Civil rights movement 1968-69 - 09 October 1968

09 October 1968 - People's Democracy March, Belfast

The Derry march of 05 October 1968 provided the spark for civil rights protests across Northern Ireland. On 09 October 1968, 2,000 students marched from Queen's University Belfast. Shortly after their departure, the police served a notice restricting the route of the march away from Shaftesbury Square, Belfast, where the Reverend Ian Paisley was holding a demonstration. In Linenhall Street behind City Hall, the student demonstrators were stopped by a police cordon. The students sat down in protest. Paisley and his supporters moved their rally to the front of City Hall. During the next few hours, the students discussed how to proceed with their protest, the majority deciding to return to the university campus. From this Belfast protest, the People's Democracy was formed.

On the same day, Nationalist MP Eddie McAteer met with Taoiseach Jack Lynch. Betty Sinclair, chair of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA), met with Unionist Mayor of Derry William Beatty on 11 October 1968 in Portballintrae.

Paisley supporters hold counter-demonstration

RTÉ News footage shows students setting out from Queen's University Belfast and Ian Paisley and his supporters holding a counter-demonstration.

Students march for civil rights

Students from Queen's University Belfast have their civil rights march halted by police. Confronted by the police cordon, the students must decide what to do. Ciarán McKeown outlines the alternatives to the protesters. Fred Taggart, a Protestant student who signed the application to the police to hold a march, points out that they have achieved what they set out to do and in the interests of avoiding violence urges them to return to the campus.

McAteer meets Lynch for talks

Nationalist Party leader Eddie McAteer meets with the Taoiseach Jack Lynch to discuss the situation in Northern Ireland. McAteer gives a brief interview to reporters.

Difficulty of trying to take a vote under pressure

In an interview for RTÉ News, demonstrator Ciarán McKeown talks about the previous day's march and admits to the difficult choices faced by the students when confronted with the police and the Paisleyites.

Little said by either side after talks

Reporter Pat Sweeney in Portballintrae tries to get reaction from Unionist
Mayor of Derry William Beatty and Betty Sinclair of NICRA following their "secret"
talks about the situation in Derry after the march in that city on 05 October 1968.