The old punks of “Alternative Ulster” are rebelling again, this time over the refusal of a request to recognise the role of bands such as Stiff Little Fingers in uniting Protestants and Catholics at the height of the Troubles.

Amateur punk historian Dee Wilson, author of The Punk Trilogy, approached the Ulster History Circle with a proposal that a blue plaque should be erected at what is now Wolsey’s Bar in the seaside town of Bangor, east of Belfast. Forty years ago bands including Stiff Little Fingers and Ruefrex made their debuts at the bar, then known as the Trident.

Wilson’s argument is that a plaque should be put up not only to commemorate a seminal musical event but also as a tribute to the way the punk scene united Catholic and Protestant youth during the darkest decade of the conflict. But the Ulster History Circle has said no.

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“We had our own organic peace process before the ‘other’ peace process even began,” says Wilson. “I came from a loyalist east Belfast background and it was only because of the punk scene that I met people from Catholic, republican communities and in doing so forged lifelong friendships. The politicians and the negotiators of the Good Friday agreement only picked up where we left off.”

The 56-year-old former guitar player for the Idiots pointed out that the UHC has already erected plaques commemorating one music scene – the Belfast rhythm and blues scene of the 60s – on the site of the city’s Maritime hotel. Another plaque was erected above Kelly’s Cellars pub in central Belfast commemorating the revolutionary United Irishmen who met there in the 1790s.

“My reaction to their attitude is one of anger. The UHC say they do not celebrate buildings, although a blue plaque was placed at the spot of the Maritime hotel. This plaque clearly celebrates a building (that is no longer standing) as well as an era. It’s middle-class snobbery and elitism to ignore the contribution of punk here,” he said.

Last week Stiff Little Fingers announced their 40th anniversary homecoming concert when the band, who wrote the song Alternative Ulster, will take to the stage at the Belsonic festival in Belfast this August. Chicago-based SLF will be joined by the likes of the Stranglers and the Ruts.

Jake Burns, SLF’s lead singer, has backed the blue plaque campaign for the venue of their first gig: “I think it’s only reasonable that one of the bright spots in a fairly dark time in Northern Ireland’s history should be commemorated. We’re all too willing to put up reminders of things that divided us, so surely it’s only right that something that helped bring young people together should be celebrated as well.”

That venue – the Trident – is mentioned in the opening verse of SLF’s most famous anthem. Reflecting not only the war-weariness of a generation enduring the Troubles but also the boredom and lack of youth venues during the 70s, Alternative Ulster’s opening lines run: “There’s nothin’ for us in Belfast/The Pound’s old, and that’s a pity/OK, so there’s the Trident in Bangor/And then you walk back to the city.”

Another of the musicians who played at that first punk venue was Paul Burgess, the drummer and songwriter with Ruefrex, now a lecturer at University College Cork. “Punk was the last great, spontaneous, socio-political, popular-cultural movement for young people, and as such deserves this recognition,” he said. “As a catalyst for self-expression and for articulating a voice for kids in bedrooms, up and down the country, it’s never been matched.”

On the UHC’s refusal to support a memorial at the Trident site, Wilson added: “In regards to the blue plaque at the Maritime hotel site, I have no qualms with that – but the difference between the two is simple. Those who made Belfast swing in the 60s all jumped ship and fled when the Troubles kicked off, whereas those involved in the punk movement stayed and fought for our rights.”

Alan Boyd of the Ulster History Circle said they stood by their decision “because it was not for a specific individual or achievement”.

Boyd said: “We have a small number of plaques to particular ‘groups’ of people. However, these plaques were erected quite a few years ago now. The Circle has streamlined our criteria since then and we now erect plaques exclusively to individuals who have connections of birth, death, sojourn, education etc with particular buildings. The Circle wishes the organisers every success in their project to celebrate the punks’ place in Bangor’s local history.”

• This article was amended on 21 February 2017 to correct the name of the Ulster History Circle.

