Northern Ireland: 1920 - 1997 Flashcards
What did the Government of Ireland Act, 1920 do?
- This created in Northern Ireland and partitioned Ireland into two parts
- It gave Northern Ireland its own Parliament
What are the 6 counties of Northern Ireland?
Fermanagh, Armagh, Tyrone, Derry, Antrim, Down
What was Northern Ireland’s parliament called?
Stormont
Which party dominated Stormont in the beginning?
The Ulster Unionists Party was the largest party. Most Protestants voted for them.
When was James Craig PM of Northern Ireland?
1921 - 1940
James Craig declared Stormont was “…
“a Protestant parliament for Protestant people”
In what was were Catholics in NI discriminated against in politics?
- Constituencies were gerrymandered
2. A person with multiple properties could vote multiple times. Catholics were poorer so had less votes
What does gerrymandering mean?
Constituency boundaries were strategically drawn to ensure the Unionists always won, even in Nationalist areas
In what was were Catholics in NI discriminated against in housing?
Local authority housing was often given to Protestant families rather that Catholics
In what was were Catholics in NI discriminated against in jobs?
Catholics found it difficult to get good jobs. There was a high unemployment rate amongst Catholic men
In what was were Catholics in NI discriminated against in policing?
The RUC were mainly Protestant. A part-time police force called the B-Specials was set up - they were 100% Protestant
Who were the RUC?
The Royal Ulster Constabulary - the police in NI
Was NI involved in WWII?
Yes - they were directly involved in the war and fought alongside Britain
How did the ports at Derry and Belfast play a vital role in WWII?
They were vital stages on the Atlantic sea route that brought food and war materials from the US to Britain
What did the Harland & Wolff shipyard do in WWII?
Built ships for the British navy
When and who replaced James Craig as PM of NI?
In 1941 James Craig was replaced by JM Andrews
When, why and who replaced JM Andrews as PM of NI?
JM Andrews didn’t do a good job of protecting NI in WWII so was replaced by Basil Brooke in 1943
What was the Welfare State?
When WWII ended, Britain elected the Labour Party into government. They introduced the Welfare State:
- Social welfare increased
- Free medical care to all
- Better old age pensions
- Free secondary education to all
What was the 11+ exam?
As part of the introduction of the Welfare State in Britain, if children could get a free place in a grammar school if they passed the 11+ exam and were more likely to go to university. This created a new generation of well-educated Catholics
When was Terence O’Neill PM of Northern Ireland?
1963 - 1969
Who was Ian Paisley?
An extreme Unionist. He was one of O’Neill’s most vocal opponents. He didn’t want to give any concessions to Catholics.
What was the name of the political party set up by Ian Paisley?
Democratic Unionist Party
What was NICRA and when and why was it set up?
In 1967, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) was set up to end discrimination of Catholics/Nationalists in Northern Ireland
Who was NICRA led by?
Young, well-educated nationalists called Gerry Fitt, John Hume, and Bernadette Devlin
What were the demands of NICRA?
- End gerrymandering
- One man, one vote
- End discrimination
What happened to NICRA in October 1968?
The RUC and B-Specials violently attacked a NICRA protect march in Derry
Why did the British government force O’Neill to bring in ‘one man, one vote’ and end gerrymandering?
TV cameras began to films to attacks in Northern Ireland and people around the world were made aware of the discrimination. This embarrassed the British government as ultimately they were in charge of NI
What was the Bogside?
A poor Catholic part of Derry city
Who led the SDLP?
Gerry Fitt and John Hume
What was the SDLP?
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Who was PM of Northern Ireland in 1971?
Brian Faulkner
What happened on Bloody Sunday, 1972?
British soldiers opened fire on an anti-internment march in Derry. 13 unarmed men were killed
What was the Sunningdale Agreement?
In 1973, the Ulster Unionist Party agreed with the SDLP to set up a power sharing government. But this failed after protest from both sides
What was the second attempt to bring peace to NI?
The Anglo-Irish Agreement, 1985
Who was the Anglo-Irish Agreement, 1985 negotiated by?
Margaret Thatcher and Garrett Fitzgerald
What were the terms of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, 1985?
- The North and South would co-operate on security matters
2. The British government promised to consult the Irish government about developments in the North
Was the Anglo-Irish Agreement, 1985 a success?
No → Many hard-line Unionists (e.g. Paisley’s DUP) strongly opposed the agreement as it gave the ROI a say in Northern Ireland’s politics
What was the third attempt to bring peace to NI?
The Good Friday Agreement, 1997
When did the IRA announce a ceasefire in NI?
1997
The signing of the Good Friday Agreement, 1997 was led by..
..PM, Tony Blair and Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern
