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Irish Facts The third largest island in Europe Politically divided into a sovereign state, with the Republic of Ireland, that covers three-fifths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is a part of the United Kingdom. Population is just under 6 million, with over 4.2 million in the Republic of Ireland and 1.7 million in Northern Ireland

A view of Ireland As you can see most is inhabited buy the Republic of Ireland The capital of the Republic is Dublin, and the capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.

Ireland’s History Ireland was mostly ice-covered and joined by land to Britain and continental Europe during the last ice age. Some 9000 years after the ice age a groups of barbaric individuals called “Celts” inhabited the land by region with the last of the clan named Gael, the last wave of the Celts, conquered the island and divided it into five kingdoms. In 432 Bishop Palladius arrived in Ireland on a mission from Pope Celestine to minister to the Irish “already believing in Christ.” In 1172 King Henry II of England invaded Ireland and claimed sovereignty over the land and the by the 13 th century English law was introduced.

Irish History After the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Irish Catholics were barred from voting or attending the Irish Parliament. Towards the end of the 18th century the entirely Protestant Irish Parliament attained a greater degree of independence from the British Parliament than it had previously held. Under the Penal Laws no Irish Catholic could sit in the Parliament of Ireland. In 1800 the British and subsequently the Irish Parliament passed the Act of Union which, in 1801, merged the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Conflict of Northern Ireland

“The Troubles” In 1916, an uprising occurred in Dublin on Easter Monday, marking the beginning of the end for English rule in Ireland. It also marked the beginnings of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). England sought to maintain control over Ulster, the northernmost province, made up of 9 counties.

Northern Ireland From its creation in 1921 Northern Ireland enjoyed limited self-government within the United Kingdom. The conflict has been between the British and the Irish, between the North and the South of Ireland, and religiously between Protestants and Catholics.

“Bloody Sunday” In the late 1960’s, a civil rights movement took shape in Northern Ireland. Key issues were fair housing, fair employment, fair education, fair treatment before the law and voting reforms As IRA activity increased, the British introduced Internment on 9 August 1971, arrested hundreds of Catholics, without charges or trial, while torturing them to gain information on suspected IRA activities. "Bloody Sunday", January 30, 1972, the British Parachute Regiment opened fire on a peaceful demonstration in Derry, killing 13 unarmed Catholics.

In the end… Loyalists or Unionists (Protestants) see themselves as British and want to maintain a part of the United Kingdom. Nationalists and Republicans (Catholics), see themselves as Irish and aspire to a united Ireland. There are few intermediate positions. However, some Republicans admit that if there were equality and justice in Northern Ireland, the drive for unification with Ireland would not be worth fighting for.

Work Citied 2 Dec Northern Ireland Briefing. 2 Dec Jim Zolty