IRELAND Flashcards
intro
1912-39, British governments believed they’d provided Ireland with stability + security, partially had with Government of Ireland Act, but this was shallow as it only solved political stability + too late as anti-British sentiment established with British handling of war that damaged Anglo-Irish stability + subsequent Anglo-Irish Treaty 21 + mishandling of war fuelled violence + risked + reversed formed stability as actions exacerbated tensions + left legacy of divisions
helped political stability
1st (only) success to aid stability Government of Ireland Act 20 - established separate parliaments for Ulster (Stormont) + southern counties (Dail)
idea of separate parliaments permanent with Anglo-Irish Treaty dec 21 - negotiated by DLG, Collins, Griffiths, set up Irish Free State - southern 36 counties separate sovereign but with dominion status, rule themselves but politicians sower loyalty to monarchy
DLG + English believed Ireland stable with Irish issue solved - nationalists of 80s + 90s wanted Irish parliament + this gave them it (terms of historic plight, issue solved + stability or Ireland + Anglo-Irish relations solved
damaged internal stability
signing treaty didn’t stop violence + imperfect solution - signing caused civil war 22-3 between pro (Michael Collins) _ anti (Eamon De Valera) treaty - anti fighters angry at terms (many faults + felt bitter, left areas demarcation ambiguous, fuelled tensions, risking stability)
not independence but dominion status angered many (effectively under British control) - not enough: many wanted full independence + self-determination
created year of violence with highest profile victim Collins
singing didn’t establish stability but fuelled bloodshed + resentment
British mishandling damaged Anglo-Irish stability
governments made mistake: HR 1880s focused on Irish question + divisions between Britain Ireland but in interwar years about peace + security + divisions in Ireland
before accepting formal negotiations, LG employed brute strength + violence against I nationalists
IRA declared war 19, deployed 50,000 Army soldiers on ground + used irregular forced on Blacks + Tans (parliamentary group of decommissioned soldiers for WWI - returned with memories of war, not readjusted + saw battle in Ireland as war zone) - used barbaric tactics such as indiscriminate setting of fires, torture, shootings
LG pressured by global community, Archbishop of Canterbury, opinion of British + called off violence, turning to formal negotiations but too late
war ended 20 but anti-British sentiment lingered for interwar period + following years - instability
damaged religious + internal stability
Catholics in partitioned Ulster
many in Ulster felt siege mentality that always at threat from Catholics + IRA (despite minority who largely didn’t want Free State + enjoyed British Rule) - persecuted + ostracized, settlement didn’t stop oppression + little attempt to integrate them by British government or Stormont
1/3 Ulster population Catholic but little say in politics due to gerrymandering, poor housing, poor job prospects
led to sectarian violence breaking out interwar years + little effort to stop (worst incidents riot in Belfast July 35 led to several killed)
partition may have settled logistical stability of HR but peace + security not achieved
conclusion
1912-39 British government did damage stability of Ireland. whilst able to solve Irish problem in terms of historic plight 20 + acheiving political stability, desires for freedom increasingly complex with Ulster issue under heat.
long term British governments fuelled tensions + damaged internal stability with key turning point singing Anglo-Irish Treaty that acted as catalyst for bloodshed + instability
