coleraine Flashcards
terence o’neill
minister for finance + unionist MP -> became PM in 1963 after brookebough’s resignation
- nominated without vote, unsure of his popularity within unionist party
-wealthy, educated in england -> removed from the attitudes of the people
-unlikely candidate to replace brooke compared to faulkner
o’neill and catholics
-believed better understanding between the two groups would offer stability to NI
- wanted to ‘build bridges between the two traditions within our community’
-visited catholic schools/hospitals/convents, met members of clergy
-largely for appearances
ecumenism
seeks to promote unity through christian faiths through cooperation + understanding
-openly promoted by o’neill, ordered flags on stormont to be flown at half mast after death of pope john XXIII in 1964
O’neill/lemass meeting
-met in belfast on 14 jan 1965 -> first ever meeting of taoiseach/ NI PM
-met again on 9 feb
-talked about issues of common interest e.g. trade, agriculture, transport
O’Neill years
-modernise + reform NI life
-social + economic reform
-education + training, transform towns
-encouraged multinational investment
-belfast-craigavon motorway
-production of synthetic material
-member of orange order
-ecumenism
-asked RUC to be fair to catholics
-lemass meeting 1965
-reforms fell short of nationalist demands yet faced unionist resentment
-derry city not prosperous -> resented govts failure
-protest march after coleraine controversy
-‘o’neill must go’
need for a second university
-queen’s college belfast est. 1845 was NI’s only university
-by 1960s