On Saturday 27th June 1970, there were a series of violent republican attacks upon Orange parades as they paraded along Springfield Road, Ardoyne and the Newtownards Road.
Stone throwers attacked the Loyalist marchers and spectators, mortally wounding a Woodvale protestant. On the Crumlin Road at the interface, the stone throwers dispersed to permit IRA gunmen to randomly open fire on the Loyalists. Three Loyalists fell dead whilst many were wounded.
Later that day, IRA gunmen opened fire from the Chapel and killed another Loyalist.
It was because of the events of that terrible day that a small group of young Loyalists from the Shankill and Oldpark, met in a house off Manor Street to band together and organise for the future.
They needed arms and the wherewithal to oppose the IRA so they decided to meet secretly with John McKeague who, at that time, led the Shankill Defence Association from rooms over the Bricklayers Arms on the Shankill.
Within a short time, the small group were joined by some existing members of the SDA and they quickly acquired some handguns and small arms from various sources.
John McKeague introduced them to other Loyalists from East Belfast, North Down and soon other groups forged links with them.
At a meeting one evening it was decided to adopt a name for the grouping. One youth suggested Red Hand. This was immediately accepted and they set out their two founding principles as being: -
To fight to ensure that Ulster remains British
To defend the Loyalist community from republican violence
To this day, these two founding principles remain.
