Ireland Flashcards
Mainly Catholic groups in Ireland
Nationalist- supporter of a united Ireland
Republican- doesn’t recognise the legitimacy of British institutions
Mainly Protestant groups in Ireland
Unionist- supportive of union between N.Ireland and Britain
Loyalist- loyal to British institutions
How was N.Ireland made up?
Ulster is a protestant area in N.east of of Ireland so protestantism was a minority in Catholic majority
1921, Northern Ireland established and meant that Ulster was the only part of the British Crown
Westminster and N.Ireland
Up until late ’50s, late ’60s hardly had any involvement with N.I, had its own govt. dominated by Protestant Unionists meaning that minority of Catholics in N.I weren’t represented
Generally Westminster left them alone
Protestant Unionists response to separation
Protestant loyalists were resistant to being integrated into Eire (S.I) and were hostile towards Catholic minority in Ulster
What was society like in N.Ireland?
Form of apartheid between Catholics and Protestants
Huge distrust and misunderstanding
Little sympathy for Catholics as many were bitter about Eire’s role in supporting Hitler in the war
What did the Unionists do to maximise representation?
Accused of gerrymandering which was adjusting the constituency borders in their favour to help them in elections
Catholic Civil Rights movement
1968, started in Derry, inspired by American Civil Right Movement, were protesting against their unfair treatment (housing, gerrymandering, underrepresentation etc.)
Led to a protestant backlash, protests declared illegal and led to RUC charging protesters to break up marches
What did the Civil Rights Movement lead to?
Seen as the start of the troubles
Formation of the predominantly Catholic Nationalist party the SDLP (Social Democratic and Labour Party)
And Bernadette Devlin of the radical Catholic Ulster Unionist Party was elected as the youngest ever female MP
What was the position of the IRA in the early stages of Ireland?
IRA had barely played a part
What was Wilson’s early response
Wilson applied pressure on O’Neill (Protestant PM) to push through local housing and govt. reforms faster
He responded saying in order to do this he would need the validation of another electoral victory
This election split the Unionists and O’Neill stood down and was replaced by Chichester-Clarke
What happened with the Battle of the Bogside?
1969, Was same day as the annual anti-Catholic Apprentice Boys of Derry march, Civil right ppl warned not to march but did it anyway and were attacked by the police
B-specials (an unpaid branch of the police) were brutal to the activists and this was televised for many to see
What was the result of the Battle of the Bogside?
Put pressure of protestant govt. in Stormont to make changes to local elections, housing and parliamentary boundaries
This provoked Loyalist backlash which led to further civil rights marches and the cycle continued
What was Wilson’s response to the continued violence in Northern Ireland in 1969?
Felt he had to take action so sent units of the British Army in to protect that Catholics, in place of the B-Specials
Known as ‘Free Derry’
Army was initially welcomed but there were several attacks on the troops by Catholics
When was Bloody Sunday?
30th January 1972
What was the Burning of Bombay Street?
Belfast, ‘69
Catholic homes burned down by protestants in a form of ethnic cleansing
As residents fled to different sides, a wall was built between the two communities that still exists today
What was the Falls Curfew?
Imposed in ‘70 on Catholic/Nationalist area of Belfast after clashes between youths and the Army
Ppl told to stay in their houses indefinitely whilst they were searched for weapons and ammunition
Declared that anyone who left their house would be arrested, 3000 soldiers moved in and sealed off area with barbed wire and used CS gas on residents
How did the army have such control over the Falls Curfew?
All journalists had to leave ore be arrested so it didn’t make the news and meant the Army could do what they like, often looting houses and humiliating residents
What did the Army capture in the Falls Curfew raids and what were the death tolls?
100 firearms, 100 home-made grenades, 21,000 rounds of ammunition, mostly belonging to the official IRA
4 deaths in total, 78 wounded and 337 arrested
What were some of that attitudes towards the IRA?
Many saw them as not protecting them enough and slogans came about saying “IRA I ran away”
When and why did Chichester-Clarke resign?
1971 because British govt. refused to send more troops over so was replaced by Faulkner who introduced internment without trial
What was internment without trial?
Meant that a large no. of Catholics and Nationalists were rounded up by the RUC and sent to prison camp Long Kesh in which thousands were detained, 95% being Catholic or Nationalist
What did long Kesh do for the IRA?
Massively increased the memebership, said to be ‘the best recruiting tool the IRA ever had’ Mcveigh
Which groups were formed to counter the IRA?
Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Volunteer Force
What were the events of Bloody Sunday?
10,000 ppl gathered in Londonderry for civil rights march
Army sealed off original route so that the march was led to the Nationalist side of the city but some continued towards the barricade where youths threw stones at soldiers
They responded with CS gas and rubber bullets
As it dispersed, First Parachute regiment ordered to arrest as many rioters as poss, some opened fire on crowds, killing 13 ppl
What was the reaction to Bloody Sunday?
Home Secretary, Maudling argued it self defence and failed to launch an enquiry but the people of Bogside saw it as murder. This prompted Devlin to slap Maudling across the face
What was found in the Widgery report?
He acquitted the army and blamed the civilians saying they had handled bombs and guns
Led to relatives of the dead and nationalist community campaigning for a fresh public enquiry which wasn’t launched till 1998
What happened to the Ulster Unionists as a result of Bloody Sunday?
It disintegrated and the Democratic Unionists formed, led by Paisley and the modern Unionists formed the non-sectarian Alliance Party
What was the Sunningdale Agreement?
‘73, Heath, Whitelaw, leaders of UUP, SDLP and the Alliance parties negotiated Sunningdale Agreement that would create a new govt. in N.Ireland where power would be shared
What was proposed in the Sunningdale Agreement?
A power-sharing Executive of both nationalists and unionists- both sides guaranteed representation
New N.I assembly elected under a PR system
A Council of Ireland that would have input from the Republic of Ireland
What were the limitations to the Sunningdale Agreement?
Both loyalists and republicans saw it as a sellout
The rank and file of UUP were opposed and Faulkner was replaces by opponent of the agreement, Harry West
Links between UUP and Conservative Party were so weak that Tories didn’t have guaranteed support in Parliament so lost power in ‘74 election
