▁Ul ster ▁Vol unte er ▁Force ▁( U VF ), ▁the ▁highest ▁number ▁of ▁cas ual ties ▁in ▁any ▁one ▁day ▁during ▁The ▁Tr ou bles . ▁The ▁U VF ▁was ▁widely ▁sus pected ▁of ▁receiving ▁technical ▁assistance ▁from ▁British ▁security ▁forces . ▁▁ 2 1 ▁May ▁– ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁the ▁Ul ster ▁Work ers ' ▁Council ▁St rike ▁came ▁to ▁an ▁end . ▁▁ 2 8 ▁May ▁– ▁the ▁five - month - old ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Executive ▁col lapsed . ▁ ▁Late ▁May ▁– ▁President ▁Er sk ine ▁Child ers ▁paid ▁the ▁first ▁state ▁visit ▁by ▁an ▁Irish ▁head ▁of ▁state ▁to ▁Europe ▁when ▁he ▁visited ▁Belg ium ▁with ▁his ▁wife , ▁R ita . ▁This ▁followed ▁the ▁three - day ▁state ▁visit ▁to ▁Ireland ▁by ▁King ▁Baud ou in ▁and ▁Queen ▁Fab i ola ▁of ▁Belg ium ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁▁ 1 4 ▁June ▁– ▁An at oli ▁Kap lin , ▁the ▁first ▁Soviet ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁Ireland , ▁visited ▁President ▁Child ers ▁at ▁Á ras ▁an ▁U acht ará in . ▁▁ 1 7 ▁July ▁– ▁the ▁National ▁Co al ition ' s ▁Cont ra cept ive ▁Bill ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁a ▁vote ▁in ▁D á il ▁É ire ann . ▁The ▁T ao ise ach , ▁Li am ▁Cos gra ve , ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁seven ▁Fine ▁G ael ▁Te ach ta í ▁D á la ▁who ▁voted ▁against ▁their ▁own ▁bill . ▁▁ 2 0 ▁July ▁– ▁about ▁ten ▁women ,