1964

14.01.1964 Campaign for Social Justice (CSJ) is established in Northern Ireland.
April, 1964 Left-wing students establish the Working Committee on Civil Rights in Northern Ireland at Queen’s university in Belfast. The Committee is intended to investigate discrimination in Londonderry and Newry. The committee does not make any rapports.

1965

February, 1965 Labour party activists in London and members of the British Parliament establish the Campaign for Democracy in Ulster (CDU). The campaign is especially active in pressing for democratic reforms in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s.

1966

23.04.1966 Violent clashes between republicans, loyalists and police in connection with the fiftieth anniversary of the Republican Easter Rising of 1916.

1967

29.01.1967 Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) is established in Belfast.
November, 1967 Derry Housing Action Committee (DHAC) is established.
November, 1967 Up to 1,500 – 2,000 participate in a student demonstration against the government ban of republican clubs. The demonstration is the first large student demonstration in Belfast.

1968

20.06.1968 Austin Currie, a local MP, occupies a house at Caledon, Northern Ireland in protest against an eviction from a Council house.
24.08.1968 Civil Rights march from Coalisland to Dungannon, Northern Ireland, arranged by NICRA. It is the first large-scale demonstration mounted by the Association.
05.10.1968 - 08.10.1968 Approximately 400-600 participate in a march in Londonderry arranged by DHAC with support from NICRA. Riots and violent clashes between police and demonstrators in which police use batons. Remarks from Minister of Home Affairs by Mr. Craig receive wide publicity in the press and on national television when he refers to student demonstrators generally as “silly bloody fools”. The remarks inflame the situation and Craig is replaced in December.
09.10.1968 3,000 participate in a student demonstration in Belfast in protest against police brutality in Londonderry on October 5. It is the first of several student marches, occupations and sit-downs in Belfast.
19.10.1968 Sit-in in Londonderry arranged by DCAC draws 4,000-5,000 participants.
02.11.1968 A march arranged by DCAC to reiterate themes stressed during the October 5 march draws 3,000-4,000 participants.
13.11.1968 The Unionist Government of Northern Ireland imposes one-month ban on marches inside Londonderry.
16.11.1968 15,000 participate in a demonstration in Londonderry arranged by the DCAC, ignoring the government’s ban on demonstrations.
22.11.1968 The Government of Northern Ireland announces modest reforms.
30.11.1968 Civil Rights demonstration in Armagh, Northern Ireland results in clashes with loyalist counter-demonstration.
04.12.1968 Violent clashes between Civil Rights demonstrators and loyalists in Dungannon, Northern Ireland.
09.12.1968 The Unionist Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Terence O’Neill, gives a speech appealing for moderation. Both DCAC and NICRA suspend protest for one month in response. Minister of Home Affairs, William Craig is fired in an attempt to reduce tensions.

1969

01.01.1969 - 05.01.1969 Marches from Belfast to Londonderry, Northern Ireland arranged by the People’s Democracy (PD). Loyalists attack the march on the last day. Violent riots in Londonderry.
11.01.1969 Civil Rights march in Newry, Northern Ireland, ends in riots. The demonstration is arranged by PD.
24.02.1969 Several Civil Rights leaders are elected to Northern Ireland Parliament in the general election.
03.03.1969 The British government appoints the Cameron Commission to investigate the causes of the violence in Northern Ireland since October 5, 1968.
21.03.1969 A government Public Order Bill bans a range of protest tactics including sit-ins. Marches in protest against the bill in Northern Ireland are arranged by the Civil Rights movement. Violence increases.
17.04.1969 The activist Bernadette Devilin is elected MP to the Northern Ireland Parliament.
20.04.1969 - 25.04.1969 Extensive demonstra­tions in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The police beat Sammy Devenney who dies some weeks later. He is the first fatality resulting from the violence. NICRA and PD arrange demonstrations throughout Northern Ireland that ends in riots in several places. Both loyalists (UVF) and the republicans (IRA) plant bombs.
28.04.1969 Prime minister Terence O’Neill in Northern Ireland resigns.
06.05.1969 Announcement of a sweeping amnesty and election reforms.
July, 1969 Widespread violence and riots in Belfast and Londonderry in the wake of unionist marching season kill two men. The DCAC in Londonderry dissolves.
20.07.1969 Republicans establish Derry Citizens Defense Association (DCDA).
12.08.1969 - 14.08.1969 Riots in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Violent clashes between Catholics, loyalists and police after a loyalist Apprentice Boys march.
14.08.1969 British troops are deployed in Londonderry to restore order.
15.08.1969 British troops are deployed in Belfast to restore order. 7 are killed during riots and 1,800 leave their homes.