User:Oisin McElhinney/sandbox

Peter Francis Ward was an 18 year old barman who was shot dead on June 23rd 1966 by members of the Ulster Volunteer force (UVF). The three man attack was led by the leader of the Ulster Volunteer Force, Gusty Spence who was sentenced to 20 years for the murder of Ward. He was detained two days after the attack at his house on Shankhill road.

Early Life and Education
Peter Francis word was born in West Belfast on the 5th of June 1948. Peter finished with school after primary education and began working the family trade of shoe repair with his father Patrick. When Peter became of age he started bar tending. Peter came from a Catholic family who had strong roots in the GAA in west Belfast.

Murder
On the evening of June 23rd 1966, three ulster volunteer members met close to the pub that Peter Ward was drinking at on Malvern street. When leaving the pub Peter was shot dead by the members who were later caught and prosecuted by the RUC. He was rushed to Belfast City Hospital nearby but died on the way. Peter Francis Ward was a Catholic and what made his death so notable was that it was probably the first death in the current period of conflict. The three Ulster Volunteer members told the RUC after being detained that they felt compelled to carry out this murder as they felt the Catholics were becoming a threat to both the Union with Britain and the Protestant way of life in Northern Ireland. The killers were led by Gusty Spence the UVF commander at that time stated that he had seen an upsurge in Catholic nationalism since the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising

Aftermath
Up until this violent murder there had been no loyalist violence in years. Before this there were no sectarian barriers with both sides shopping and moving from one to another's community freely. The social imperatives of the 1960's were felt as keenly in Northern Ireland as they were anywhere else and young people felt no restraints in crossing old religious borders in the city in pursuit of dancing, fashion and fun.

Memorial
On the 29th of June 1966 Peter Francis Ward was laid to rest in Milltown Cementary. From the very moment Peter Francis was murdered an onslaught of violent attacks were carried out from both sides. Peter Wards murder was the first notable one in many years. A 50 year commemoration took place this year on the 23rd of June 2016. At this Mary Ward the mother of Peter Ward spoke and unveiled a plaque in her sons memory. At this commemoration Mary Ward stated in her speech that when she spoke to her sons killer Gusty Spence that 'I said that if it helped bring peace I would forgive him but I don't think he is living up to his word'.