Northern Ireland and the Troubles: A Short History
Feb 24, 2016
Northern Ireland and the Troubles: A Short History
Background: the Division of Ireland
• Green and Orange States• Catholics in N. Ireland• “Whatever you say, say nothing.”
Civil Conflict, 1969
• A civil rights movement• The emergence of vigilantes• “Operation Banner” (1969-2007)• The IRA split of Dec. 1969– Official IRA– Provisional IRA
The Political Parties
• Ulster Unionist Party (UUP): “broad appeal” unionism
• Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP): moderate nationalist
• Democratic Unionist Party (DUP): hardcore unionist
• Sinn Fein: political wing of IRA
Ian Paisley in 1969
The paramilitaries
• Republican– Provisional IRA (1997 split—”Real IRA”)– “Bloody Sunday”: January 1972– Political evolution
• Unionist (“Loyalist”)– Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)– GB Direct Rule: March 1972– Ulster Defence Association (UDA/UFF)– Progressive Unionist Party (UVF-allied)– Ulster Democratic Party (UDA-allied)
UVF personnel
Why the peace process?
– Military realities– An emergent nationalist alliance– Political redress of Catholic
grievances– Increased role on non-gov’t actors– New political formations– Changing international context
• The referendum of May 22, 1998• Difficulties of implementation