Northern Ireland Flashcards
When was Northern Ireland created?
Northern Ireland was created in 1922.
What event led to the creation of Northern Ireland?
The Irish War of Independence from 1919 to 1921.
How many counties in Ireland were partitioned to create Northern Ireland?
6 counties.
What part of the United Kingdom did Northern Ireland remain part of?
The United Kingdom.
Fill in the blank: Ireland was partitioned between 6 counties in the north of Ireland that would remain part of the _______.
United Kingdom.
What is a unionist?
Supporter of the union of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to form the United Kingdom
What does nationalist usually mean in the British context?
Someone who supports independence for Scotland or Wales or is in favour of a united Ireland
What was the partition of Ireland?
The division that created Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State, leading to controversy among nationalists and unionists
What is the Irish Republican Army (IRA)?
Organisation that fought for independence in the Irish War of Independence; it did not accept the partition of Ireland
Define paramilitary.
A non-State military force
Who are the Apprentice Boys?
A loyalist organisation that marches annually to commemorate the closing of the gates to Derry in 1688 by 13 apprentice boys
What was the religious demographic of Ireland as a whole compared to Northern Ireland?
Majority in Ireland were Catholic; majority in Northern Ireland were Protestant
What was the socio-economic system in Northern Ireland dominated by?
Protestant unionists
What evidence was there of discrimination against Catholics in Northern Ireland by the mid-1960s?
Discrimination in employment and housing, biased electoral boundaries, and accusations against the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)
What was the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland aiming to challenge?
Discrimination against Catholics
What occurred during the civil rights marches in 1968?
They were attacked by loyalists, and complaints were made that the RUC failed to protect Catholics
What happened during the 1969 annual march in Derry by the Apprentice Boys?
They were attacked by nationalists in the Catholic area of the Bogside, leading to rioting
What did the television broadcast show during the riots in 1969?
RUC officers beating Catholics
What sparked rioting from loyalists in August 1969?
Concessions on housing and electoral boundaries offered by the Stormont government.
The concessions were in response to escalating tensions and riots in various towns and cities.
What action did the Wilson government take in August 1969?
Sent in British army troops to keep the peace.
This was a response to the escalating violence and unrest.
What was the outcome of the riots spreading to other towns and cities?
Increased violence and demands for concessions from the government.
The unrest highlighted deep-seated issues within the community.
True or False: The Stormont government responded positively to the riots by increasing military presence immediately.
False. The government offered concessions first before the military was deployed.
The deployment of troops was a measure taken after the situation escalated.
Fill in the blank: The riots that spread in August 1969 were primarily fueled by _______.
loyalist reactions to government concessions.
The concessions were seen as a threat to their interests.
What is a minority government?
A government that doesn’t have an overall majority in Parliament.
What year did the Heath government face a significant challenge from the miners?
1974.
What was the primary cause of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland?
Divisions in society based on religion.
Name two paramilitary organizations involved in the Troubles.
- Irish Republican Army (IRA)
- Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
What does the term ‘internment’ refer to?
Locking up suspects without trial.
Who was the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party during the Heath government?
Brian Faulkner.
What was the consequence of the internment policy between 1971 and 1975?
95 percent of those interned were Catholics, alienating nationalist communities.
What event is referred to as Bloody Sunday?
The day British soldiers shot 13 unarmed civilians during a protest march.
What was the outcome of the Widgery Tribunal regarding Bloody Sunday?
It reported that the army acted in self-defense but was widely considered a whitewash.
What did the Saville Inquiry conclude about the events of Bloody Sunday?
The deaths were ‘unjustified and unjustifiable.’
What happened after Bloody Sunday in terms of public sentiment?
Support for the IRA grew significantly.
What year was the Stormont Parliament suspended?
March 1972.
What is the definition of direct rule in the context of Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland would be ruled from London rather than having its own separate parliament.
Fill in the blank: The Provisional IRA split from the ______ in 1970.
Official IRA.
What was the significance of the Sunningdale Agreement?
It was an attempt to establish a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.
True or False: The British Army was viewed as a protector by Catholic communities during the Troubles.
False.
List three events that occurred during the Troubles from 1970 to 1974.
- 3 British soldiers killed (Aug 1971)
- Bloody Sunday (Jan 1972)
- McGurk’s bar bombing (Dec 1971)
Who was Martin McGuinness?
A member of the Provisional IRA and later Sinn Fein’s chief negotiator for the Good Friday Agreement.
What was the impact of internment on the recruitment for the IRA?
Internment was considered one of the best recruiting tools for the IRA.
What did the British government do in response to the increased violence in 1972?
Imposed direct rule from Westminster.
What was Heath’s policy regarding the IRA?
To defeat the IRA while seeking a permanent political solution for peace
What was the Ulster Unionist Party’s (UUP) significance?
The only major unionist party in Northern Ireland until the 1970s
Who formed the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and when?
Ian Paisley and others in 1971
What was the aim of the Alliance Party formed in 1970?
To be a moderate unionist party appealing to both Catholics and Protestants
Who founded the Social Democratic Labour Party (SDLP) and when?
John Hume and other nationalists in 1970
What does the term ‘proportional representation’ refer to?
A system of voting whereby those elected are in proportion to the number of votes received
What was Ian Paisley’s role in Northern Ireland politics?
Led loyalist opposition to the Catholic civil rights movement and established paramilitary organizations
What was John Hume’s contribution to the peace process?
Worked with Sinn Fein for IRA ceasefires and facilitated talks between Sinn Fein and the British government
What was the Sunningdale Agreement?
A proposed power-sharing government including nationalists and unionists
What were the main components of the Sunningdale Agreement? List them.
- A power-sharing Executive of both nationalists and unionists
- A new Northern Ireland Assembly elected under proportional representation
- A Council of Ireland with input from the Republic of Ireland
Which groups opposed the Sunningdale Agreement?
Extremists from both the republican and loyalist sides, including the UVF and UDA
What event undermined the support for the Sunningdale Agreement?
The UUP voted to pull out in January 1974
What serious issues did Heath’s government deal with?
- Britain’s economy
- Relations with the trade unions
- The Troubles in Northern Ireland
Assess the view: ‘Sunningdale failed because of problems in mainland Britain.’ Agree or disagree?
Subjective - depends on individual interpretation and evidence
What was a key factor that prevented the Conservatives from continuing in government?
The inability to rely on the support of the UUP due to concerns about the Sunningdale Agreement
Who joined the IRA as a teenager in 1972?
Bobby Sands
Bobby Sands’ involvement with the IRA was influenced by his experiences growing up in Belfast.
What prompted Bobby Sands to join the IRA?
His family’s experiences with violence and intimidation by Protestants
The family was moved three times due to this violence.
What event forced Bobby Sands to leave his job?
He was forced by gunmen to leave his job
This incident was one of the factors that contributed to his decision to join the IRA.
What was Bobby Sands arrested for in 1972?
Possession of firearms
This arrest occurred during a tumultuous period in Northern Ireland.
How long was Bobby Sands sentenced to prison?
14 years
Sands was involved in bombing a furniture showroom, leading to this sentence.
What did Bobby Sands do while in prison?
He wrote poetry and articles about IRA prisoners
His writings contributed to the awareness of the prisoners’ conditions.
At what age did Bobby Sands die?
27
His death turned him into a martyr for the republican movement.
What economic approach did Margaret Thatcher abandon due to political liability?
Monetarism
This shift was part of her pragmatic goal for prosperity.
What were the hunger strikes led by Bobby Sands protesting for?
Special Category Status for IRA prisoners
The hunger strikers sought recognition and treatment as political prisoners.
What significant political event occurred during Bobby Sands’ hunger strike?
He was nominated and won a by-election as the Anti-H-Block candidate
This win occurred shortly before his death.
How many hunger strikers died before the protest was called off in October 1981?
Nine
Their deaths highlighted the severity of the protest.
Did Margaret Thatcher believe the hunger strikes were a defeat for the IRA?
Yes
She claimed this because the Special Category Status was not granted.
Fill in the blank: The death of an independent republican MP in Fermanagh South Tyrone presented _____ with an opportunity.
Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein is the political wing of the IRA.
What was the impact of Thatcher’s intransigence on Northern Ireland?
She became a hate figure for republicans, while Bobby Sands and other strikers became republican heroes.
This led to hardened stances from both unionists and republicans.
Who became president of Sinn Féin in 1983?
Gerry Adams
He recognized the advantages of using a twin-track strategy of ‘ballot box and the gun’.
What significant event occurred in October 1984 during the Conservative Party conference?
The IRA exploded a bomb in the Grand Hotel in Brighton.
The main target, Margaret Thatcher, was unhurt, but five people were killed.
What was Gerry Adams’ stance regarding the English parliament?
He refused to attend because it entailed swearing an oath of allegiance to the queen.
Adams was the leader of Sinn Féin and an architect of its twin-track strategy.
What was the Anglo-Irish Agreement signed in November 1985?
It established permanent intergovernmental cooperation between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The agreement aimed to enhance security cooperation and strengthen moderate nationalists.
What was the reaction of republicans to the Anglo-Irish Agreement?
They opposed the Agreement because it confirmed that Northern Ireland was part of the United Kingdom.
This opposition stemmed from their desire for a united Ireland.
What was the role of the Irish government as per the Hillsborough Agreement?
It was given an advisory role in Northern Ireland.
This involvement led to significant backlash from unionists and loyalists.
Who addressed the protest rally in Belfast against the Hillsborough Agreement?
The Reverend Iain Paisley
He led a protest against the Irish government’s involvement in Northern Ireland.
What new unionist paramilitary organization was established in response to the Hillsborough Agreement?
Ulster Resistance
This was formed in 1986 as a direct response to the perceived threats from the Agreement.
What was the overall atmosphere in Northern Ireland following the Hillsborough Agreement?
There was a cycle of violence and retaliation with atrocities committed on both sides.
The situation appeared to have no way out.
True or False: Thatcher publicly stated she would negotiate with terrorists.
False
Despite her public stance, there were always secret contacts through go-betweens.
What event occurred in July 1982 during the Troubles?
Hyde Park/Regent Park bombings, London - 11 soldiers killed by IRA
This event highlights the ongoing conflict between the IRA and British forces during the Troubles.
What happened in December 1982 in Northern Ireland?
Droppin Well bomb - 11 soldiers and 6 civilians killed by INLA
The INLA (Irish National Liberation Army) was involved in this incident, illustrating the violence of the Troubles.
What was the outcome of the Harrods bombing in December 1983?
6 people killed by IRA
The bombing targeted a major shopping area in London, reflecting the IRA’s strategy of high-profile attacks.
What occurred at the Conservative Party conference in October 1984?
Brighton bomb - 5 people killed by IRA
This attack was aimed at political leaders, emphasizing the IRA’s intent to disrupt government activities.
What was the result of the IRA mortar attack in February 1985?
9 RUC officers killed
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was the police service in Northern Ireland, often targeted during the Troubles.
What happened in May 1987 involving the SAS?
8 IRA volunteers and 1 civilian shot by SAS
This event underscores the violent confrontations between security forces and paramilitary groups.
What was the outcome of the Remembrance Day bomb in November 1987?
12 people killed by IRA
This bombing occurred during a memorial service, illustrating the indiscriminate nature of the attacks during the Troubles.
What was the view on the Conservative government’s policies in Northern Ireland between 1979 and 1987?
The Conservative government’s policies made ‘The Troubles’ worse
This view is subject to debate and assessment based on the historical context and events during this period.
What should be identified to assess the Conservative government’s impact in Northern Ireland?
The actions of the Conservative government in the context of the Troubles
Understanding the government’s policies is crucial for evaluating their effectiveness and consequences.
What activity is suggested for understanding electoral success between 1979 and 1987?
Make a list of reasons why the Conservative government was electorally successful
Group discussions can help identify significant factors contributing to electoral outcomes.
