Ireland (1) - The O'Neil years

Question 1

What party was O’Neil a member of and was he supported within it ?

Answer 1

OUP (Official Unionist Party)

His support was weak

Question 2

What were some of O’Neil’s economic measures he wanted to take ?

Answer 2

• £900 million of investment
• Modernisation of the road and railway network
• establishment of a new city called Craigavon
• build a new university in Coleraine

Question 3

What were the successes in O’Neil’s economic policies ?

Answer 3

• the construction of a new motorway started
• an oil refinery was opened in Belfast
• a new airport was under development
• shared electricity with the ROI

Question 4

What were the failures in O’Neil’s economic policies ?

Answer 4

• unemployment averaged between 7% and 8%

- several companies refused to open west of the Bann

Question 5

How did O’Neil try to improve relations with the nationalist community within NI ?

Answer 5

• Visiting cardinal Conway
• offering official condolences to the catholic church on the popes death
• visited schools and hospitals run bythe catholic church
• increased financial support to these hospitals and schools

Question 6

When and where did O’Neil meet the Irish Taoiseach ?

Answer 6

14 January 1965, Stormont Belfast

Question 7

What was the unionist reaction to the Taoiseach visits ?

Answer 7

Many moderate unionist wanted reform but didn’t want to give the nationalist community any more power.

Question 8

Who did O’Neil not warn about Lemass’ visit ?

Answer 8

His own party (OUP) Faulkner condemned this action

Question 9

Who was Ian Paisley ?

Answer 9

He was moderator of the free Presbyterian Church.

Question 10

What was Paisleys’ view on the increased friendship with the ROI ?

Answer 10

He strongly opposed the friendship.

Question 11

Why did O’Neil ban the UVF ?

Answer 11

Two Catholics died due to violence in May and June 1966.

Question 12

What did O’Neil realise about his own party in September 1966 ?

Answer 12

There was a plot from back benchers to get rid of him as leader. And to replace him with Faulkner.

Question 13

How did Catholic leaders react to O’Neil’s hand of friendship ?

Answer 13

At first they reacted warmly , but there was outrage with the new city being named after a unionist minister William Craig

Question 14

What evidence is there that O’Neil’s economic policies favoured unionist areas ?

Answer 14

• all the places earmarked for economic development were protestant areas
• uni was built in Coleraine and not Derry
• No effort was made to increase catholic membership of various health and education bodies