Conflict in ireland

Conflict in Ireland: 16th Century to Present Civitella Civitella

Introduction
What’s the problem?
Should Northern Ireland stay a part of the United Kingdom or reunite with the Republic of Ireland creating a united Ireland?
Whose involved?
Unionists/Loyalists
Supporters of UK/Protestant; Northern Ireland/Ulster county
Nationalists/Republicans
Supporters of united Ireland/Catholic

Back Story…
Interference from Britain since mid-16 th century
Ireland = historically Catholic; Britain = historically Protestant
Britain viewed Ireland as valuable resource to expanding kingdom
17 th century Britain starts confiscating land from Irish and giving to Protestant British
Drives Irish Catholics to less desirable land (away from industrial North)
Causes Irish revolt against Protestant settlers
Mid-17 th century Oliver Cromwell of Britain invades Ireland
Goal is to put down Irish resistance; incorporate Ireland into Kingdom

Back Story continued: Cromwell & Treatment of The Irish
Cromwell was considered ruthless and brutal in treatment of Irish:
“ In the heat of action, I forbade them to spare any that were in arms in the town, and, I think, that night they put to the sword about 2,000 men. When they submitted, their officers were knocked on the head, and every tenth man of the soldiers killed, and the others shipped [as slaves] to the Barbadoes.”
-Cromwell

Back Story continued: Post-Cromwell Invasion
Britain suppressed Irish Catholics under the Act of Settlement and Penal Laws
Irish aiding resistance/non-loyalists could be executed
Clergy was removed from Ireland
No Catholic allowed to vote/receive higher education
Banned Catholics from public office

Back Story continued: Post-Cromwell Invasion
By late-17 th century Ireland was under British control and majority of land owned by Protestants… changed from:
1603: 10% Protestant:90% Catholic
1778: 95% Protestant:5% Catholic

Back Story of CII continued: Famine Strikes
Irish Famines in 18 th /19 th centuries decrease population & increase Nationalism
Potato, food staple of Ireland, becomes diseased destroying and poisoning crops
Poor weather further affects crops
Death + mass emigration = drop in population
British rule did little to help suffering Irish, increasing Nationalism
Possible Genocide?
Explore article regarding Genocide here .
See video explaining famine here .

Back Story continued: Dawn of the 20 th Century
Growing sense of Nationalism among Irish Catholics
Goal is to break away from Britain
Tensions rise between Unionists and Nationalists
Supporter of the Crown/Protestant
Both sides create organizations
Irish Republican Brotherhood (Nationalists)
Orange Order (Unionists)
County of Ulster in Northern Ireland = largest concentration of Protestant/wealthy
Financially benefited from British Industrial Revolution
Belfast became major industrial hub of empire
Ulster Protestant’s were fearful that Nationalists would destroy their way of life

20 th Century Ireland
1914 sees tensions grow to a boiling point between Nationalists and Unionists
Home Rule
A movement backed by Nationalists pushing for self governance via independent Irish parliament
Each side start building their own private armies via volunteers
Inevitable Civil War?

20 th Century Ireland continued
The Easter Rising Easter April 1916 in Dublin
Nationalists wanted Irish independence and the removal of all aspects of British rule from the island
Who led it?
Patrick Pearse & James Connolly (along with 5 others)
Members of IRB & leaders of the Rising
Pearse told children to, "work hard … for their fatherland, and if it should ever be necessary … die for it”
Executed for their roles in the Rising
See video regarding the declaration here .
Read accounts from Easter Rising here .

The plan?
To overtake and occupy key landmarks in Dublin & declare Ireland an independent republic
Headquarters for the rebellion would be the General Post Office
See video regarding Easter Rising here .
Aftermath of the Rising
Fuelled hostility towards Britain
Executions of Nationalists
Britain instituted Martial Law
Military rule in emergencies
Arrested high profile members of the resistance
Casualties
450 dead; 2,600 injured
20 th Century Ireland continued: The Easter Rising

20 th Century Ireland continued: The Easter Rising
Unified Nationalist movement under the Sinn Féin
Anti-English/Irish Nationalist political party
Fought for Ireland to be an independent nation and to cut all ties with Britain
Created Assembly of Ireland in 1919 in Dublin to declare independent Ireland
Irish provisional government… what were their goals ?
Establishment of Irish Republic with
Appeal for recognition from other global communities
Liberty, equality, and justice
Created Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Official army of the new republic

20 th Century Ireland continued: War of Irish Independence
2 Key figures…
Eamon de Valera
Born in US; main figure in Easter Rising (not executed due to his American heritage); President of Sinn Féin; after breaking out of jail sailed to US to raise funds for war and gain public support; controversial decision to stay out of negotiations with Britain; would eventually lead Civil War
Michael Collins
Minister of finance & intelligence; involved in Easter Rising; ran government while De Valera was in US; leader of IRA; leader of the 12 Apostles ; Prime Minster of Ireland after the signing of the treaty; killed at age 31 in an ambush
Secret group of assassins with no families
See video of de Valera here .

20 th Century Ireland continued: War of Irish Independence
Fighting between Irish nationalists and British officials in Dublin
Lasted from 1919-1921
IRA used guerilla war against British
Ambushes, raids, mobile military tactics, “sneaky war”
Britain responded with Black & Tans
Ex-WWI soldiers policing Dublin; ruthless
Mismatching uniforms (khaki & dark green)
Fighting ends after signing of Anglo-Irish Treaty
Created Irish Free State (not the desired republic)
Irish Free State pledged allegiance to the crown
Divided Ireland into North and South
Causes rift/separation between members of the Sinn Féin

20 th Century Ireland continued: Irish Civil War
The Problem?
de Valera against treaty seeing it as settling/giving in
“ It gives away Irish Independence; it acknowledges the head of the British Empire as direct monarch of Ireland.”
Collins for treaty seeing it as a stepping stone for further independence
“ Not the ultimate freedom that all nations aspire and develop, but the freedom to achieve .”
The Dáil votes in favor of treaty 64-57
Irish Assembly/parliament
Civil War breaks out as a direct result of Irish-Anglo Treaty being passed
Fine Gael versus Fianna Fail ; regulars versus irregulars
For Irish Free State
Against Irish Free State

20 th Century Ireland continued: Irish Civil War
Fighting lasted from 1922-1923
4,000 deaths
Infrastructures & economy destroyed
Fine Gael = victors
Post-Civil War 1932
Eamon de Valera elected Prime Minister
Called for a united Ireland
Restored Catholicism to power
Reintroduction of the Gaelic language
Would remain in power until 1959
1949 Republic of Ireland Act passed
Stripping the King of his role; declared Ireland a free republic
Northern Ireland would remain apart of the UK

20 th Century Ireland continued: Violence Erupts
Violence between north and south breaks out in 1950’s
IRA attacks Northern Ireland border area in an effort to disrupt
Growing problem regarding civil rights for Catholics in north
Catholics start to march and protest but are met with Protestant and British opposition
Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
Protestant unionist militant organization (Northern Ireland’s version of provisional IRA)
IRA splits in 1969 over ideological differences
IRA and Provisional IRA
Radical/nationalistic/terrorist(?) militant organization; wanted to unite Ireland, equal rights for Catholics in north, suppress the Protestants

What started it?
(October 5th, 1968) Catholic civil rights march was stopped by Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) - rioting ensues
Rights and freedoms that protect individuals from discrimination or repression
Northern Ireland police
By 1969 British army arrived in Northern Ireland
Use tear gas and rubber bullets
See video regarding civil rights in Northern Ireland here .
20th Century Ireland continued: The Troubles 1960’s

In 1971 Britain starts internment program to try and stop violence
Detention without trial
Would stop in 1975
Roughly 2,000 people detained
Guildford Four & Maguire Seven
Victims of internment/false imprisonment
Sentenced in ’75 released in ‘89
Things get worse…
January 30th , 1972, an anti-internment march is met with force by British soldiers ( Bloody Sunday )
14 civilian deaths
British soldiers insist they were fired upon
Early 1970’s PIRA starts violent bombing campaigns
Attacking Northern Ireland and England
Blowing up commercial buildings
Car bombs

Bombing campaigned examined…
June 1970
5 die in premature explosion (reoccurring theme)
Girls ages 9 & 4 die when IRA father’s bomb accidentally went off
December 1971
15 Catholics die in McGurk's Pub bombing in Belfast
Bomb planted by UVF
July 1972
22 IRA bombs go off in Belfast within 75 minutes killing 9 and injuring 130
Known as Bloody Friday
February 1974
IRA plants bomb on coach carrying British soldiers and families in Britain killing 11
Known as M62 Coach Bomb

May 1974
33 civilians & 258 injured in UVF bombings in Dublin and Monaghan
"I am very happy about the bombings in Dublin. There is a war with the Free State and now we are laughing at them.” - Sammy Smyth (press officer)
November 1974
IRA killed 21 at Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the city of Birmingham
Known as the Birmingham Pub Bombing
Similar to the Guildford Four, 6 people were falsely imprisoned and later freed
February 1978
12 people killed and 23 injured in an IRA bombing at the La Mon Restaurant in Belfast
March 1979
Irish National Liberation Army blows up via car bomb Conservative Party spokesman for NI Airey Neave

Removal of Special Category Status - 1976
POW treatment while in prison (i.e. political prisoner = special treatment)
Troubles related prisoners were granted special privileges (e.g. exempt from work; normal clothing; food; visits; living quarters; work)
Removal of SCS led to…
beatings (i.e. “normal” inmates would harass and beat convicted Troubles inmates)
Blanket & Dirty protests
Wearing a blanket to cover/instead of inmate clothing
Not showering/covering walls in excrement
Hunger Strike 1980-81
Series of hunger strikes by Troubles convicted inmates to restore SCS

Hunger Strike October – December 1980
7 IRA members
Lasted 52 days (no casualties)
5 demands
Not to wear a prison uniform
Not to do prison work
Free association with other prisoners;
Organize their own educational and recreational facilities
One visit, one letter and one parcel per week

Hunger Strike March – October 1981
IRA members had little faith in British government (PM Margaret Thatcher) to enforce changes
Led by Bobby Sands
Arrested for possession of handguns; elected member of parliament while in prison (government would later create rule outlawing any prisoner for becoming MP); died at the age of 27 after 66 days without food
Staggered approach
To avoid death, members would join sporadically throughout campaign
Total of 10 deaths by starvation
Lasted 217 days
Ended with plea from Catholic Church
Effects of the strike
Hatred for Margaret Thatcher grew to Cromwellian status
Sinn Féin gets involved in NI politics

Anglo-Irish Agreement 1985
Ireland and Britain working together in an attempt to end the Troubles
Allowed Ireland to be an advisor in Northern Ireland politics
Ireland and Britain politicians would submit proposals to be voted on by parliament
In an effort to create a more harmonious relationship between Unionists and Republicans
Unionists in Northern Ireland were strongly against agreement
Effects of agreement
Stepping stone for future peace

1990
Margaret Thatcher resigns
1991
Cease fire/talks start between Unionists and Republicans
Cease fire short lived
Talks continue throughout 90’s
1994
IRA attacks Heathrow (unsuccessful)
Fired mortars over fence
Ban lifted on Northern Ireland media
Sinn Féin could now broadcast in NI
1995
President Bill Clinton visits Northern Ireland

1998
Good Friday Agreement
Revamped running of Northern Ireland to include…
Power sharing
Commitment to peace and democracy
The Republic drops claim to NI
Early release of political prisoners
Reform of police/withdrawal of British military
Roughly 70% of NI approved agreement
Roughly 95% of RI approved agreement
“ I am pleased to announce that the two governments and the political parties in Northern Ireland have reached agreement“ – George Mitchell (US Senator, chairman of talks)

Omagh car bombing
300 lbs of explosives hidden in car parked on pedestrian street in the town of Omagh
Planted by the Real IRA
Faction of Provisional IRA created in 1997
Killing 29 people (2 unborn twins); injuring 370
Seen as worst event of the Troubles

Violence still visible after agreement
But not to the extent/level seen in the 70’s & 80’s
Real IRA, Provisional IRA and other splinter groups ( Óglaigh na hÉireann - ONH) continue to disrupt Northern Ireland
MI5 taxi car bomb April 2010
Generally speaking relations between NI & RI are solid
21st Century Ireland: Post-Good Friday Agreement

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Conflict in ireland

by Learning is Awesome on Apr 19, 2010

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Conflict in ireland — Presentation Transcript