A Search For A Political Solution 1973-74 Flashcards
when was bloody friday?
21st july 1972
what was bloody friday?
IRA detonated 20 bobs around belfast in just over an hour - nine civilians died
what happpened on 31st july 1972?
IRA bomb exploded in the village of claudy in co derry - nine died
when and what was operation motorman?
31st july
british gov responded to ni violence
allowed army and police to reclaim control of paramilitary controlled no-go areas in belfast and derry
success encouraged british government to move towards political settlement
when did the british government publish their proposals for the future of NI?
20th march 1973
what were the british government’s proposals for the future of NI?
a parliament for NI would be set up
Westminster would still control security and justice
power would be shared between unionists and nationalists
republic gov would be given a role in Ni in a council of Ireland
how did nationalists respond to powersharing?
broadly supported it with SDLP and NILP winning seats on the executive
how did unionists respond to powersharing?
divided over it - faulkner and other members supported it, other unionists (OUP, DUP, Vanguard) formed the UUUC to oppose it
in the elections the UUUC won the majority
why did the UUUC oppose powersharing?
opposition to the ‘irish dimension’, saw propsals as undemocratic and believed that power should not be shared with those disloyal to the union
when was the meeting held at sunningdale for the creation of a council of ireland and who didn’t attend?
6th december 1973
no anti-powersharing politicians present - irish gov and other local parties thought they would disrupt negotiations
at one stage, Ian Paisley and William Craig were asked to attend but only to give their views. unsurprisingly, they declined the offer
when was the sunningdale agreement?
9th december 1973
what were the elements of the sunningdale agreement?
london agreed not to oppose irish reunification if the majority of NI desired it
Dublin accepted irish Unity only achieved peacefully and with consent of majority of NI
Council of Ministers to be established - help with development of cooperation between NI and ROI
60 member consultative assembly to be elected by the Dáil and assembly at a furute date
control over internal security issues would be returned to the assembly at stormont at a later date
approval of decisions made at sunningdale would take place at a future conference
SDLP reaction to sunningdale agreement
saw as paving the way towards the creation of closer ties between Ni and ROI
Faulkner’s reaction to sunningdale agreement
saw it as a mere token which he agreed to do as a means of getting dublin to accept the position of NI as part of the UK
paramilitary reaction to sunningdale agreement
loyalists formed a Ulster Army Council on 10th december 1973 to resist any significant irish dimension
ira set off a series of bombs in london
when did the Northern Ireland Powersharing Executive take power?
1st January 1974
how did changes at westminister weaken the executive>
labour returned to power under harold wilson. a labour majority meant the secretary of state (francis pym) was forced to spend more time in London over NI
when did the UWC strike begin?
14th may 1974
give examples of the events of the UWC strike
blackouts, furl controlled, road blocks, industries closed
how did harold wilson respond to the UWC strike?
appeared on TV on 25th may to denounce the strike and call its organisers ‘spongers’
how did powersharing end?
28th may 1974 faulkner resigned as chief executive - saw no obvious solution due to british and SDLP still refusing to negotiate with the UWC
other unionist members resigned with him, ending powersharing
how did the end of powersharing effect the UWC strike?
having achieved their goal, the strike ended on 29th may
