ireland 1939-1964 Flashcards
what was the situation in Ireland like during the 1930s?
in the 1930s friction between the north and the south was lessening as although some Irish nationalists wanted a united Ireland there was growing acceptance among the majority
what was declared in 1949?
1949 Ireland Act
NI would remain a part of the UK and would continue to do so unless thier parliament decided otherwise
what rumours were spread in 1945?
rumours were spread that the IRA were involved in a Nazi plot to attack Britain via Northern Ireland
what was the impact of the rumours in 1945?
De Valera unsettled
why were the rumours in 1945 unlikely to be true?
Germany were unlikely to interfere at all with Ireland as they would not want to alienate America with its strong Irish links
what was Churchill’s attitude towards Ireland by 1945?
Churchill offered De Valera unity in exchange for support against Hitler after trying to get Eire on their side - betray ulstermen
what was Craig’s attitude towards Ireland by 1945?
outraged by Britains offer - betrayed and anrgy
spurred on rumours about De Valera’s involvement with Hitler
what was De Valera’s attitude towards Ireland by 1945?
Didn’t want to get involved in war by joining the wrong side
Why did the British government pass the 1949 Ireland act?
Northern Ireland remained part of the UK and would continue to do so unless their parliament decided otherwise
angry with Ireland after war
culture in Northern Ireland
NHS in operation
culture in Eire
90% catholic
Gaelic was asserted + compulsory in schools
Censorship banned unwholesome literature
Education and welfare in the hands of the church
Health Minister Noel Browne abandoned scheme to give free medical care to women under 16 as it would undermine family responsibility
divorce and contraception illegal in the 1930s
little thought for women’s rights
economy in Northern Ireland
economy booming and living standards rising, less in Catholic areas
welfare state
NHS - death rate fell
111 new factories
full employment
scholarships introduced
how many new houses were built in Northern Ireland?
100,000
how many people in Northern Ireland had insurance against sickness and unemployment?
500,000
how many new jobs were there in 1946 in Northern Ireland?
4700
economy in Eire
limited industry
rising unemployment
farmers falling foreign competition
no welfare state
Lemass PM in 1957 - embraced foriegn capital investment and increased state spending
set up Programme for Economic Development
tourism expanded
outward looking
why did some catholics change the focus of their campaigning?
catholics in the north realised benefits of welfare state and focused on abolishing discrimination in the North rather than trying to achieve a United Ireland
set up NICRA
what was NICRA and when was it established?
1964
Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
examples of discrimination and segregation in Northern Ireland
ECONOMY
90% of Harland and Wolff workers were Protestant
94% of senior civil servants Protestant
90% of RUC members Protestant
B- Specials had less than 6% catholics
jobs allocated on recommendations from families and orange order played a role in recruitment
3x more unemployed catholics
examples of discrimination and segregation in Northern Ireland
EDUCATION
mixed schools and colleges were a rarity
Segregation in sports teams, scout troops and youth clubs
little funding to catholic schools
examples of discrimination and segregation in Northern Ireland
VOTING AND ELECTION
property qualifications were imposed for general and local authorities
Vote was restricted to owners or tenants of dwellings
Majority of the 25,000 people denied the vote were Catholics
catholics were under represented in local councils
some businessmen and university graduates got to ahve 2 votes - gerry mandering
examples of discrimination and segregation in Northern Ireland
POLICE
RUC and B -specials could be aggressive in dealings with Catholics caused growing resentment among nationalists
Orange order marchers re-routed through Catholic areas
Flags and Emblems Display Act 1954 made it illegal to interfere with the union flag
the police had the right to remove flags from public and private property
numerous tri-colour flags removed
B specials had the most power in the police force
could search houses without warrant and send to prison without trial
examples of discrimination and segregation in Northern Ireland
HOUSING
in Derry, 2/100 new houses built were given to Catholics even though they were poorer and needed it more
Catholics began living in disused army camps with rats
Dungannon, 53% nationalists and 300 families in need
20% of catholic houses had no piped water supply and 23% didn’t have flushing toilets
denied council housing so they wouldn’t meet the property requirements needed to vote
what impact did Craig have on Protestant/catholic relations?
calmed anti-Catholic feelings but didn’t try to to heal divisions
did nothing to to promote a far government
regarded catholics with suspicion
discrimination continued and he did nothing to stop it
what impact did Brooke have on Protestant/catholic relations?
openly anti-catholic - thought that thye lacked committment
unbending in unionist beliefs
did nothing for them
perpetuated divide
makes catholics dislike protestant
what impact did O’Neill have on Protestant/catholic relations?
wanted better relationship with ulster catholics and cross border relations
proposed reforms such as banning the business vote but did not carry them out
upset catholics and unionists by suggesting reforms but not carrying them out
what was operation harvest?
1956
IRA campaigning to make border ungovernable so Britain would have to reunify Ireland
ended in 1962
used guerilla warfare - blew up roads and attacked military borders
killed 6 RUC members and 10 IRA members
how did operation harvest effect relations in Ireland?
proved Protestant suspicions that the Catholics wanted reunification and justified keeping catholics in an inferior position
made Protestants more determined - more joining the UVF and B specials
who was Ian Paisley and how in
did he exacerbate tension in Ireland?
called off loyalist march
against all comprimise with catholics and republicans
formed ulster resistance in 1980s
became first minister, power sharing with Sinn Fein
caused/ contributed to the troubles in 1969
thought that the pope was the anti christ
led anti-catholics demonstrations
thought NICRA was a front to the IRA
why did riots break out in Belfast 1964?
tricolour flag was flown from Republic Party HQ despite Flags and Emblems Act
threats were made to burn down HQ
2000 republican supporters blocked the RUC’s way as they were going to remove the flag
replaced the flag the next day, RUC came armed and republicans petrol bombed and stoned street
30 people injured incl 11 RUC members
why did the civil rights campaign emerge?
O’Neill wanted to limit catholic desire for a united ireland by improving civil rights
what was the CSJ?
Campaign for social justice
CSJ was a minority pressure group that hoped to expose the Unionists’ discriminatory policies
