on the 15 march two people were killed and 15 others injured in an attack on conway's bar. a week before the strand bar attack on the 5 april, the uvf using a covername " the protestant action force " bombed mclaughlin's bar in the new lodge area of belfast killing two more catholic civilians. in retaliation for mclaughlin's bar bombing the republican action force blew up a protestant owned pub the same day, killing 5 and injuring 60 people, which was the worst bombing of the year so far.