Problems in NI 1920-1925: Sectarianism

Question 1

“Pogroms”

Answer 1

Farrell and contemporary views point out there were violent attacks on Catholics by Protestants.

Question 2

1921-1922 cycle of violence

Answer 2

Tit for Tat appeared in the north as Catholic communities accquired weapons to defend themselves from pogroms. This only made things worse and violence escalated 1921 to 1922.

The Special Powers Act (1921) interned Catholics more than Protestants; while subsiding sectarian violence was itself a sectarian measure.

Question 3

The Craig-Collins Pact of January and March 1922

Answer 3

Each side promised to help step down the violence, Collins on border attacks and Craig pogroms on Catholics.

Question 4

Belleek-Pettigo Triangle in Fermanagh

Answer 4

Collins and the IRA took control of this region in Fermanagh for a time in early 1922; the British Army’s intervention however restored the region to NI

Question 5

Solved?

Answer 5

Far from it, the Troubles ended in 1922 after Collins’ death in August. 428 people had died; while NI was secure now, it had created a clearly “Protestant State for a Protestant People” (Jackson) with the USC.

Question 6

Figure of discrimination 1920 to 1922

Answer 6

58% of killings in Belfast were Catholic; there was a similar proportion of arrests and internments of Catholics too under the Special Powers Act, when in reality most of the violence was from Loyalists.

Question 7

What about the Education reforms?

Answer 7

the Lynn Committee set up to find an “impartial” system. The result was 2 separate systems, with the IFS paying Northern Teachers in 1922 and the 1923 Education Act which provided the above. “effort to act impartially” )(Rees)