Coleraine University controversy

1. Coleraine University Controversy.

2. • Due to the changes in education introduced by the Welfare State
more people were looking to go to college.
• Queen’s was the only university in NI (Magee College was a small
further education college) so another university was needed.
• The Lockwood Committee was set up to look at possible places for
the university. There were 8 people on the Committee – none of
which were Catholic.

3. Derry
• As NI’s second city, it had a huge population, mostly Catholic. They
expected to get the university. Catholics and Protestants came
together and set up the “University for Derry Committee”.
• There was huge unemployment in the city. Building and staffing a
University would create lots of employment
• However as a built up city there was not many suitable sites big
enough for a college. A lack of proper housing meant that
expensive accommodation would need to be built
• The Lockwood Report did not “do Derry much good” as they
suggested that Coleraine should get it.

4. • Their reasons for this was that
– Coleraine had a peaceful past
– It had a population of 13,000, 70% of which was Protestant
– There were loads of possible sites as Coleraine was quite small.
– There was lots of houses and hotels in the area for lodgings.
– It was on the coast so it was suitable for science courses.
– It had a University for Coleraine Committee and they were well
organised (more organised than the Derry one)

5. • Coleraine is ultimately chosen as the site for the new university.
• The people of Derry felt that this was another example of
discrimination against Nationalists by a Unionist Government.
• They thought that if Derry became developed, it might bring
the Unionist control of the area to an end.
• We must wonder that if Derry got the University would the
troubles have broken out as the Coleraine University
Controversy caused the sparks that would light the Troubles.
• After this educated Catholics would start protesting for their
civil rights