Northern Ireland Flashcards
When and Why were there civil rights marches?
(1964-68 )Evidence that catholics were being discriminated against in employment and housing
When and importance of apprentice boys?
(1969) Apprentice boys attacked on annual march to Derry by nationalists in the Catholic area. Images of RUC beating Catholics
Britains reaction to Apprentice boys?
(Aug) troops came to attempt peace
What did Heath impose in 1971?
Night time curfews and intro. to internment
What was Bloody Sunday?
30th Jan 1972 Began as a civil rights march against internment
Affects of Bloody Sunday
26 unarmed civilians shot
13 killed on the day
Why was 1972 the bloodiest year of the troubles?
1382 explosions
480 people killed
Heath’s action to incidents in 1972?
Brought direct rule from Westminster
When was the Sunningdale agreement?
1973
What was the Sunningdale agreement?
- a power-sharing executive of both nationalist and unionist
- new Northern Ireland Assembly elected under a system of proportional representation
-Council of Ireland that would have some input from the ROI
When did UUP vote to pull out of the Sunningdale agreement?
1974
When and why did the Ulster Workers Council Strike?
1974 - To bring down the executive
What were the effects of the 1974 strikes?
Britain declared a state of emergency, reimpose direct rule and Sunningdale collapsed
In 1974, what was set up to determine the future of gov. in Northern Ireland?
Northern Irish Constitution Convention
Why did the Northern Irish Consitution Convention dissolve?
(July 1975) majority for unionists in the election
–> opposed to any form of power-sharing
–> agreement with nationalists would not be possible
When was Special Category status removed?
1976 - making political prisoners considered criminals
What and When was the blanket protest?
1976- instead of wearing prisoners uniform they were either naked or wore a blanket
When and what was Dirty protest?
1978- prisoners refused to leave cells and smeared excrement on walls
When were the hunger strikes and who were they led by?
1980 - Bobby Sands and 11 died
When were hunger strikes called off?
(Oct 1981)Special Catergory Status was not removed
When did Gerry Adams become leader of Sinn Fein?
1982
When was bomb in Brighton Hotel?
(Oct 1984) IRA exploded bomb during Conservative Party conference
Affects of bomb at Brighton Hotel?
Thatcher was unhurt and 5 killed; national outrage in Britain
When and What was anglo-Irish agreement?
1985
–> gov. cooperate with Uk and ROI
–>confirmed NI was in Uk
–> 200000 people protest in Belfast incl. Ian Paisley
Who was Ian Paisley?
DUP leader
What new paramilitary org. created in response to Belfast rally?
Ulster Resistance
What was the incident with the ‘shoot to kill policy’?
(1988) 3 IRA members were killed by Special Air Force in Gibraltar
2 events of states activities that were under scrutiny?
Birmingham Six and Guildford Four
When did it seem Sinn Fein was ready to agree peace?
1993
Majors relationship with Irish PM in 1993
good relations with Reynolds
When was the Downing Street Declaration and who with?
1993 with Reynolds (Irish PM)
Affect of Downing Street Declaration
(1994) IRA and loyalist paramilitaries ceasfire
–> sense of war weariness
Why did the Downing Street Declaration fail>?
Unionists didn’t believe IRA commitment to peace
–> IRA got impatient and went back to violence
–> (1996) bomb attacks in Manchester and Canary Wharf
What was Labours position with Northern Ireland in 1997?
political opputunity to end the Troubles
Who was John Hume?
leader of SDLP
What did John Hume do in relation to NI?
persuaded Gerry Adams and MArtin McGuiness that negotiation settlement was possible
WHo was Martin McGuineess?
Leader of Sinn Fein?
Why was George Mitchell a good chairman for negotiation talks
trusted by both unionists and republicans
What did Blair do to gain support of the republicans?
keep closer relations with Irish Taoiseach (Bertie Ahern)
Who and what did they do to keep paramilitaires on board with neogtiations?
Mo Mowlam (Labour MP) visted them in prison
When did Good Friday Agreement get reached?
After 17 hrs past deadline, reached on 10th April
Who walked out at lack of progress in ensuring IRA would decommission its arms and when?
9th April –> Jeffrey Donaldson (UUP negotiator)
What was good Friday Agreement?
–> NI could decide what it should be a part of
–>a devolved assembly with power sharing executive
–> links between all three (NI, UK, Ireland) strengthened
–> all parties influence decommission of amrs
–> early release of paramilitaies org. committed to peace
What happened after Good Friday Agreement produced?
22nd May 1998 –> referendum to people of Ireland
Results of referendum
NI: 71% for
ROI : 94% for
Who and why were in opposition to Good Friday Agreement?
leaders of SInn Fein (nervous of republican backlash)
David Trimble (Ulster Unionist MP) and Ulster Unionists ( fear of negative influnce of Iam Paisley)
What happened in 1998 which was SInn Feins fears realised?
Omagh bombing
–> 30 ppl killed
–> by dissident republicans and a ‘continuinty’ IRA
Overall, NI for Blair?
SIngle greatest acheivement in premiership
long term affects of NI
Dissagreements over:
–> paramilitaries decommission arms?
–> early relase of convicted terrorists?
–> right of Protestants Orange to march tradtional route
What was ST Andrews Agreement?
after disagreement the devolved institution was suspended in 2002 until 2006 st andrews agreement
–> reiterated good friday
–> Not all problems were solved
