2. Northern Ireland (a.k.a. “The North”, “The Six Counties) was
established in 1920, when Ireland was divided in two
The 1922 Treaty which set up the Irish Free State confirmed
this
3. Population – 1 ½ million
One Million – Protestant/Unionist (wanted to remain part of
Britain)
Half Million – Catholic/Nationalist (Wanted to be in a United
Ireland)
With Protestants/Unionists making up 2/3 of the population
they were able to politically dominate Catholics/Nationalists
Catholics suffered from discrimination in Northern Ireland
in terms of jobs, housing etc. – Protestant would usually get
a job ahead of a Catholic
4. “Many in this audience employ Catholics, but I have not one
about my place. Catholics are out to destroy Ulster...If we in
Ulster allow Roman Catholics to work on our farms we are
traitors to Ulster...I would appeal to loyalists, therefore,
wherever possible, to employ good Protestant lads and
lassies”
- Basil Brooke, Unionist Politician, in 1933
5. 1921 – Unionists win 40 out of 52 Seats in Northern
Ireland Parliament
Northern Irish Police (Royal Ulster Constabulary,
RUC) attacked by IRA
James Craig elected PM, promises to defeat the IRA
Special Powers Act passed by NI Government –
gave RUC powers to imprison without trial
(internment)
Nationalists were left very bitter by Craig’s
crackdown and by being left out of the Irish Free
State
6. Set up in 1796 to defend Protestantism
Became very powerful in Northern Ireland after
1922 – all Unionist Party leaders belonged to it
To many Catholics, was a symbol of their
oppression by Protestants
Helped Protestants get the best jobs in the country
7. Before World War One the economy in the North was very
strong. Two key parts:
Linen Mills
Shipbuilding (Titanic most famous example)
After WW1, these industries declined – Protestant and
Catholic workers joined trade unions to demand work
Craig and other Unionist leaders didn’t want Catholics and
Protestant workers to come together and so ensured only
Protestant workers got Government jobs.
8. American Troops based in NI at this time
Linen for Parachutes & uniforms made in Belfast
Derry used as a base for Ships patrolling the
Atlantic
Warships built in Belfast
Belfast also bombed in WW2
9.
10. 1945 – British Labour Party wins UK General
election
Labour established the Welfare State. This meant...
Free healthcare
Old Age Pensions
Dole for unemployed people
Free Secondary Education and Grants for University
Students
11. Because of the Welfare state, Northern Catholics
became better off
Less interested in a United Ireland – Standard of
Living was better in the North
As a result IRA lost public support in the 1950s and
60s
Education helped Catholics improve themselves....
....but also made them aware of the discrimination
against them
12.
13. Many Catholics were not allowed to vote in
elections
Catholics had only 23 out of the top 319 jobs in the
Civil Service in the North
Only 12% of the police were Catholics
Public Housing given to Protestants ahead of
Catholics
Catholics found it very hard to get decent jobs
14. In the early 1960s, Basil Brooke (old fashioned,
below left) replaced as NI Prime Minister by
Terence O’Neill (more modern, below right)
O’Neill wanted to tackle the discrimination against
Catholics and modernise Northern Ireland
15. In the 1960s, younger Catholics were fed up being
discriminated against
They saw black people demanding more rights in
the USA and were impressed
Set up their own organisation, the Northern Ireland
Civil Rights Association (NICRA) to demand rights
for Catholics like themselves
Protestants felt that giving rights to Catholics would
undermine their position and opposed O’Neill’s
efforts to tackle discrimination
17. Hard line Protestant preacher from Co. Antrim
Did not engage in violence – but encouraged a
violent atmosphere in the North
Completely opposed to O’Neill’s measures to tackle
discrimination against Catholics
18. Initially welcomed by Catholics as it was hoped they
would protect Catholic areas from attack
This period of warm relations between Catholics
and British army didn’t last long
19. Moderate nationalists who did not agree with
violence founded this party in 1970
Led by Gerry Fitt and John Hume
Ran for election to UK Parliament in Westminster.
Sinn Fein didn’t (still won’t take their seats in
Westminster)
20. The IRA split in 1970 between those who favoured
peace (Official IRA) and those who didn’t
(Provisional IRA or Provos)
Provisional IRA kept on fighting until 1994, Official
IRA called a ceasefire in the early 1970s
When people today talk about the IRA, they are
usually referring to the Provisional IRA
Sometimes referred to as the “Provos”
21.
22. In 1973 the first peace agreement between Unionists and
Nationalists was agreed
Agreement to share power between Unionists and Nationalists
Extreme Nationalists (IRA) and Extreme Unionists (Ian Paisley &
DUP) opposed this agreement
After a major strike by Protestant workers the two sides
called off the agreement
23.
24.
25. The Hunger Strikes made many people think about the
Problems in the North
Garret Fitzgerald was Taoiseach in the 1980s and set up the
New Ireland Forum to discuss the issue
26. When the Unionist and Nationalist leaders in Northern
Ireland would not agree a peace deal, the Taoiseach and the
British Prime Minister made a deal instead
This deal gave the Republic’s Government a say in the
Running of Northern Ìreland
Very unpopular with Unionists
27.
28.
29. Peace agreement involving all parties in Northern Ireland
and British and Irish Governments
Both sides compromised for peace