The O’Neill Years Flashcards
When was NI established?
1920
What was the relationship between unionists and nationalists like?
Distrust, sectarian violence.
What were some responses to the threat of nationalism?
Few nationalists would be elected to councils
Gerrymandering- ensuring unionist control even though there was a nationalist majority
Extra votes given to the wealthy, and none to the poor
What were some examples of discrimination towards catholics?
Given fewer council houses
The quality of Catholic housing was inferior
Catholics were less likely to have jobs than Protestants
What were relations like with the republic?
Tense, the republic’s constitution laid claim to Northern Ireland
When did Captain Terrence O’Neill become prime minister?
In march 1963
What were O’Neill’s aims?
- To improve the economy
- To improve relations between unionists and nationalists
- To improve relations between the north and south
What were 5 problems with the economy of NI?
Traditional industries- ship building, heavy engineering, linen manufacture- were failing post war
There was a need for new industries
The infrastructure of finance, transport was out of date.
It needed to be modernised
Old slums needed to be cleared and new housing built.
What were O’Neills plans to modernise the economy?
Investing £900,000,000 to update existing industry and attract new ones.
Road and rail modernised
Establishment of the new city of craigavon
Establishment of a new university in colraine
A new airport (aldegrove)
How did O’Neill successfully modernise the economy?
A number of multinational firms opened factories
Motorway system began
New BP oil refinery opened in Belfast
35,000 jobs created
New airport opened at aldergrove
Agreement with supply of electricity reached with Dublin
What were some of O’Neills failures when it came to modernising the economy?
Jobs did not go to areas west if the R. Bann or to the north west
Londonderry wanted the new university but it went to coleraine
The M1 linked up unionist areas. Derry lost out again
1963-69 Harland and Wolff had to be given massive government grants to stay afloat. It had a mainly Protestant workforce.
20,000 jobs lost in traditional industry
Unemployment 7-8%
How did O’Neill try to improve relations between the unionists and nationalists?
- visiting Cardinal William Conway, spiritual leader of Ireland’s catholics?
- Offering condolences on the death of Pope John 23.
- Visiting Catholic schools and hospitals.
- Giving additional funding to Catholic schools and hospitals.
- Declared the UVF illegal in 1966
- Introduced five point reform programme in 1968
- Set up Cameron’s commission of enquiry in 1969 to investigate the violence at burntollet.
How did nationalists react to O’Neills attempts to improve the relations between unionists and nationalists?
Some saw it as a beginning. Others viewed it as a cosmetic gesture which did not change any of the fundamental problems.
What did O’Neill do to improve the relations between the north and south?
On 14th January 1963 O’Neill met Lemass (Irish prime minister) at stormont. The first first face to face meeting between Ireland’s main leaders in 40 years.
O’Neill spoke on television after Lemass’s visit, saying that The north and south shared “the same rivers, same mountains, and some of the same problems.”
Weeks later O’Neill went to Dublin.
He also met Lemass’s successor Jack Lynch.
Ulster PMs had not done this before. He did not tell anyone he had arranged these meetings. This caused a shock.
What was the unionist reaction to O’Neills policies?
The OUP did well in the 1965 general election, suggesting broad support amongst unionist supporters.
Brian Faulkner condemned O’Neills failure to tell his cabinet that he was meeting with Lemass.
In September 1966 he revealed a plot to get rid of him by the backbenchers.
What was the Nationalist’s reaction to O’Neills policies?
There was initial support. The Nationalist party decided to take up the post of official opposition for the first time in the history of NI.
However, support turned into frustration as the better future they were promised failed to appear.
Why did nationalists support civil rights?
Anger at unionist discrimination.
Encouraged by a new generation of educated catholics.
Inspiration from the US civil rights movement led by Martin Luther king.
Not satisfied with O’Neills symbolic gestures.
Umpired by the self-confidence of catholics elsewhere, e.g John F Kennedy becoming the first Catholic president of the U.S.
Unhappy with the performance of the Nationalist party.
Gerrymandering
Extra votes going to business owners.
The special powers act
The B-specials
Discrimination towards catholics in the allocation of government jobs.
Anger at some of the measures O’Neill introduced which seemed to favour Protestants.
Why did unionists oppose NICRA?
Some felt that NICRA was a front for the IRA.
Some believed that NICRA threatened the existence of NI and ultimately wanted a United Ireland.
Some believed NICRA was only interested in catholic rights and would undermine the Protestant position.
They felt civil rights only meant catholic rights.
How did O’Neill react to NICRA?
The 5 point programme
What was the five point programme?
The allocation of council houses on a points system
The replacement of londonderry corporation by a development commission
Removal of parts of the special powers act
Reforms within the local government, including the ending of extra votes for businesses
The appointment of an ombudsman to investigate complaints
How did NICRA react to the 5 point programme?
Agreed to call off it’s demonstrations.
What does PD stand for?
Peoples democracy.
What were the aims of PD (people’s democracy)?
The same as NICRA, only they were not willing to wait a month to see if O’Neill would honour his promises.
What happened at burntollet bridge?
The people who opposed PD (loyalists) ambushed them with stones and then beat them with sticks and cudgels.
Why did O’Neill resign?
The results of the crossroads election on 24th February 1969 were not what he wanted.
- Reduction of OUP support.
- divisions of loyalty among MP’s, 27 MP’s supported O’Neill and 12 did not.
- little to no support from catholic voters.
- nearly lost his own seat to Ian Paisley.
He didn’t win enough support to put him in a position of power.
He resigned on 28 April 1969.
Who succeeded O’Neill?
James Chichester Clarke
