Ireland(s) Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland consists of six northern (Ulster) countries and is part of the UK. Stormont Castle serves as the Belfast headquarters of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. English is the language generally used, but Gaelic, the island’s original language, has been spoken since 300 B.C.

Ireland was invaded by the English king Henry II in 1172 Ireland was invaded by the English king Henry II in 1172. the English presence was characterized by fierce rebellions, harsh repressions, land confiscation, forced enslavement, discrimination and famine. an example of Anglo-Irish struggle was the arrival in Dublin in 1649 of the English statesman Oliver Cromwell.

1st January 1801 the two countries became indivisible as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland with the Act of Union. on Easter Monday 1916, the legendary Michael Collins led a rebellion against the English presence in the island. the rebellion failed, but saw the start of years of guerrilla warfare that, on 6 December, resulted in independence from the UK with the Anglo-Irish Treaty The Treaty established the Irish Free State as a self- governing dominion

However, the six countries of Northern Ireland remain part of the UK However, the six countries of Northern Ireland remain part of the UK. It exercised this. right in 1922 and as a result a devastating civil war followed. The island remains divided to this day. in 1937 a new Constitution replaced the Irish Free State with a new state called Eire. in 1948 Eire withdrew from the Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland was declared in 1949.

the Irish Republican Army, IRA, founded in 1919 fought for the unification of Ireland and against the British presence in the north. the conflict both political and religious, resulted in acts of terrorism and murder in Ireland. More than 3,600 people have died on both sides since the “Troubles” began in 1969.

in 1971 the first British soldier was killed in Belfast by the IRA in 1971 the first British soldier was killed in Belfast by the IRA. the Unionist government in Stormont responded by introducing internment without trial for suspected Republicans. on 30 January 1972, during a civil-rights march to protest against internment, 13 civilians were killed and many more wounded by British soldiers. that day is known as “Bloody Sunday”.

A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, the Belfast Agreement (also known as Good Friday Agreement) was signed in Belfast in 1998 by Norther Irish political parties and the British and Irish governments. After 30 years of armed struggle, the IRA announced on 28 July 2005 that its armed campaign was at the end and from now on tends to pursue exclusively democratic and peaceful means.