2. The Campaign for Civil Rights Flashcards

1
Q

Why were the people of NI angry at O’Neill’s policies?

A

Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O’Neill’s policies
might have been introduced for the right reasons, but by the
late 1960s they resulted in creating divisions amongst
unionists. They feared that too much was being given away to
nationalists. At the same time, the hopes raised within
nationalism by the changes O’Neill promised were never
going to be achieved. As a result, nationalist frustration grew.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What civil rights association was formed in early 1967 in NI?

A

The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) was
formed in early 1967.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What inspired the creation of NICRA?

A

The ongoing civil rights campaign in
the USA provided the new group with much of its
inspiration. At the same time there were other sources of encouragement in the period following NICRA’s
establishment, notably the student demonstrations that took place in France during 1968. What particularly appealed to
NICRA’s leaders was the American groups’ use of non-violent methods of civil disobedience as part of its campaign to
achieve equality for black people.

Most importantly, by 1967 a series of marches and protests had led the US Congress to pass laws outlawing public
discrimination and guaranteeing voting rights. These successes were widely reported in Europe.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What was another reason for the creation of NICRA?

A

The 1947 Education Act, which made school mandatory for all to the age of 16, meant a new generation of educated Nationalists were now more involved in protests.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What were the 7 aims of NICRA?

A

Achieve one-man one vote (OMOV) for local council elections. If this was introduced, anyone over the age of 18 would be allowed to vote. OMOV would also end the practice of giving multiple votes to business owners.

● Ensure that local councils allocated their houses fairly. At this time only those who paid rates were allowed to
vote in local council elections. If councils did not give Catholics houses then they could not vote.

● Stop the practice of gerrymandering.

● Ensure that religion was not used as a factor when allocating government jobs.

● End the use of the Special Powers Act.

● Disband the B Specials.

● Introduce a system that allows people to report local council violations in any of the above areas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Who supported NICRA?

A

A new generation of Catholics who had been able to attend secondary school free of charge as a result of the
introduction of the 11+ examination in 1947.

● Those nationalists who believed that the local Nationalist Party (led by Eddie McAteer) had lost touch with the
needs of its people.

● Moderate unionists who believed that Northern Ireland’s Catholics were being unfairly treated. These unionists
also believed that if NICRA’s aims were achieved, there would be no reason for Catholics to want to be part of a
united Ireland.

● Other groups and individuals including academics and trades unionists.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Who opposed NICRA and what did they fear?

A

Opposition to NICRA came from a large section of the unionist population. They feared that:

● NICRA was nothing more than the IRA under a different name.

● NICRA was not interested in equality for everyone in Northern Ireland. Instead it was only looking out for the
needs of Catholics. They were also afraid that NICRA’s campaign could weaken Protestant control of Northern
Ireland, thus leading to a united Ireland.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

When was NICRA’s first strike where was it and why did it happen?

A

On 24th August 1968 NICRA’s first march was held in County Tyrone. The march began in Coalisland and ended in
Dungannon. The reason why this was chosen as the location of the first march was to protest at Dungannon Council’s
decision to allocate one of its council houses in the small village of Caledon to a nineteen-year-old Protestant woman
rather than a large Catholic family. The Coalisland-Dungannon march passed peacefully.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

When, why and where did NICRA’s 2nd march take place?

A

NICRA’s second
march was held in Derry on 5th October 1968.
Again the march was organised to draw attention to what NICRA saw as discrimination - in this case Londonderry
Corporation’s housing policy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What happened in NICRA’s (London)Derry march?

A

Some of Derry’s Protestant population were very unhappy with NICRA’s plans and so the city’s Apprentice Boys
announced plans to hold their own demonstration at the same time. Fearing an outbreak of violence the Stormont Government banned both marches - however NICRA let it be known that it
would ignore this ban.
NICRA’s march started on Duke Street in Derry’s Waterside area.
As it moved up Duke Street towards the Craigavon Bridge - accompanied by four Westminster MPs and an RTE camera
crew - the protestors were faced by lines of police officers.
Some of the police were heavy-handed in their efforts to stop the march - their tactics were captured by the RTE
television crew and the resulting images were widely seen at home and abroad.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What happened after the Derry march and why did violence result?

A

There were further NICRA marches made the situation even worse.
Quite often violence resulted.

There were several reasons for this:

● NICRA continued with marches even after they had been banned.

● Some marches went through Protestant areas and this was seen as provocative.

● Counter-demonstrations organised by unionists sometimes came into contact with NICRA’s marches.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What happened as a result of the growing violence from the NICRA marches?

A

As a result of this unrest O’Neill, Faulkner and Craig were summoned to
Westminster on 4 November to meet the British Labour Prime Minister, Harold
Wilson. The outcome was the announcement of a Five Point Reform Programme on 22
November 1968.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What were the 5 outcomes of the Five Point Reform Programme and when would they come into effect?

A

A points system would be introduced to ensure fair allocation of council
houses.

● Londonderry Corporation was to be replaced by a Development
Commission.

● Some parts of the 1922 Special Powers Act would be removed.

● The removal of additional votes for owners of businesses (along with
other reforms to the operation of the local government).

● The establishment of an ombudsman to examine complaints.

It was stated that all of these reforms would be put in place by late 1971.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What was ‘Ulster at a Crossroads’?

A

Despite the announcement of the Reform Programme, protests and
counter-protests continued.
O’Neill, therefore, decided to appear on television in an attempt to bring
home to people the dangerous situation that Northern Ireland now found
itself facing.
In his address the Prime Minister made a particular appeal to NICRA’s
leaders to help avoid chaos. This became known as the ‘Ulster at the Crossroads’ speech.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What seemed to happen in the short term after the crossroads speech?

A

In the short term O’Neill’s television broadcast seemed to work as NICRA
marches were called off.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What opposition was there to O’Neill’s Crossroads speech and the Five Point Reform Programme?

A

The Prime Minister found himself facing opposition from inside and outside his own Party:

● William Craig, the Minister for Home Affairs criticised O’Neill’s television appearance and accused his leader of
doing what the London government told him to do. O’Neill responded by sacking Craig - - but this did not deter
opposition.

● Many unionists opposed the Five Point Reform Programme. They believed that O’Neill had only made the
concessions due to the threat of violence and felt that the reforms would weaken Unionist control of Northern
Ireland.

17
Q

What organisation, when was the organisation formed, why was it formed, why did it keep marching after O’Neill’s Crossroads Speech and why?

A

People’s Democracy was a recently formed organisation and had been established by university students (among others) in the aftermath of the police attack on the NICRA march in Derry on 5th October 1968. They were not willing to stop protecting against what they saw as injustice.

18
Q

Who led People’s Democracy ?

A

People’s Democracy was led by Michael Farrell and Bernadette Devlin(who was elected Westminster MP for Mid Ulster in April 1969).

19
Q

What aims did People’s Democracy have and what did they think would have to happen for these aims to happen?

A

Aims:

One man, one vote.

Fair boundaries.

Houses on need.

Jobs on merit.

Free speech.

Repeal of the Special Powers Act.

They believed that for these aims to happen a socialist republic would need to be set up in NI.

People’s Democracy believed

20
Q

What did People’s Democracy decide to do after the Five-Point Reform Programme?

A

People’s Democracy thought that the Five-Point Reform Programme was very limited so they decided to hold a march between Belfast and Derry/Londonderry.

21
Q

What was People’s Democracy’s march between Belfast and Derry/Londonderry inspired by?

A

The march was a direct echo of the US Civil Rights Movement’s 1965 marches from Selma to Montgomery.

22
Q

What were the events of People’s Democracy’s march between Belfast and Derry/Londonderry?

A

Firstly, the march was condemned by NICRA and nationalist leaders as they feared it’s impact on an already tense situation.

These condemnations were ignored and the march began on 1st January 1969.

The organisers had planned to go through a number of Protestant areas, however the police enforced a number of changes to the route in order to avoid confrontations. Despite this, the protesters faced a number of attacks; the worst attack took place at Burntollet Bridge, on the outskirts of Derry, on 4th January 1969.

Eyewitness evidence suggests that the police stood by and allowed the attack to continue. Tensions increased as reports of the ambush emerged; these tensions increased further when later I the same day some police ran riot through nationalist areas of Derry.

23
Q

What did NICRA do in response to the events in Derry and what did O’Neill do after and why?

A

NICRA began to march again. Following yet more violence at a NICRA march in Newry, O’Neill announced that he was setting up a commission led by Lord Cameron to ‘hold an enquiry into and to report upon the course of events leading to, and the immediate causes and nature of the violence and civil disturbance in Northern Ireland on and since 5th October 1968’.

24
Q

What happened as a result of the commission O’Neill set up (tell the events up until the resignation of members of O’Neill’s Cabinet)?

A

O’Neill’s actions revealed the depths of division within his own government; in response to the announcement for the commission, Brian Faulkner (Minister for Commerce) and William Morgan (Minister for Health) resigned from the Cabinet. Following his resignation Faulkner argued that O’Neill was too weak to control the situation.

25
Q

How did it become clear that Faulkner’s views of O’Neill were gaining support?

A

It soon became clear that Faulkner’s views were gaining support withinf the unionist party. In late January 1969, 12 MPs met and demanded that O’Neill resign both as party leader and Prime Minister.

26
Q

What did O’Neill do after the demands of him to resign and what were the results of it?

A

O’Neill called a General election to show that no matter what his own party believed - the people of NI supported his policies.

The ‘Crossroads Election’ took place on 24th February 1969. Despite the Prime Minister’s best efforts, the results were not what he hoped for:

The Ulster Unionist Party found its levels of support reduced as its levels of the vote decreased by over 10%.

Not all the MPs elected for the Unionist Party supported O’Neill’s policies.

O’Neill didn’t get the votes from Catholic voters that he had hoped for.

O’Neill almost lost his own seat to Ian Paisley.

27
Q

What happened after O’Neill’s disappointing Crossroads Election results?

A

In spite of the poor election results, O’Neill remained as NI’s prime minister for another 2 months. However, unable to end worsening violence and unable to heal the divisions between his own party, he resigned on 28th April 1969.

The final nail in the coffin was a series of bombings, which at the time appeared to be the work of the IRA but which were actually carried out by loyalists in an attempt to force O’Neill to resign.

28
Q

What did the OUP do after O’Neill’s resignation?

A

The Official Unionist Party held it’s first ever election for its new leader.

The eventual winner was Major James Chichester Clark, who happened to be O’Neill’s cousin.

Chichester Clark defeated Brian Faulkner in the contest by just one vote; the winning vote was cast by Terence O’Neill.

Just a week before, Chichester Clark had resigned from O’Neill’s Cabinet over the PM’s announcement that the next local government elections would use one-man-one-vote. At the time he claimed that the time was not right for this reform.

Following his election, Clark stated that he would seek to continue with the reforms that O’Neill had begun.