The O’Neil Years: 1963-1969

Question 1

When did O’Neil become PM?

Answer 1

March 1963 - was leader of OUP was not elected as party leader instead was selected by senior members of OUP

Question 2

What was O’Neils first problems?

Answer 2

1. Party members wanted Brian Faulkner to be PM and OUP leader
2. He was a liberal who wanted to change. His party was mainly conservative.
3. O’Neil was from a different background to most NI unionists. He was educated in England

Question 3

What was O’Neils first priority?

Answer 3

To make NI economically stronger and prosperous

Question 4

What was O’Neils second priority?

Answer 4

Build bridges between the two traditions in the NI community

Question 5

What was O’Neils third priority?

Answer 5

Improve relations with the Irish Republic

Question 6

How did O’Neil want to improve the economy?

Answer 6

1. Modern road and rail networks
2. Invest £900 million into local economy
3. Create a new big city known as Carigavin
4. Build a University campus at Coleraine

Question 7

What were some of O’Neils successes?

Answer 7

1. Construction of the M1 motorway system which would connect Belfast to Dungannon
2. A new university campus was built in Coleraine
3. A new city was planned in Craigavon. It was hoped this city would attract businesses
4. 35,000 new jobs were created in NI

Question 8

What were some of O’Neils failures?

Answer 8

1. Unemployment level as a whole was around 8%
2. Between 1963 and 1969, the government had to loan millions of pounds to shipbuilders for them to survive
3. New businesses and companies did not want to open west of the River Bann

Question 9

How did O’Neil want to build bridges?

Answer 9

1. He believed that discrimination needed to end and he wanted to take religion out of politics
2. He wanted to make NI nationalists feel more part of NI
3. He believed that improving relations would be good for the NI economy

Question 10

What was O’Neils first action to build bridges?

Answer 10

He visited William Conway, the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland

Question 11

What was O’Neils second action to build bridges?

Answer 11

He sent condolences on the death of Pope John XXII in June 1963

Question 12

What was O’Neils third action to build bridges?

Answer 12

Visiting schools and hospitals run by Catholic Church. Furthermore, he increased the state funding in this area

Question 13

What was O’Neils fourth action to build bridges?

Answer 13

He declared the UVF illegal in 1966 after they claimed responsibility for the murder of two catholics

Question 14

What was O’Neils fifth action to build bridges?

Answer 14

He introduced the Five-point Reform programme in Nov 1968

Question 15

Why did O’Neil want to improve relations with the Republic of Ireland?

Answer 15

1. O’Neil himself had a Planter and Gaelic ancestry. Therefore, he though he was the man to do the North-South relationship restoration job.
2. He hoped that improving relations between NI and the ROI would improve relations between Unionists and Nationalists in NI.
3. He also saw the economic benefits it could unlock

Question 16

What was O’Neils first action to improve relations?

Answer 16

In Jan 1965, he met Taoiseach Sean Lemass in the first meeting between NI and ROI in 40 years however he failed to inform his cabinet prior to the visit.

Question 17

What was O’Neils second action to improve relations?

Answer 17

A return visit: he went to Dublin 4 weeks later

Question 18

What was O’Neils third action to improve relations?

Answer 18

An agreement was made as a result of this co-operation, on the supply of electricity from the ROI.

Question 19

What was O’Neils fourth action to improve relations?

Answer 19

Taoiseach Jack Lynch visited NI in Dec 1967. This was the second Taoiseach to visit NI

Question 20

What was O’Neils fifth action to improve relations?

Answer 20

He co-operated with the Dublin Irish Trade Union Congress, whose support was important for economic co-operation.

Question 21

Unionist responses to O’Neils actions

Answer 21

1. Some welcomed the reform which O’Neil was enacting, others feared the changes such reform might bring
2. Brian Faulkner condemned O’Neil for not consulting the Unionist cabinet over the visit of Lemass
3. His support in cabinet was never total. However, in 1965 the OUP won 38 out of 52 seats in the general election

Question 22

Who was Reverend Ian Paisley?

Answer 22

He began his “O’Neil must go” campaign in 1965 - he was against O’Neils reforms.
Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church. Objected to any links with the Republic

Question 23

What were Nationalist responses to O’Neils actions?

Answer 23

1. Initially, they really welcomed his steps taken to build community relations in NI.
2. Lemass’ visit to Stormont was followed by a decision from the Nationalist Party to take up the role of the official opposition in Stormont for the first time in its history.
3. Continual accusations that O’Neil economic prices favoured the Protestant east

Question 24

Sources of frustration to O’Neils actions

Answer 24

1. He was less successful at attracting businesses and investment West of the Bann (predominantly Catholic.
2. The decision to name the new town after NI’s founder, Lord Craigavon, didn’t go down well with Nationalists.
3. Nationalists were annoyed that NI’s second Uni was sited in Protestant Coleraine and not Catholic Derry/Londonderry