The Beliefs of the Republicans/Nationalists and the Loyalists/Unionists

Many Irish people who had immigrated to America supported home rule of Ireland, many Irish and not just Catholics but a few rich Protestant land owners who believed they could govern Ireland and tenant farmers also supported this idea as the president would help them buy the land they farmed. Others, mainly Protestants thought this would be a bad idea because being part of England they have a share in the empire, the United Kingdom and have an economic income from England. The Unionists wanted to stay with England because they too were Protestants and were afraid the Catholic Church would take over if Ireland was independent, the Nationalists didn't want to be ruled by protestant. Without the United Kingdom they could be an island with little support. Each group of people wanted

Every seven years the Secretary of State can initiate a referendum if she/he believes that a majority of people would vote for a United Ireland. Furthermore, if there is a majority for a United Ireland in Northern Ireland, then the government of the United Kingdom would have to allow it. Moreover, every citizen has the right to declare themselves as either British or Irish and, if they want it, a dual citizenship has to be provided. At last, by rephrasing Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish constitution the territorial claim over Northern Ireland will be abolished, the right of electoral consent is supported and the Irish laws will, instead of applying to all 32 counties, only apply to

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

After the first world war the leaders of europe came together to discuss the boundaries of europe. British rule decided to separate ireland into two sides. North Ireland was created when the british government of Ireland Act in 1920 divided Ireland into two areas; the Irish Free State and the Northern Ireland Roman Catholics, who made up around one-third of the population of Northern Ireland, were largely opposed to the separation. The British took over , but only after many revolts and riots against them from the people of ireland. In 1969 the IRA (Irish Republican Army) was formed. They were a Catholic Irish nationalist group that used guerrilla tactics like bombings and assassinations to oppose British rule and oppression in Ireland. Their main goal was to fight the british that took over their home. The IRA would Fight using guerilla and terrorist tactics including bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, punishment beatings, extortion, smuggling, and robberies. But over time the IRA became more of a dangerous militia then patriots defending their home.

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

Ireland has always had religious problems between, Pagans, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish people. Ireland has always been a place of interest in English eyes so Ireland was continually concord over and over by the English and the currency, traditions and religions changed with every English King, Queen or Irish Rebel. Between 1641 and 1691 Oliver Cromwell changed everything, Irish Catholics, Pagans and Jews were killed or shipped off to be slaves. The influence to immigrate was very strong, their options were to go to a new world of which they knew no one and had nothing, be killed for your religion, or be gathered up and shipped away as a slave. It was a hard decision they all were forced to

Throughout Belfast Diary, Conroy works through dense and complex information regarding the various police forces, paramilitaries, and British military groups that reside in the North with the Catholics and Protestants. While reading Conroy’s pages long analysis of the variety of groups, it becomes clear that these groups within Northern Ireland cannot be deemed “good” or “bad”. Labeling a group with such complexities would be falling into the trap of being an ill-equipped outsider. Rather, Conroy implies that one needs to develop an understanding that each group serves a purpose for the community that it’s serving. Conroy explains that each group benefits the community they’re serving almost equally as much as it is disadvantaged by the group. In other words, Conroy explains that the relationship is give and take, it’s not something that is understood at

Also known as the IRA, this movement sprouted in the 20th century aimed to fight Irish republicanism, which focuses on the concept that Ireland should be an independent republic. Despite their cause, they are approaching the situation in all of the wrong ways. These extremists take action with intense violence, even after the split. Many people believe they have received a great deal of their

The conflict in Northern Ireland has persisted because of religious affiliations, their identities and the struggle for overall power. The morals and identities of the people and organizations of Northern Ireland

According to the Anglo-Irish treaty, southern half of Ireland would become free, and the northern half would still belong to the United Kingdom. This would cause an underlying civil war that would put the northern and southern Ireland against one another in order to get the British out of Ireland for good. With this underlying war going on, it will restrict the people of Ireland rights and provide many unique laws and events that wound argue for a united Ireland to bring peace to

Years of British occupation and oppression led to a sustained campaign to regain freedom from Britain beginning in the early twentieth century. Both the loyalist (supporters of the Union with Britain) and the republicans (supporters of a united Ireland) were willing to use violence for their cause. This took form in the 1916 Easter Rising, where Irish rebels declared the independence of the Irish Republic and fought in Dublin against the British to regain control of their homeland. The rebels were unsuccessful and were forced to surrender. This lead to the later Irish War of Independence, and the introduction of the Government of Ireland Act in 1920 and the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which resulted in the partitioning of Ireland into six counties in the North ruled by Britain and twenty-six counties in the south, newly named the Irish Free State. However, a significant minority in the North of around forty percent were Irish nationalists who wanted independence from Britain. “Therefore, from its creation in 1920, Northern Ireland was a state whose citizens differed over their national allegiance.” This situation in the North caused a great deal of tension, as the leaders of the Protestant, unionist majority discriminated against the Catholic, nationalist minority. So, by the 1960s, Catholic nationalist frustration was manifested in a campaign for civil rights, to which the state responded with vicious intensity. Those who were

The war between the republicans and the unionists in Dublin, Ireland gets pretty serious when you read the story (based on an autobiography), "The Sniper" written by Liam O'Flaherty. The republicans want Ireland to stay as a part of the United Kingdom while the unionists want Ireland to be its own country. Because of this war, many people die because of snipers in the army. In my opinion, the sniper can be considered and is a hero. It is because of the reasons he is fighting for, he kills an old lady and his brother,

The Unionists also used crooked politics to ensure Protestant control. One way of doing this was by gerrymandering the political district lines. For example, one ward was ninety percent Catholic while the rest of the Catholics were scattered about in Protestant wards (Golway 280). By dividing the districts this way it made the Catholic votes virtually meaningless. Then, the Protestant controlled government passed the Civil Authorities Act. This Act granted the government the right to search homes without a warrant, impose curfews, and randomly arrest citizens even if no real crime had been committed. The Catholics were the ones who were primarily oppressed by these laws. Other laws limited the education of Catholics, restricted them from holding office, and they were also discriminated against on the job. Protestants filled many of the positions leaving the Catholics jobless (Golway 280). This policy of discrimination helped inflate the already high poverty rate in Ire that they could feed their family, they also had to worry about curfews and being arrested for no apparent reason. This is not right. The government should not be allowed to pass laws that would help single out a certain minority. This is an example of how propaganda can be used in politics.

Explain the religious dimensions of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Protestants want to maintain their

against the Protestants. In 1829 Catholics were not suitable for schools throughout Ireland they were only suitable for Protestants. The Catholic peasantry were still called on to pay tithes, and they continued to be harassed by the exactions of tithe-proctors and others, who if the money was not forthcoming, seized the poor peoples cows, furniture, beds, blankets, kettles, or anything they could lay their hands on (History Of Nations 12 Ireland-Scotland p.224).The Catholics were a minority in Ireland much like in the history of Quebec where the English conquered the French, the French were considered lower forms of humans they weren’t up to English standards. As the years past the Catholics started to get back at the Protestants forming the I.R.A. I.R.A. and Protestant killings continued into the early 1900s, Britain began launching multi party- talks with the goal of forging a new assembly for northern Ireland and new relations between the north and Irish republic. By 1999, Protestant and Catholic negotiators had