Billy Mc Millen - Civil Rights and August 1969 Riots

Civil Rights and August 1969 Riots

In 1967, McMillen was involved in the formation of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, being a member of a three-man committee which drew up the Association's constitution. The NICRA was dedicated to moderate reform of the Northern Ireland state, however its activities resulted in widespread rioting, leading to fears that Catholic areas would come under attack by loyalists. In May 1969, when asked at an IRA army council meeting by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh how many weapons the Belfast IRA had for defensive operations, McMillen stated they had only one pistol, a machine gun and some ammunition.

By August 14, 1969, serious rioting had broken out in Belfast and Catholic districts came under attack from loyalists and the RUC (police). McMillen's IRA command by this point still had only a limited amount of weapons (one rifle, two sub-machine guns and nine hand guns according to one account) because the leadership in Dublin were reluctant to release guns to injure other working-class people. While McMillen was involved in some armed actions on this day, he was widely blamed in republican circles for the IRA's failure to adequately defend Catholic areas. He was arrested and temporarily detained by the RUC on the morning of August 15, but was released shortly afterwards. (See also Northern Ireland riots of August 1969).

McMillen's role in the 1969 riots was very important within IRA circles, as it was one of the major factors contributing to the split in the movement in late 1969. In a June 1972 lecture organised by Official Sinn Féin in Dublin, McMillen defended his conduct, stating that by 1969 the total membership of the Belfast IRA was approximately 120 men and their armaments had increased to a grand total of 24 weapons, most of which were short range pistols.