Essay about Conflict in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Assembly should be made up of 108 members being “elected from 18 constituencies” and having both an elected First Minister as well as a Deputy First Minister. While most issues are resolved via a common majority it is possible for members to subscribe a petition of concern which will lead to a decision being made via both a Unionist and a Nationalist assembly members’ majority. In addition to those, the assembly can decide on the legislation in Northern Ireland as long as it is within the limitations set by London. Furthermore, a Civic Forum should be introduced to deal with “social, economic and cultural” matters. Ultimately, “the principles of non-violence and democracy” must be upheld by all members.

Religion differences between the inhabitants, most of the original population were Catholics, lead over the centuries to the division of two ethnic/nations on the Ulster territory – protestant and catholic. After the partition of the island in 1921 the southern part declared independence, however the Northern Ireland territory remained a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The conflict between ethnic/nations sharpened itself, because most of the Catholics wanted to united the island under Irish rule (the republicans), while protestants wanted to remained unified the Great Britain (the unionists and the loyalists). At the end of the 1960’s the conflict turned itself into a violent one and the attacks and killing continued for the next thirty years during the period called „the Troubles.” The conflict was settled by the end of the 1990’s with a contribution of the governments of the Republic of Ireland, the Great Britain and the US.

In the first place, my maternal grandfather instilled a pride and understanding of my Irish roots. Specifically, he brought me over to Belfast to learn and experience the culture. At the time, the hostility between the Protestants and Catholics was evident. Additionally, I saw people living under the threats of terrorism and bombing, propaganda graffiti, and a city under a police state. Similarly, I witnessed families torn apart because a mother was one

The Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) is a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) that uses sabotage, subversion, and guerilla warfare to express its opposition to the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. This agreement basically recognized that the majority of the people within Northern Ireland wished to remain a part of the United Kingdom. It also recognized that a large section of the people of Northern Ireland, and the majority of the people of the continent of Ireland wanted a united Ireland. For the most part, the Good Friday Agreement brought an end to the struggle between unionists and nationalists during the “Troubles” (an unconventional war spanning from 1968-1998 in Northern Ireland between British security forces, republican and loyalist paramilitaries, and civil rights groups). To understand how the RIRA came to be, you have to know a little about the history of the IRA. Specifically, on how the members regarded violence as a means to a unified Ireland without British involvement. “In December 1969, the IRA divided into “Official” and “Provisional” wings. Both factions were committed to a united Irish republic, but the Officials eschewed violence after 1972, whereas the Provisionals, or “Provos,” carried out various attacks and assassinations, attempting to compel the British Army to withdraw from Northern Ireland. In the wake of the Bloody Sunday shootings by the British military in January 1972, the Provos’ ranks

The troubles emerged as the result of several years of the escalating incidents between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. The troubles have been protracted and costly in every sense of the world. From the first civil rights marches in 1968 till the signing of The Good Friday Agreement in 1998, 3,500 people died and over 35,000 were injured in Northern Ireland as the direct result of the aggressive violence , rebellion, bombings, murders, and terror tactics. The Catholic and Protestant troubles and conflicts had a significantly impact on Ireland. This serious issue had impacted the lives of individuals and families that took place or witness the gruesome events that the troubles had causes, the political change and reform of

In 1969, the more traditionalist republican members split off into the Provisional IRA and Sinn Féin. The Provisional IRA operated mostly in Northern Ireland, using violence against the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army, and British institutions and economic targets. They also killed members of the Irish Army and the Garda Síochána, which was against one of their standing orders.

In the beginning of the 1970s, bombings, assassinations, and ambushes were carried out by the Provos. January 30, 1972 which has been remembered as “Bloody Sunday” was when British troops opened fire on a Catholic Londonderry which killed 14 people. “Bloody Sunday” strengthened Catholic sympathy for the IRA which caused the Provos recruitment to soar while Loyalist groups sprang up to challenge them. The Provos in 1973 expanded their terror into mainland Britain and then Europe. In 1981, hunger strikes caused 10 republican prisoners, 7 of them IRA, to die. This event caused the political aspect of the effort to grow to compete with the military one. The leaders of Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness, also with the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party John Hume, sought ways to end the armed struggle and bring the republicans into democratic politics. In August 1994, the IRA declared that they would stop all military activities and in October the loyalist paramilitary groups also declared a similar ceasefire. The groups were convinced by the Irish and British governments that a ceasefire would be awarded with participation in multi party talks, but Sinn Féin was excluded from the talks. Unionist demands for the IRA to decommission caused Sinn Féin to be left out.. The IRA’s political representatives agreed to decommission which then allowed them to participate in the multiparty talks of September of 1997.

The British army made its self well know in Ulster. Republicans and Catholics were feeling the oppression of the British army. It was soon following those Catholic neighborhoods were gassed by military forces looking of subversives. Catholic rights were pushed away causing them and other independent groups to react. This was the creation of the IRA. Citizens wanted to escape from the British tyranny. If the British army wouldn't have oppressed republicans and Catholics than the IRA wouldn't have been formed.

Among the green rolling hills of Northern Ireland, lies a dark past, scarred by the violence, injustice, cruelty of war. For more than four centuries, Northern Ireland was abused by the British, which in turn unfolded a brutal sectarian civil war. Violence between Catholics and Protestants ravaged the country throughout the conflict, but the most brutal were concentrated between the late 1960’s and the early 1990’s. However, despite the centuries of bloodshed and struggle, forging peace was possible. The process was not easy and was frequently interrupted; yet peace was still achievable.

that ought to have been a sister and a friend - whom we had loved, and

Esteemed members of the Board, in this report I intend to convincingly show you that the borders in question absolutely need to be redrawn. The borders I speak of are those of the British oppression of Northern Ireland. For years upon years the British have possessed political control over the people of Northern Ireland. I will make it obvious to you that the strong Catholic religion throughout Northern Ireland has forced the people to oppose British control. As most of you know, the official and majority religion of Great Britain is that of Protestantism. And the deeply faithful Irish have always felt that they were looked down upon by the British for refusing to practice their form of

The IRA targeted soldiers and policemen, but while doing so they killed civilians. To keep them apart, the capital, Belfast transformed into a war zone, and walls were built to prevent the groups from attacking each other. For many years Belfast was known as “the Barricaded city”. Protestants also formed groups, which carried out attacks against Catholics. In the 1970s and 1980s, approximately 3,000 people were killed, with many more injured. Despite the Protestants majority, the creation of Northern Ireland did not bring security to them because it was clear that London was never as committed to the Union as the Protestants were. The Protestant leaders assumed that the new state could only exist if they had the power therefore they made sure that their power should be both strong and permanent. As result they changed the voting system and the electoral boundaries (gerrymandering). Nationalists and Catholics were considered as second-class citizens, and dangerous to the state. They were seen with being less deserving of jobs and houses than their Protestant neighbors, they were discriminated in the public service, in education as well. The representatives of Nationalists and Catholics were also banned from political power and influence. In addition to being discriminated they were also complaining to the government because of the use of special powers against republicans.

I have decided to base my Blog Post on Religion in Contemporary Irish Society, as it seems to be a big ongoing issue in the country. The Troubles set in Northern Ireland replicate one of the most modern instances of religious and cultural prejudice. The Troubles can be categorised as a cultural, religious, and political conflict in Northern Ireland that instigated its highest with 1960’s civil rights marches and formally ended with the 1998 Belfast Agreement, even though violence and intolerance continues today. The Troubles predominantly focuses on the conflict between Northern Ireland’s Protestant and Catholic groups. Both groups of people describe the Troubles in a different way. For

It would be reasonable to assert that the political culture in Ireland has changed radically over the past three decades. To explore this we must take into account that Ireland was a sovereign independent democratic country built on a Constitution that gave the Irish electorate control over its government representatives. This was carried out by means of democratic election.

In 1912, there was a call for Irish independence and Irish nationalists wanted the country to be recognized as an independent nation or establishing the Irish parliament in Dublin. On the contrary, the Ulster unionists opposed this decision and were against separation from the United