Included are several photos from around the implementing of the Sunday opening laws. The Federation of Retail Licensed Trade announced is determination to implement the laws, but anti-Sunday opening ‘militants’ threatened to do battle with those who choose to open on a Sunday. The Reverend David McIlveen, minister of Sandown Road Free Presbyterian Church in Belfast said: “We are keeping our plans very much to ourselves for obvious reasons but protests have been organised at local level by individual congregations throughout Ulster. Our actions, however, will be peaceful and dignified at all times.”
See who you might see from days gone by.
Do you have an old photograph that you would like to share? Email: [email protected].
1.
Gordon Harvey, chairman of the Federation of Retails Licensed Trade for Northern Ireland, serves customers in his Hillsborough pub at 1923 prices in October 1987 as pubs opened for the first time in Northern Ireland. Mr Harvey told the News Letter: “Obviously there has to be an element of curiosity in all of this today – after all in many ways it is an historic occasion. We were never seeking to make huge amounts of money on a Sunday. We simply wanted the law to be applied fairly across the board.†With regards to the protestors Mr Havey said: “I respect their views and I would like think they would take the time to respect mine. The protest was small and dignified.†Picture: News Letter archives
2.
The Reverend Stanley Barnes leads member of the Hillsborough Free Presbyterian Church in prayer as they held at protest out the village’s Hillside Inn in October 1987. October 1987 marked the end of a 64 year ban on Sunday drinking and it was marked by packed pubs across Northern Ireland, reported the News Letter, but protestors were out in force with Free Presbyterian pickets present outside many public house doors. DUP leader Ian Paisley joined other members of his church outside a Belfast city centre pub where they conducted a short religious service. Nelson McCausland, a spokesperson for the Lord’s Day Observance Society, said: “We will never admit surrender in this campaign. We recognise that the publicans have won this battle but they have not won the war. We are quite prepared to continue our fight for many years if necessary to see the law reversed”
3.
Pupils from Forthbridge School, Crumlin Road, Belfast, and their teachers Mrs Margaret Riddels and Mrs Many Pentland visiting the historic Hillsborough Fort built in 1650 to protect the road to Dublin which passed through the town. The trip, in October 1987, was to help the children with their history, geography and English lessons. Picure: News Letter archives
4.
The Reverend Jim Harrison with elders Alex Simms, Jim Ferguson and Alan Ince inspect the remains of Craigavon Presbyterian Church which was destroyed by fire in October 1987. Offers of help and encouragement flooded in for the congregation after their church was destroyed in what was labelled a "malicious" fire. The congregation gathered in a hastily built marquee besides the shell of the church for the Sunday morning service. The Rev Harrison said: "It was a tight squeeze, but we were able to seat everyone." Picture: News Letter archives