Northern Ireland

Great Britain and Ireland

Roots of the Conflict- religion, ethnicity and colonialism Normans in Ireland Plantation of Ulster- 16 th century Act of Settlement 1653 Accession of James II 1685 William of Orange ascends to British throne

King William of Orange

Roots of the Conflict c’ntd Penal Laws introduced from 1695 onwards Irish Parliament received legislative independence Development of Peep O’ Day Boys, Defenders, Orange Order United Irishmen Rebellion Act of Union Catholic Emancipation

Independence of Ireland Struggle for land reforms – 1870s & 1880s Irish Parliamentary Party – 1882 Home Rule – 1 st attempt – nd attempt – rd attempt

Partition World War One – 1914 Government of Ireland Act – 1920 Irish War of Independence –

Irish Free State and Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Parliament - Stormont

The new NI Parliament- unstable at first, financial and political difficulties as well as inexperienced government ministers Catholics took little part in new NI state- electoral discrimination, grievances in housing, policing and employment. “A Protestant state for a Protestant people”

Reasons for unrest arrival of Terence O’Neill as Prime Minister. Introduction of reforms. Attracted opposition from within his party as well as from Ian Paisley Catholics encouraged by success of Civil Rights movement in America Formation of NICRA By the late 60s the peaceful protests had begun to take on a more violent nature

Initial Reaction of British Government to Violence in Northern Ireland British troops sent to Northern Ireland Curfews, house searches Internment Bloody Sunday Following this Direct Rule from Westminster was re-instated

Responses to Terrorism Power-sharing, Sunningdale – Rolling Devolution – Anglo Irish Agreement – 1985 Downing Street Declaration

Aftermath from Anglo-Irish Agreement

Looking forward Good Friday Agreement – 1998

Good Friday Agreement Human Rights and Equality Early release of terrorist prisoners Decommissioning of paramilitary weapons Reforms of criminal justice and policing.

Good Friday Agreement, con’t Three strands, 1. Creation of Northern Ireland Assembly 2. North-South Relationships 3. East-West Relationships

Prospects for a Functioning Local Democracy Many issues still need to be resolved, such as policing, decommissioning and prisoner releases Remaining hostility between political parties Northern Bank robbery- suspected IRA involvement having knock-on effect for Sinn Fein- withdrawal of funding

Prospects for a Functioning Local Democracy Hopes for the future Inclusive government Economic development Development in inter-community cultural awareness eg. through integrated schools, cross community initiatives such as BEI Equal opportunity programs