Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army Actions (1970-1979)

1972

5 January 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on foot-patrol in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
7 January 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed in a gun-battle with British troops in the Falls area of Belfast.
12 January 1972: An off duty RUC officer was shot dead by an IRA unit in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
13 January 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while driving a van through Newtownabbey, County Antrim.
17 January: Seven IRA volunteers, jailed in the prison ship HMS Maidstone, made good their escape through a porthole on the side away from the dock. They swimmed to the dockside and hijacked a bus which they drove to the Markets area. The escapees later hold a press conference.
18 January 1972: A Catholic civilian was shot dead, apparently by the IRA, after he came forward as a witness to the IRA hijacking of a bus in The Mount area of Belfast.
21 January 1972: A British soldier was killed when he stepped on an IRA landmine near Keady, County Armagh.
26 January 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed when a bomb he was planting at an RUC base in Castlewellan, County Down, exploded accidentally.
27 January 1972: An IRA unit which included Martin Meehan fought a 4-hour gun battle with a British Army detachment at Dungooley in south County Armagh. The British Army alone fired over 4,500 rounds while the IRA returned fire with assault rifles and an anti-tank gun. There were no casualties in the battle with the exception of a farmers pig which was caught in the crossfire. 8 IRA volunteers were arrested south of the border but were eventually acquitted.
27 January 1972: Two RUC officers were killed when their patrol vehicle was hit by IRA gunfire in the Creggan area of Derry.
28 January 1972: An off-duty RUC officer was shot dead in an IRA gun attack at a garage in the Oldpark area of Belfast.
30 January 1972: A British soldier died four months after being injured in an IRA sniper attack in the Bogside area of Derry.
1 February 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
2 February 1972: A bomb exploded at the Catholic-owned Imperial Bar in Stewartstown, County Tyrone. The pub was officially closed in mourning for those who died on Bloody Sunday, but some customers had gone in through the back door for a drink. One Catholic civilian was killed. There was initial newspaper speculation that the IRA had bombed the bar because it had not closed fully, and the Sutton database lists the IRA as responsible. However, it is generally believed that loyalists were responsible for the attack, which fits the pattern of loyalist attacks in the county.
5 February 1972: Two IRA volunteers were killed when a bomb they were transporting exploded accidentally on a barge in Lough Neagh.
10 February 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed in a gun-battle with the RUC in Newtownabbey, County Antrim.
10 February 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in an IRA landmine attack on their Armoured Personnel Carrier in Cullyhanna, County Armagh.
13 February 1972: An off-duty British soldier was shot dead by the IRA in Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh.
16 February 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in separate IRA gun-attacks in Derry and at the Moira roundabout in County Down.
21 February 1972: Four IRA volunteers died in Belfast when a bomb they were transporting exploded prematurely.
29 February 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA in Lurgan, County Armagh.
1 March 1972: An off-duty UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA at his home in Garrisson, County Fermanagh.
2 March 1972: An RUC officer was shot dead in an IRA ambush in Newry.
3 March 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper team on Manor Street in Belfast.
4 March 1972: An IRA volunteer was shot dead by the RUC during a bomb attack on a factory in Boucher Street, Belfast.
4 March 1972: A bomb exploded at the Abercorn Restaurant in Belfast without any warning. Two civilians were killed and over 100 people injured. The IRA were blamed, but denied responsibility.
8 March 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead at his workplace by the IRA in Middletown, County Armagh.
9 March 1972: Three IRA volunteers were killed when a bomb they were assembling exploded accidentally in a house in Clonard, Belfast.
14 March 1972: Two IRA volunteers were shot dead by the British Army in Dove Gardens, Derry City.
14 March 1972: A two-man IRA unit armed with sub-machine guns ambushed a joint British Army/RUC patrol on Brackaville Road outside Coalisland. Over 50 shots were fired by the unit. The RUC officer who was driving the police patrol vehicle was killed.
14 March 1972: After the end of a three-day cease fire, an IRA bomb caused widespread damage in the main street of Lisburn. Three soldiers and an RUC officer were wounded.
15 March 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in an IRA booby-trap bomb attack in Belfast. An RUC officer was killed in an IRA gun attack in Coalisland, County Tyrone.
20 March 1972: Two RUC officers, a British soldier and four civilians were killed when the IRA detonated a carbomb on Donegall Street in Belfast. The warning had been inadequate.
20 March 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper on William Street in Derry.
23 March 1972: The IRA detonated two car bombs in Main Street, Bangor.
25 March 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed when two IRA units engaged each other in error on the Springfield Road in Belfast.
28 March 1972: The IRA carried out a car-bomb attack on Limavady RUC base in County Londonderry. Two civilians who were driving past at the time were killed in the explosion.
29 March 1972: A British soldier was killed in an IRA booby-trap bomb attack on Wellington Street in Belfast.
30 March 1972: A civilian was killed in the crossfire of a gun-battle between the IRA and the British Army in the Andersonstown area of Belfast.
7 April 1972: Three IRA volunteers died when a bomb they were assembling exploded accidentally in a garage in the Greencastle area of Belfast.
8 April 1972: A British soldier was killed in an IRA sniper attack on his patrol on the Springfield Road in Belfast.
13 April 1972: The IRA detonated a car-bomb on the Main Street of Ballymoney, County Antrim. Despite a warning to evacuate the area, one civilian was killed.
17 April 1972: A British Army officer and three soldiers were shot and wounded by an IRA unit at Divis Flats, Belfast. A nine-year-old boy was also injured.
19 April 1972: A UDR soldier was killed after being kidnapped by the IRA near Newtownhamilton, County Armagh.
25 April 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA gun-attack on a British Army Permanent Vehicle Checkpoint on the Donegall Road in Belfast.
29 April 1972: A civilian was killed in the crossfire between an IRA unit and the British Army outside Oldpark British Army base in Belfast.
10 May 1972: An IRA bomb set a fire that destroyed the Belfast Co-operative store.
11 May 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on patrol in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
13 May 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed in a gun-battle with the British Army on William Street in Derry.
13 May 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in a gun-battle with the IRA in Ballymurphy, Belfast.
17 May 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA sniper attack while repairing a damaged perimeter fence at Crossmaglen British Army base in County Armagh.
18 May 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper on Flax Street in Belfast.
20 May 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on patrol in Dungannon, County Tyrone.
23 May 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on foot-patrol in the Ballymurphy area of Belfast.
26 May 1972: The IRA detonated a car-bomb on Oxford Street in Belfast. A civilian was killed in the explosion.
28 May 1972: Four IRA volunteers, along with four civilians, were killed when a bomb they were preparing exploded accidentally in the Short Strand area of Belfast.
30 May 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in separate IRA sniper and bomb attacks in Belfast.
2 June 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in an IRA landmine attack on their foot-patrol in Rosslea, County Fermanagh.
6 June 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in separate IRA sniper attacks in Belfast.
8 June 1972: A member of An Garda Síochána was killed when he set off an IRA booby-trap bomb. He had strayed a few yards across the border into Legkelly, County Fermanagh.
8 June 1972: A UDR soldier was killed by an IRA sniper on the Buncrana Road in Derry.
9 June 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by an IRA unit after leaving his workplace in Finaghy, Belfast.
11 June 1972: Colonel Gaddafi announced that he had supplied arms to "revolutionaries" in Ireland. There were shooting incidents across Belfast and Northern Ireland, including a gun battle between Loyalist and Republican paramilitaries in the Oldpark area of Belfast. Three civilians and a British soldier were killed.
12 June 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by the IRA during a gun-battle in the Ardoyne area of Belfast.
18 June 1972: Three British soldiers were killed in an IRA booby-trap bomb attack. The bomb had been left in a derelict house in Bleary, County Armagh.
19 June 1972: An associate of the OIRA was shot dead by the IRA during a dispute in the Cracked Cup Social Club in Belfast.
19 June 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper in Ardoyne, Belfast.
21 June 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on guard duty at a British base in Derry.
24 June 1972: Three British soldiers were killed by an IRA land mine attack near Dungiven, County Londonderry.
26 June 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on mobile-patrol in the Short Strand area of Belfast.
26 June–8 July 1972: IRA ceasefire and talks with British government.
27 June 1972: A civilian was shot dead by the IRA after attempting to drive though one of their vehicle checkpoints.
7 July 1972: A civilian was shot dead after crashing his car into an IRA roadblock.
9 July 1972: A UDA member was shot dead by the IRA in the Markets area of Belfast.
11 July 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA gun attack in Derry.
13 July 1972: Four British soldiers and an IRA volunteer were killed in various gun-battles across Belfast. The British Army also killed two# armed men.
14 July 1972: An IRA volunteer was shot dead in a gun battle with the British Army. Also killed in the violence were three British soldiers, an OIRA volunteer and a civilian.
15 July 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in separate IRA attacks in Belfast and Armagh.
16 July 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in an IRA landmine attack on their armoured vehicle in Crossmaglen, County Armagh. In Belfast an RUC officer was killed in an IRA gun attack on his patrol car. A member of the IRA Youth Section was killed by a rubber bullet fired by security forces in Strabane, County Tyrone.
18 July 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper at the British Army base in Ballymurphy, Belfast. The IRA also shot dead a civilian who attempted to stop a bomb attack on a building in Belfast.
20 July 1972: A civilian was shot dead attempting to stop an IRA bomb attack on his business premises.
21 July 1972: On "Bloody Friday" 22 bombs in Belfast killed two British soldiers, a UDA member and six civilians and injured 130 others. The IRA officially apologised for this set of attacks in 2002. An IRA volunteer was killed in a gun battle with British troops in the Markets area of Belfast.
23 July 1972: A UDR soldier was kidnapped and shot dead by the IRA in the Ardoyne area of Belfast.
24 July 1972: A Chinese restaurant was destroyed by an IRA bomb in the Dockside area of Derry. As British troops arrived on the scene they were ambushed by a sniper. One civilian was wounded in the crossfire.
24 July 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper in Ballymurphy, Belfast.
26 July 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA attack on a British foot-patrol in the Unity Flats, Belfast.
28 July 1972: An IRA volunteer was shot dead by a British sniper while sitting in a car outside the "Starry Plough Bar" in Belfast.
31 July 1972: Three car bombs exploded in the Claudy bombings, killing nine people on Claudy High Street near Derry. The IRA have always denied involvement, but they are believed to have been responsible. In Operation Motorman, the biggest British military operation since the Suez crisis, the army used 12,000 soldiers supported by tanks and bulldozers to dismantle barricades and take IRA held "no go areas" in Belfast and Derry.
3 August 1972: An IRA volunteer and a British soldier were killed in separate attacks in Belfast and Tyrone.
4 August 1972: A British soldier was killed by an IRA sniper while on foot-patrol in the Andersonstown area of Belfast.
7 August 1972: Four British soldiers were killed in three separate IRA attacks across Northern Ireland.
9 August 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed when a bomb exploded accidentally in a garage in Newry.
11 August 1972: Two IRA volunteers died when the vanbomb they were transporting exploded prematurely in the Lower Falls, Belfast.
14 August 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in an IRA booby-trap bomb attack at Casement Park British Army base in Belfast. A civilian was also killed in the crossfire between an IRA unit and a British patrol in the Ardoyne area of Belfast.
17 August 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by the IRA in a sniper attack just off the Grosvenor Road in Belfast.
18 August 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in separate IRA sniper attacks in Belfast.
22 August 1972: The IRA shot dead a member of the Loyalist Association of Workers on Turin Street in Belfast.
22 August 1972: A bomb prematurely exploded at a customs post in Newry, killing nine people, including three IRA volunteers.
23 August 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA sniper attack in the Andersonstown area of Belfast.
24 August 1972: A British soldier was killed in an IRA landmine attack on a British mobile-patrol in Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
25 August 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper in the Shantallow area of Derry.
26 August 1972: Two UDR soldiers were killed in an IRA remote controlled bomb attack in Cherrymount, County Fermanagh.
26 August 1972: Two IRA volunteers died in a premature bomb explosion in Downpatrick, County Down.
27 August 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper in Creggan Heights, Derry.
28 August 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA sniper attack on Beechmount Avenue in Belfast. A civilian was also killed when he triggered a booby-trap bomb near his farm in County Fermanagh. It was reported that the bomb had been intended for soldiers who were patrolling the area following reports of gunfire.
30 August 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in separate IRA gun and bomb attacks in Belfast.
10 September 1972: Three British soldiers were killed in an IRA landmine attack on a British Armoured Personnel Carrier near Dungannon, County Tyrone.
15 September 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA sniper attack in the Bogside area of Derry.
17 September 1972: An IRA volunteer was shot dead by the British Army during a riot in the Creggan area of Derry.
18 September 1972: A British soldier was shot dead in an IRA gun attack while on foot-patrol in the Lecky Road area of Derry.
20 September 1972: A British soldier was killed in a gun battle with the IRA on Springhill Avenue in Ballymurphy, Belfast.
21 September 1972: A UDR soldier and his wife were killed in an IRA gun attack on their home in Derrylin, County Fermanagh.
22 September 1972: A British soldier was killed in an IRA sniper attack in Crossmaglen, County Armagh.
27 September 1972: A British soldier was killed in an IRA gun attack in Derry. A civilian, who was a member of the Orange Order, was killed in an IRA gun attack at the corner of Ligoniel Road and Mill Avenue, Belfast.
29 September 1972: An IRA volunteer and a British soldier were killed in a gun-battle in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
30 September 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper in the Ardoyne area of Belfast.
2 October 1972: An undercover British soldier was shot dead by the IRA in the Twinbrook area of Belfast.
2 October 1972: The IRA kidnapped and killed four alleged informers.
6 October 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed during an IRA attack on a British Army base in the Lower Falls, Belfast.
10 October 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA outside his home in Newry.
10 October 1972: Three IRA volunteers died when a bomb they were assembling exploded in a house in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.
13 October 1972: An RUC officer was shot dead by the IRA while driving a car along Castle Street in Belfast.
18 October 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on a British mobile-patrol in the Falls Road area of Belfast.
22 October 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA on his farm in Derrydoon, County Fermanagh.
22 October 1972: Two barges were bombed and sunk by the IRA at Lough Neagh with a loss of £80,000.
24 October 1972: Two British soldiers were killed in separate IRA sniper and bomb attacks in Belfast and Armagh.
28 October 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on foot-patrol on Bishop Street in Derry.
31 October 1971: A British soldier was shot dead by an IRA sniper while on foot-patrol in the New Lodge area of Belfast.
8 November 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA while driving his car through Lurgan, County Armagh.
10 November 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by the IRA while manning a vehicle checkpoint in the Oldpark area of Belfast.
13 November 1972: An IRA volunteer was shot dead by the British Army while driving his car along La Salle Drive in Belfast.
14 November 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by the IRA as he stood guarding homes which were being raided by the British Army in the Unity Flats complex in Belfast.
16 November 1972: An RUC officer was killed by an under-car booby trap bomb which detonated as he drove through Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.
20 November 1972: Two British soldiers were killed by a booby-trap bomb hidden in an abandoned house in Cullyhanna, County Armagh.
22 November 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA at his home near Maghera, County Londonderry.
28 November 1972: The IRA fired 15 rockets at ten security posts throughout Northern Ireland. An RUC officer was killed in a rocket attack on Belleek RUC base, County Fermanagh. This is the first recorded use of an RPG-7 by the IRA. Two IRA volunteers were killed in a premature bomb explosion in the Bogside area of Derry. A British Army bomb disposal expert was killed attempting to defuse an IRA bomb in the Strand Road area of Derry.
29 November 1972: Another three rockets hit British Army posts in Northern Ireland.
5 December 1972: The IRA fired 15 rockets and mortars at security posts throughout Northern Ireland. An off-duty UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA outside a post office in Killeter, County Tyrone.
6 December 1972: Eleven British soldiers were hurt when their APC was hit by a rocket in the Lower Falls district of Belfast. One of them lost an arm. Another three soldiers were hurt in a gun attack on their APC in the Ballymurphy district of Belfast.
7 December 1972: Mother of ten, Jean McConville, was kidnapped and killed by the IRA, allegedly for informing the British Army of IRA activities, although her family contend that she was killed for comforting a wounded British soldier. The IRA denied any involvement in the killing until the 1990s, when it acknowledged its action and helped to locate the body.
8 December 1972: A British soldier was shot dead by the IRA while on mobile patrol in the Ballymurphy area of Belfast.
10 December 1972: A British soldier was killed by a booby-trapped rocket launcher which had been planted by the IRA at Fort Monagh British Army base in the Turf Lodge area of Belfast.
13 December 1972: An off-duty RUC officer was shot dead by the IRA outside the Chester Park Hotel in Belfast.
16 December 1972: An IRA volunteer was shot dead by loyalists at his butchers shop in Derrylin, County Fermanagh.
18 December 1972: Ulster Unionist Party Councillor William Johnston was kidnapped and shot dead by the IRA in Armagh town. He was also a member of the Police Authority.
20 December 1972: A UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA in Claudy, County Londonderry.
24 December 1972: A British soldier was killed after being shot by an IRA sniper on Lecky Road in Derry.
27 December 1972: An IRA volunteer was killed by the British Army while carrying out a gun attack on their patrol in Strabane, County Tyrone.
29 December 1972: An IRA volunteer was shot dead by the British Army while out walking in Ballyarnet, County Londonderry.

Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army Actions (1970-1979) - 1972