom

My mom was at school at the time (in Birmingham), a Catholic girls' school where the vast majority of students were from an Irish background, and there used to be police on the school gates around that time for fear of some kind of 'revenge' attack.

Living in a fairly English suburb of Birmingham, my nan got quite a bit of verbal abuse at the time for being Irish; but I hadn't heard the stuff about workers on building sites etc. it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest though.

TheBeardedLady

I lived and studied in Wolverhampton for 8 months (30 minutes on the train from Birmingham) and worked on a market stall part time in Birmingham City so spent every other day there as well as nights out. A sizable Irish population there from what I gathered. On St Patrick's Day there's a large parade through the city and it seemed as if the whole place shut down to celebrate when we went. I had a very positive experience in that part of the country overall and never encountered any kind of animosity for being Irish, just people telling me about their Irish grandparents/parents. Very multicultural city with a deadly nightlife. Very friendly people ime.

Don't know what the atmosphere was like back then but it seems odd that a city with such a large Irish diaspora would have had hostility towards the Irish on any notable scale. Perhaps people have moved on as it never came up in conversation when I was there.

Edit: Just seen Brummyton's post.