“The Troubles:” Conflict in Northern Ireland

I. Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland

II. Civil War, Partition and ConflictIII. A Peace Process?

The Troubles in Northern Ireland

• One of the most intractable international issues facing modern history.

• Class, race, religious identities in conflict.

• Deep historical and generational roots.

• U.S. has interests due to its Irish roots.

Northern Ireland and Ireland

Long History, Long Hatreds• 1170-1900: Increasing Protestant

British colonialism and rule in primarily Catholic Ireland.

• 1801: Act of Union. Ireland officially united with England.

• 1845-1849: Irish Famine. 1 million die, 1.5 million emigrate.

• 1858 Irish Republican Brotherhood forms to resist English and create a “Free Irish State”

Religious Divisions in Northern Ireland

Irish History

•

Irish History: The Famine, 1845-49

•

Civil War, Partition and Conflict

• Home Rule Bill for Ireland. Sinn Fein (political)• Prostestants in northern part of Ireland (Ulster) resist and

form Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)• 1916: Easter Rising• 1918 Sinn Fein wins election and create own parliament • 1920: Black and Tan forces fight with Irish Volunteers.• 1920: British partitions Ireland into Northern Ireland and

Republic of Ireland. • 1921: Anglo Irish Treaty formalizes partition• 1922-23: Civil War between North and South. Violence on

both sides.

Violence and Civil War

Violence and Civil War

Civil War

Issues in the Northern Ireland Conflict

Catholic• Want to unite with

Republic of Ireland in south.

• British government and army continue colonial control.

• Catholic majority should have will.

• Catholics live second class existence in north.

• Want to share in prosperity of the Republic.

Protestant• Want to maintain separate

N. Ireland.• Unification with Republic

will make Protestants a minority in a Catholic nation.

• British army protecting Protestants from terrorist IRA.

• Catholics can leave to go south

Bloody Sunday and Beyond

• 1939-67: Relative calm.• 1968: Protest violation of

Civil Rights of Catholics.• Violence escalates on both

sides• 1972: “Bloody Sunday.”• 1972: Direct British rule

with army.• 1985 and 1996: Peace

Plans.

“The Troubles”Images

“Bloody Sunday, 1972”

Derry, NI

I.R.A.

I.R.A.

Cycles of Violence

Cycles of Violence

“Parade Season”

“Parade Season”

The Troubles

The Troubles

West Belfast, 2004

Stormont Castle-NI Assembly

Easter Accords, 1996