While the African American Civil Rights movement was blazing through southeastern United States, another conflict was beginning to boil over across the pond. Centuries worth of pent up resentment between loyalist Protestants and nationalist Catholics in Ireland sparked the Troubles, a conflict that would plague the region for over 30 years. Beginning in the late 1960s and ending in 1998, mid-century Northern Ireland was characterized by destruction and antagonism. Shootings, bombings, riots and assassinations were commonplace. Over 3,500 people were killed in what many would consider a civil war. Even now, over twenty years later, a person’s religious beliefs dictate where they will live, their political party association and even their friends. So, why did the Troubles start and how do they affect Northern Ireland today?

Rising Conflict

  Tensions can be traced back to April 24, 1916, a day known as the Easter Rising, when nationalists seized Dublin and demanded a free Irish republic from British Protestant rule, says Imperial War Museums (n.d.) an organization that focuses on providing insight into people's war experiences for future generations. According to History.com (2019), a website and TV channel that’s purpose is to inform on historical events and people, in 1919 the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was formed and launched a guerrilla campaign against British rule in Ireland. Two years later in 1921, the Government of Ireland Act was passed dividing the island into two nations. (Imperial War Museums, n.d.) Six counties in the north chose to stay with England and became Northern Ireland states World101, an organization that focuses on international relations and foreign policy issues

   In the 1960s, a civil rights movement was started by young Catholics in Northern Ireland who were angry about obvious “anti-Catholic” discrimination, wrote Dave Roos (2021), a longtime contributor to HowStuffWorks. Activists like John Hume, Austin Curry and Bernadette Devlin took inspiration from American civil rights protests going on at the time. A protest march was planned to take place in Derry on October 5th, 1968 to bring attention to de facto segregation. Police from the Royal Ulster Constabulary charged at the protesters and beat them with their batons. (Roos, 2021) Many consider this to be the day the Troubles began. 

The Trouble Years

  On August 14, 1969 Northern Ireland’s prime minister called on Britain to send military troops to restore peace. The police were initially welcomed by the Catholics who thought they would protect them, but instead they imprisoned hundreds of IRA members without trial. Catholic nationalists protested on January 30th, 1972 but were shut down by the British military. When the protesters refused to leave they were openly fired on with rubber bullets and live rounds. 13 were killed and 17 injured. The day became known as Bloody Sunday. (Roos, 2021) During the 1960s and 70s, nationalist paramilitaries grew in numbers and raged violent military campaigns against the British Army. The IRA announced a ceasefire during Christmas of 1974, but the truce ended with the IRA saying, “We achieve more in wartime than in peace time.” In 1981, several people fasted to death during a hunger strike. This prompted UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to accede to some of the protester's demands. (History.com, 2019)

Life After War

  Peace talks began and on April 10th, 1998 the Good Friday Agreement was signed. This agreement helped Northern Ireland set up its own government and planned the disarmament of paramilitary groups, which at one time numbered over 10,000 members. (World101, n.d.) Even after the peace agreement was signed, both sides continued to antagonize each other. According to World101 (n.d.), “The challenges Northern Ireland faces in the aftermath of its conflict are not unusual. Postconflict societies often struggle with weak government and divided populations. Fragile institutions and bitter hostility among communities present the risk that conflict will reignite.” One such instance was the Omagh bombing which took place only months after the agreement was signed. This was the most deadly paramilitary attack of the conflict, with 29 people being killed. (Imperial War Museums, n.d.)

  Evidence of the war can still be seen amongst the population today. More than 90% of children attend schools segregated by religion and some neighborhoods are physically divided by peace-walls. In fact, there are more peace walls today than there were at the time of the conflict. (World101, n.d.) According to World101 (n.d.), “In 2011, researchers found the region has the world’s highest recorded rate of post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly half of adults know someone who was injured or died in the Troubles. And more than three thousand murders related to the conflict are still unsolved.” Even though ceasefire has been upheld for decades, the root of the bad blood still runs deep within Northern Ireland's religious communities. 

References

(2019, May 15). IRA Timeline: The Troubles, Attacks & Ceasefire. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from history.com/topics/21st-century/irish-republican-army

Roos, D. (2021, November 12). How the Troubles Began in Northern Ireland | HISTORY. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from history.com/news/the-troubles-northern-ireland

Understanding Northern Ireland's 'Troubles' | World101. (n.d.). World101. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from world101.cfr.org/how-world-works-and-sometimes-doesnt/conflict/understanding-northern-irelands-troubles

What You Need to Know About The Troubles. (n.d.). Imperial War Museums. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from iwm.org.uk/history/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-troubles