CASE STUDY Sunningdale Agreement Flashcards
When did Whitelaw invite NI parties to round table talks to explore possibility of political agreement?
September 1972
Quote of first time British acknowledgement of “Irish dimension”
Any new arrangement should be
“so far as possible, acceptable to and accepted by the Republic of Ireland.”
When did the Border poll take place?
8 March 1973
Results of border poll
97.8% in favour (nationalists boycotted it)
Representing 57% of voters
Where did the round - table talks take place?
Darlington, Co. Durham
When did elections for the assembly take place ?
28 June 1973
Figures of assembly elections showing how much anti-power sharing unionists outnumbered Faulkner
Anti-power-sharing unionists outnumbered Faulkner’s 26 to 24 in the 78 seat Assembly
Assembly election results showing majority unionist opinion was against power-sharing
Moderates on both sides got 51.4% in total. But extreme unionists got 36% on their own, suggesting they represent majority of unionist opinion.
How many seats did Alliance win in the Assembly elections?
8
How many seats did the SDLP win in the assembly elections?
19
On what date did the assembly meet to discuss what the new govt should look like?
5 Oct 1973
When was the executive formed?
November 1973
What was the composition of the executive?
6 Unionists
4 SDLP
1 Alliance
Who was in charge of the executive with who else?
Faulkner- Chief Minister
Gerry Fitt- his deputy
Who caused violent scenes in the Assembly when they attacked power-sharing unionists?
Vanguard and DUP
Power sharing
Power sharing involved joint participation of unionists and nationalists in the government of NI.
When did the Sunningdale negotiations begin?
6 Dec 1973
When was the Sunningdale Agreement signed?
9 Dec 1973
Quote for nationalist and ROI only wanting unity by consent
The only unity they wanted to see was “unity established by consent”
Quote for majority unionist desire to remain in UK
Majority Desire to remain in UK “remained firm”
Quote about Irish govt accepting the fact that there could be no change in status until ..
“a majority .. desired a change in status”
Quote about Brit. Govt supporting wish if in future a maj. want to leave ..
“the Brit. Govt would support that wish”
Quote of Faulkner in saying that the fact that Dublin reps would work w NI reps on equal terms ..
“underlined the acceptance of partition”
Quote of Faulkner about how nothing in Sunningdale infringed on the Assembly’s powers, by which ..
“everything would have to be approved and delegated”
According to SDLP, the council would create ..
“An evolutionary process” to a United ireland
When did the power-sharing executive begin to function?
1 Jan 1974
When did the Ulster Unionist Council meet and vote against the executive?
3 days after the executive began to function; 4 Jan 1974
Quote of what the Ulster Unionist Council votes against
“the proposed all-Ireland Council settlement”
By how many votes did the Ulster Unionist Council vote against the Council?
427-374 votes
Who replaces Faulkner as leader of the Ulster Unionist Council?
Harry West
When did the British general election take place?
Feb 1974
What new organization was formed from the Ulster Unionist Council?
United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC)
What slogan did UUUC use in general election?
“Dublin is just a Sunningdale away”
How many seats in Westminster did UUUC win and who won the others?
11 out of 12; the other won by Gerry Fitt SDLP
Statistic about general election results showing how little support executive had
Just over half the electorate voted for candidates who opposed Sunningdale
Quote of IRA about making it clear through bombings that..
“there could be no solution that was not to our liking”
Results of general election in Britain and new Secretary of State ?
Heath Conservative —> Harold Wilson Labour ; Merlyn Rees
When did Harold Wilson visit Belfast after the election?
18 April 1974
What was the aim of the Ulster Worker’s Council?
To use strikes to bring NI to a standstill and destroy agreement
When did the strike begin?
14 May 1974
What did the strikers demand?
Immediate elections for voters to express views on Sunningdale
Quote of workers blaming Faulkner for the strike , who is…
“ignoring the wishes of 400,000 people” who voted against him
Name one of the organizers of the strike
Andy Tyrie
Quote of the organizer of the strike saying the public will blame it on the giver because….
“that’s the way their minds are thinking”
Statistic of how much electricity was cut down by and how quickly
Within 10 days, electricity output had been cut by 60%
When did the loyalists bomb Dublin and Monaghan during the strike?
Friday 17 May 1974
How many bombs in Dublin and what type ?
2 car bombs ; no warning ; city center
How many bombs in Monaghan, what type?
1 car bomb, no warning, city center
How many killed by the bombs in Dublin and Monaghan? What is significant about it?
32: greatest loss of life on a single day in whole history of Troubles
When did Wilson broadcast his speech concerning the strike?
25 May 1974
Quote of what Wilson called the strike
“undemocratic and unparliamentary”
Quote of what Wilson believed strikers’ aim was.. to set up a
“sectarian and undemocratic state”
Quote of Wilson where he calls them spongers
“people who spend their lives sponging on Westminster”
How much was Britain spending on NI each year?
£300 mil
