1969 was a watershed year for the North and for republicans. It began with a People’s Democracy march being attacked by B-Specials and Unionists at Burntollet, outside Derry. That was in January. In July a Catholic pensioner, Francis McCloskey, was killed in Dungiven and Samuel Devenny died from injuries he received when batoned in his home in Derry in April by the RUC. In the following months there were further attacks on Catholic neighbourhoods. These included attacks by the Shankill Defence Association, supported by the RUC and B-Specials, against Unity Flats and Catholic families in the Crumlin Road area. Young activists like me spent a lot of our time assisting people in these communities. Free article