GCSE MODERN WORLD HISTORY

1. GCSE MODERN WORLD HISTORY NORTHERN IRELAND INTERACTIVE THE TROUBLES 1969-1993 Why has peace been so difficult to achieve in Northern Ireland?

2. The Easter Rising 1916 The Easter Rising Photo 3 The Four Courts building shelled by the British gunboat during the Easter Rising. The Easter Rising Photo 1 Men surveying the wreckage of Linenhall Barracks in the aftermath of the Easter Rising in Dublin. The Easter Rising Photo 2 Sackville (now O'Connell) Street, Dublin, after the 1916 Easter Rising. The Easter Rising 1916 Home Rule would have given the Irish their own parliament that could make laws related to domestic (Irish) issues. However, major decisions about the economy and foreign affairs would still be made in London. The Liberal government had put this on hold until after the end of the First World War.Although the Irish Nationalists had turned towards a peaceful campaign to gain Home Rule, there were a small number of Republicans who were prepared to use violence to achieve full independence for Ireland.  The rebels failed to take control and were forced to surrender.  About 1000 rebels from the Irish Volunteers proclaim an Irish Republic. The fighting lasted five days and caused more than 400 deaths and 2,500 injuries. Consequences of the Easter Rising  The British army poured into Dublin. They used gunboats to fire on the rebels from the river Liffey.  Led by Patrick Pearse and James Connoly, they seized Dublin's General Post Office on Easter Monday. Volunteer strongpoints British strongpoints Placements of rebel forces and British troops around Dublin during the Easter Rising, 1916. 7 GCSE Modern World History Northern Ireland 1968-1993

3. Were Catholics being discriminated against? Examining the Evidence : Employment Employment A Protestant view ‘Many of you employ Catholics but I have not one about the house. The Catholic population are disloyal and disruptive. If we allow Catholics to work on our farms we are traitors to Ulster. ' Basil Brooke, Agriculture Minister, July 1933 Employment ACatholic view ‘All of my life I have been a Nationalist. I grew up in a situation of such poverty and unemployment that the life of our people was no life at all. I will want something better than this for my children.' A Nationalist, Irish Nationalism, 1988 The Northern Ireland economy had major weaknesses. Many of its industries, particularly shipbuilding and textiles were old and expensive to run. In the 1960s, Belfast’s biggest employer, Harland and Wolfe began to close down its shipyards. Between1960 and 1965, unemployment rose to 6% across Northern Ireland and in Catholic areas of West Belfast and Derry it rose to 18%. Even though both sides were affected by unemployment, the Catholics claimed there was discrimination in employment because the Unionists kept control of the economy and society. Catholics were employed in the lower end of the job market and in unskilled and lower-paid jobs. Protestants were employed in the relatively higher-paid areas of shipbuilding and engineering. Fair Employment Agency Report into Belfast Engineering firms. A photograph of knocking off time at Harland & Wolff, Belfast 1911. The ship in the background is the Titanic. Ewart's Linen Factory, Crumlin Road, Belfast. Textiles manufacturing was one of Northern Ireland’s major industries. 17 GCSE Modern World History Northern Ireland 1968-1993

4. What did Internment involve? Problems for the British Government Internment failed spectacularly. The intelligence was hopelessly outdated. Not one of the 452 men arrested was a leading member of the Provisional IRA. The first Loyalistswere not interned until February 1973. Others arrested included prominent members of the Civil Rights Association. In one instance in Armagh, the British army sought to arrest a man who had been dead for the past 4 years. • 3000 troops moved into Catholic areas and arrest 452 people. INTERNMENT Operation Demitrious In July 1971, the British Government imposed internment of suspected terrorists without trial. The aim was that if terrorist suspects from both sides were removed from their communities, then the violence would be reduced. In practice, most of those interned were Catholic. Events that led to Internment • They were detained at Crumlin Rd prison and the prison ship the Maidstone. • Prisoners were subjected to hours of interrogation and abuse. • In all, over 1900 people were interned, only 107 were Loyalists. The HMS Maidstone, a prison ship docked at Belfast where many internees were sent. 30 GCSE Modern World History Northern Ireland 1968-1993

5. Obstacles to peace in Northern Ireland Since 1969, attempts to bring peace to Northern Ireland have failed. Many problems needed to be overcome if peace was to be achieved. Many problemsremained by 1993. Loyalist and Republican terrorists were fighting a war against each other and Unionist and Nationalist politicians found it hard to talk about peace when the other side was killing their people. There were also divisions amongst the Unionists and Nationalists. The DUP disagreed with the UUP. Sinn Fein disagreed with the SDLP. Companies and businesses have been unwilling to invest in Northern Ireland whilst the Troubles continued. Peace seemed a distant hope by 1993. •  British army units were sent to Northern Ireland to help keep order in 1969. Catholics welcomed them at first but complained that tactics of the army and RUC were directed against them. •  The two religions and communities rarely got to meet and know each other. Generations grow up to be distrustful of each other and this made them even more hostile to each other.  The Catholic Civil Rights Association protested against unfair treatment. It was met with hostility and violence. Protestants thought that it was an attempt to weaken the government.  Protestants regard themselves as British, the Catholics saw themselves as Irish. argument for a united Ireland can never be won in a Protestant controlled Northern Ireland. •  Both communities had paramilitaryforces. The IRA used violence against the British army and killed many people during the Protestant-Catholic tit for tat violence and terrorist campaign. •  The nationalists and loyalists could not agree on the form of government for Northern Ireland. Direct Rule was hated but when the Power-Sharing Executive was offered it failed too. 48 GCSE Modern World History Northern Ireland 1968-1993