The Troubles of Northern Ireland

I. Background 12th Cent.: England (Protestant) conquered & colonized Ireland (Catholic) 17th Cent.: British Protestant pop. increased w/Scottish & English settlers into Northern Ireland Irish Catholic farmers were displaced & given less fertile land NORTHERN IRELAND = BRITISH PROTESTANT MAJORITY!

1800: Ireland = United Kingdom Later 1800s: Irish Caths sought Home Rule & hostilities increased against Brits Sectarian violence = conflict betw. different sects of one particular ideology or religion w/in a nation/community 1921: Ireland was divided based on population North = British Protestant South = Irish Catholic 1949: Complete liberation (Republic of Ireland)

II. Causes of Conflict in N. Ireland 1) Divided loyalties Prots & Caths see themselves as 2 different groups Lack of common identity prevents understanding & cooperation 2) Unequal housing opportunities 3) Unequal employment opportunities 4) Voting inequality 5) Education inequality Fully funded public schools for Prots & only partially funded private schools for Caths 6) Lack of opportunities for social interaction Privately funded integrated schools attract only 5% of school-aged children Prots & Caths live in separate residential areas Religious differences cause tension BUT ARE NOT a cause of conflict

Why do British Protestants refuse to join the Republic of Ireland? b/c they would lose the advantages of majority status! Demographics of Northern Ireland: Brit Prots = 60% Irish Caths = 40%

Rugby (British)

Field Hockey (British)

Cricket (British)

Hurling (Irish version of Field Hockey)

III. Peace Turns Violent Mid 1960s: Civil Rights Movement (Irish Catholics) Began a period known as The Troubles 1972: “Bloody Sunday” –turning point Bloody Sunday Video Sinn Fein (“We Ourselves”) (Irish Catholic Political Party) (1969) Irish Republican Army (IRA)—used violence Goal: to liberate N. Ireland of Brit rule & reunify Ireland

Bloody Sunday: January 30, 1972: Derry, Northern Ireland: 26 unarmed civil-rights protesters were shot by soldiers of the British Army (14 were killed—7 were teenagers) It began when a group of protestors were marching around the town. The numbers of the group kept escalating and at one point it was up to around 3,000 people. Troops were brought in to disperse the crowd, and at that point, people began throwing stones at the troops. Roadblocks were set up to restrain the marchers in certain sections of the town. The crowd became more and more lively and the troops began to make arrests. As the arrests were taking place, the army came under fire and they fired back. The results of this day led to the death of 14 at the hands of the First Battalion. The IRA responded with the orders to "kill as many soldiers as possible in retaliation"

Bloody Friday July 21, 1972: Belfast: I.R.A. detonated 22 bombs 9 killed, 130 injured

IV. Violence turns to Peace *Gerry Adams (Sinn Fein President) *Tony Blair (1997-2007 = U.K. Prime Minister) --helped negotiate Good Friday Peace Agreement

Good Friday Peace Agreement (1998) Created the Northern Ireland Assembly Power sharing law making body of N. Ireland made up of Prots. & Caths. Democratic Unionist Party (Peter Robinson) & Sinn Fein (Martin McGuinness) share power IRA renounced violence Integrated police force The Troubles officially ended in 2007 following the St. Andrews Agreement

V. Some more detail…

1990s… 1994: IRA & militant Prots. declared ceasefires 1998: Good Friday Peace Agreement Voters in N. Ireland elected an assembly which moderate Prots. & Caths. shared power (Northern Ireland Assembly) BUT…snags remained Prots. wanted full disarmament of IRA Caths. wanted an integrated police force

Modern day… Northern Ireland Assembly was broken up until… 2006: IRA disarmed & renounced terrorism, & police force was integrated 2006: St. Andrews Agreement restored the Northern Ireland Assembly which led to the election of 2007 2007: Ian Paisley (DUP) & Martin McGuiness (Sinn Fein) shared power (Northern Ireland Assembly) 2008: Peter Robinson = current First Minister