Northern Ireland Flashcards
What were the troubles?
The cycle of violence between 1960s and 1990s dominated by terrorist conflict between nationalists and unionists
What was the easter rising?
Republicans attacked British troops
When was the easter rising?
1916
When was the anglo-irish war?
1919-1921
What did a treaty of 1921 do?
Partitioned the country creating northern and southern ireland
Who was stormont dominated by?
Protestants
What did the protestants monopolise?
Best of everything
- housing
- schools
- jobs
What did the Catholics believe the political corruption was set up to do?
Take away Catholic voices and operate a system of favouritism
Who were the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)?
The police
Who were the RUC bias to?
Bias to protestants
When did the issues in Northern Ireland become a threat to UK governement?
1964 due to the civil rights movement
Why did the civil rights movement begin?
Catholics challenged the situation in Northern Ireland
When was the NICRA founded
1967
What does NICRA stand for?
Northern Ireland Civil Rights association
Who made up the NICRA?
Students
What did the NICRA do?
condemned the political corruption and called for a fair distribution of resources
What were the marches in October 1968 for?
Civil rights marches of Catholic nationalists protesting against discrimination
What was the battle of bogside?
Loyalist apprentice boys held their annual march in Derry however were attacked in bogside (catholic area) by nationalists.
The RUC were seen on TV beating people causing mass riots across the nation
When was the battle of bogside?
1969
When were the first deaths due to the troubles?
Summer 1969
What did James Callaghan do in 1969 in Northern Irealnds?
He sent British troops to Northern Ireland
At first they were welcomes
IRA reorganised and attacked
What did Heath try to find in Northern Ireland?
A political solution
Who did Heath support in 1971 (NI)?
Brian Faulkner
Who was Brian Faulkner?
Unionists leader of Belfast government
What did Brian Faulkner introduce?
Night-time curfews
Internment
What is Internment?
Arrested suspected trouble maker without holding a trial
What percentage of people arrested by internment were Catholic?
95%
What were the consequences of internment?
- 95% Catholics
- ‘Best recruiting tool’ for the IRA
- Increased tensions
- Increased Catholic belief of persecution
- Strained relations between the British and Irish government
- Destroyed cross-party relations - Many Labour MPs hated and called for withdrawal of troops
When was Bloody Sunday?
30th January 1972
What was Bloody Sunday?
NICRA started a prohibited civil rights movement march causing British soldiers to fire at unarmed civilians
What were the consequences of Bloody sunday?
26 unarmed were shot and 13 died
When was the British embassy in Dublin burned down?
1972
What was the deadliest years of the troubles and why?
1972
1382 explosions
10628 shot
480 killed
When did Heath suspend stormont?
March 1972
When Stormont was suspended who had rule over Ireland?
Westminister
What was the Widgery report?
An inquiry into Bloody Sunday
Claims that British troops were shot at first
When was the Widgery report?
May 1973
When was the Sunningdale agreement?
1973
Who was part of the Sunningdale agreement?
SDLP
Alliance
UUP
Dublin government
What were the proposals of the sunningdale agreement?
- Power share
- Elected assembly using proportional representation
- Council of Ireland would get input from the Republic of Ireland
What were the consequences of the Sunningdale agreement?
- Violence - increased IRA attacks
- Seen as a sell out by extremists
- UUP pulled out in Jan 1974 replacing leader
- In Feb 1974 election 11/12 NI constituencies elected an anti sunningdale candidate
- Opposed parties only put up one candidate
How long was the strikes in May 1974 in Ireland?
15 days - to protest the sunningdale agreement
What was the 1974 Northern Ireland act?
Created a constitutional convention
Reintroduce power sharing
What was the 1974 prevention of terrorism act?
Gave police extended powers
What was the cause of the 1974 prevention of terrorism act?
Pub bombings from the IRA in Oxford and Birmingham
What was the turnout of the 1974 election?
66%
What did the turnout of the 1974 election show in Northern Ireland?
People were more willing to follow a peaceful path
When was the constitutional convention dissolved?
1976 July
What does it mean when the government withdrew ‘special category status’?
They were no longer treated as political prisoners rather as if they were criminals
What were blanket protests?
Refused to wear their prison uniform
What did the blanket protests develop into?
Dirty protests
What were dirty protests?
Prisoners refused to leave their cells and smeared shit up the walls
In 1979, how many prisoners were part of the dirty protest?
250
