the Anglo-Irish Agreement Flashcards
The key difference between the Anglo-Irish Agreement (1985) and the Sunningdale Power-Sharing Agreement (1973-74)
- it was purely an agreement between the British and Irish governments
- This meant that there would be no Assembly or Executive to be created
Reasons for Anglo-Irish agreement
- hunger strikes and aftermath 🍲
- continued violence 🥊
- Sinn Féin policy 📝
- British and Irish govs decided to work more closely together 👬
What Sinn Féin policy was a reason for a-i agreement?
“Ballot box and the Armalite”
Why were the hunger strikes and their after math a reason for a-i agreement?
Changed NI political situation
Anglo-Irish agreement
closer co-op between British and Irish govs
Who signed Anglo-Irish agreement
- Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald
- PM Margaret Thatcher
Reasons for closer co-op in the 80s
- fear of Sinn Féin
- to undermine PIRA
- security reasons
Why was fear of Sinn Féin a reason for closer co-op in the 80s?
- British gov and SDLP afraid that Sinn Fein might overtake SDLP
- become main nationalist party in NI
- could make political agreements in NI more difficult
- worsen security situation and stability within Ireland
Why was security a reason for closer co-op in the 80s?
Thatcher realised that unless she dealt with nationalist hostility, then she would be unable to improve security
Why was undermine the PIRA a reason for closer co-op in the 80s?
Taoiseach GF hoped agreement would
- reduce nationalist hostility and would reform security forces in NI
- This would undermine the tolerance of PIRA in NI
Irish government terms of agreement – A – I agreement
- The RoI hoped agreement with persuade nationalists to accept the NI state
- If this happened support for Sinn Fein would collapse.
what did the RoI think would happen if they were able to persuade nationalists to accept the NI state?
support for Sinn Fein would collapse
British GOV terms of agreement – AI agreement
Hoped agreement would lead to better security and co-op between Britain and Ireland
Permanent secretariat terms of agreement, AI agreement
A permanent secretariat made up of civil servants from NI and RoI would provide administrative support to the intergovernmental conference
Secretariat
A group of civil servants
RoI role in NI. Terms of agreement, AI agreements
- Agreement recognised RoI had a role in NI
- however, republic accepted that a united Ireland was a long-term goal, could only happen with support of majority of NI population 🥅 ⭕️
What did the RoI accept? AI agreement
- a united Ireland was a long-term goal 🥅
- could only happen with support of majority of NI population
Intergovernmental conference, terms of agreement, AI agreement
would deal with issues such as security, legal matters, political questions, and improving cross-border cooperation
Devolution, terms of agreement, AI agreement
- NI assembly given power by Westminster
- would only happen if there was an agreement on the sharing of power between unionists and nationalists
Devolution
Local parliaments are given some powers by the central parliament
What would happen that would cause devolution?
would only happen if there was an agreement on the sharing of power between unionists and nationalists
What did the British government and SDLP believe would happen if Sinn Fein became the main nationalist party in NI?
- could make political agreements in NI more difficult
- worsen security situation and stability within Ireland
What was Thatcher’s main reason for signing A-I agreement?
Security as
- PIRA had attempted to kill her at 1984, Conservative party conference, Brighton
- unless she dealt with nationalist hostility, she would be unable to improve security
Reactions to the Anglo-Irish Agreement: Unionist
- Unionists appalled
- felt abandoned 🏃♀️🇬🇧 by the British gov
- believed they were now in a process that led to a United Ireland 🇮🇪
- What annoyed Unionists most was that they had been kept in the dark ⚫️ during the negotiations and SDLP had been consulted 👩⚕️ in the process
What about A-I agreement annoyed Unionists the most?
they had been kept in the dark during the negotiations and SDLP had been consulted in the process.
Reactions to the Anglo-Irish Agreement: Republican
- Sinn Fein condemned the Agreement
- argued that rather than bringing a United Ireland closer, it made the division of Ireland more permanent because;
- the Irish government was recognising the existence of NI
- and accepting a United Ireland was a long-term goal that would only happen with the majority acceptance of the population of NI
Why did Sinn Fein argue that rather than bringing a United Ireland closer**, it made the division of Ireland more permanent?
- the Irish government was recognising the existence of NI
- and accepting a United Ireland was a long-term goal that would only happen with the majority acceptance of the population of NI
Reactions to the Anglo-Irish Agreement: Nationalist
- SDLP given more of a role in the creation of the Anglo-Irish Agreement than any other political party in NI
- SDLP viewed the Agreement as an opportunity to create a better life in NI
Reactions to the Anglo-Irish Agreement: Alliance Party
The Alliance Party supported the Agreement.
Reactions to the Anglo-Irish Agreement: Fianna Fáil
- Agreement acceptable to Fine Gael and Irish Labour Party that made up the ROl’s coalition government
- However, Fianna Fail, led by Charles Haughey, condemned it.
- They were angered at the government’s recognition of NI.
Why did Fianna Fail condemn the A-I agreement
- They were angered at the government’s recognition of NI
Who were two groups would not have been Unionists first choice for support?
- Sinn Féin
- Fianna Fail
Where did Unionists look for support in their campaign against the A-I Agreement?
Their own community
When was the Anglo-Irish agreement signed? 🍂
15 November 1985
Where was the Anglo-Irish agreement signed? 🏰
Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland
Non-cooperation with British government, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Unionists were appalled at the Agreement and wanted to show their hatred of what they termed the “Dublin diktat” by strength in numbers
Who campaigned against the A-I agreement?
Unionists
Bonfires, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Bonfires burnt models of Thatcher and members of the Irish government
Marches, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
- Marches were held to the headquarters of the new Anglo-Irish Secretariat
- The marches often turned violent
Protests, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
- A protest rally at Belfast City Hall was held on 23rd November 1985
- It is estimated that 100,000 to 250,000 attended
- The rally heard speeches from DUP leader lan Paisley -
“Never, never, never”
15 Unionist MPs, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
- 15 Unionist MPs resigned their seats at Westminster in December 1985
- They then stood for them again in the by-election
- This was to show the strength of Unionist opposition through the votes cast
- January 1986 - Unionists gained over 420,000 votes, but lost a seat to SDLP’s Seamus Mallon.
- Sinn Fein’s share of the Nationalist vote fell from 42% to 35% - the destruction of SF may be possible.
“Unionist Day of Action”, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
- 3rd March 1986 - much of NI was brought to a standstill using peaceful protest
- However, there were some instances of the protests turning violent
- The success of the UWC strike in 1974 was not repeated by the “Unionist Day of Action”
Civil disobedience, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Unionist politicians shunned British ministers
- refused to set rates in Unionist council areas
- boycotted Westminster.
Loyalist paramilitaries, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Loyalist paramilitaries engaged in a campaign of violence and intimidation against the
RUC, as the RUC were seen as essential to the success of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Ulster Resistance, campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
**November 1986 - the Ulster Resistance is formed
- paramilitary organisation
- aimed to destroy the Anglo-Irish Agreement
- had links to leading Unionist political parties
Results: unionist campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement
- The above tactics failed to have any significant impact on the British government’s determination to stick by the Anglo-Irish Agreement
- The absence of 14 MPs out of 650 was not noticed
- by Sept. 1987 Unionist politicians ended their boycott of W Minster
Causes, 15 MPs campaign against AI agreement
- This was to show the strength of Unionist opposition through the votes cast
Effects of 15 MPs, campaign against AI agreement
- January 1986 - Unionists gained over 420,000 votes, but lost a seat to SDLP’s Seamus Mallon.
- Sinn Fein’s share of the Nationalist vote fell from 42% to 35% - the destruction of SF may be possible
How did Unionist MPs shun British ministers?
- refused to set rates in Unionist council areas
- boycotted Westminster
Why did loyalist paramilitaries engage in a campaign of violence and intimidation against the
RUC
the RUC were seen as essential to the success of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
What year was the Ulster Resistance formed?
**November 1986 - the Ulster Resistance is formed
“Ballot box and the Armalite”
Achieve aims through pronged approach
- politics - Sinn Fein
- violence
