Political Developments: Tensions in Northern Ireland Flashcards
What did Ian Paisley create in 1971? Was it pro-catholic?
Democratic Unionist Party, it was very anti-catholic
What law did the government create in 1971 for Ulster? What month was it introduced?
Internment law, August 1971
What was Internment law?
Arresting anyone who could cause trouble without trial
What was the aim of Internment?
To get rid of violent citizens in Ulster
What was the impact of the Internment law for Catholics?
Catholics felt more persecuted
What organisation was formed in 1971? How many members by 1972?
Ulster Defence Association. They had 50,000 members by 1972
What happened in January 1972?
Protest happened, 13 Catholic civilians were killed by Paramilitary forces
What was the protest event in 1972 called?
Bloody Sunday
What was the impact of the January 1972 protest result? What were the tensions directed to?
Increase in tensions against the British Government
What report suggested what happened at the protest?
Widgery Report
What did the report say?
Said protestors shot at the army first
What was the Widgery report seen as?
An attempt to make the British Army look better for their actions
What did the Catholics think about the report?
It made them think that the British Government were hostile to them
How did Heath try to control the Northern Ireland situation in terms of with actions on Stormont Parliament?
He suspended Stormont Parliament
What happened a year after Heath did this suspension?
Willie Whitelaw made an act to make the two rival Ulster parties do power-sharing
What year was the Sunningdale Agreement made?
1973
What did the Sunningdale Agreement do?
Created an entity which would govern Northern Ireland better for Protestants and Catholics
How did Protestants respond to the Sunningdale Agreement? What organisation did they make?
They feared it would end unionism so they made the Ulster Defence Force similar to the IRA
How did Catholics respond to the Sunningdale Agreement? What event happened?
They became more militant overseas, such as a car bomb incident in London killing 1 and injuring 250
