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Intro to Northern Ireland
The history of Northern Ireland was likened
by UCD historian Alvin Jackson to the centuries of Irish struggle
condensed: Meaning that once again the age-old problem of a Protestant rule
clashed with Catholic aspirations.
Historically, Catholics were ruled or governed by a protestant minority or a government whose presence in the country was at odds with the majority of its inhabitants. A crucial difference with the story of Northern Ireland to bear in mind - after Belfast became the seat of Northern Irish Home Rule (Government of Ireland Act 1920) and the Boundary Commission established its boundaries and agreed (as per the treaty if not legally binding) partition from the South.- is that the Unionists (Protestants) had a regional majority in Ulster with a ratio of 2:1. The Nationalists of the North initially sought reunification with the South. Following an unsuccessful flurry of IRA activity in the North, and the Free State’s preoccupation with a Civil War and then administering the 26 counties they settled down to a passive resistance; in spurts trying to establish their own institutions, such as schools (that taught Irish) and by refusing to engage with a state they were not asked to be a part of. The latter attitude is reflected by Catholics lack of enthusiasm for signing up for the RUC, their enrolment in badly funded private Catholic schools, as opposed to the state-run schools. Nationalists usually took their cultural cues from the South. Learning Irish, attending céilis, being members of the GAA etc. In addition to living in a state they were not happy being in, many felt Northern Ireland was a hostile state to them. The establishment of the Special Powers Act, The B Specials, The Property Qualification and gerrymandering in local elections demoralised the Catholic communities. It also sowed bitter seeds of discontent. All I boast of is that we are a Protestant Parliament and a Protestant State. It would be rather interesting for historians of the future to compare a Catholic State launched in the South with a Protestant State launched in the North and to see which gets on the better and prospers the more. -James Craig Unionists wanted to maintain partition and association with Britain. Although they feared that their parliament, Stormont, might be compromised by Westminster changing its mind, or Catholics someday taking power. This attitude led to Unionists playing a zero sum game with power and adopting a siege mentality (CF The Apprentice Boys’ Case Study) with regards to sharing power. They viewed co-operating with Catholics, training them and allowing them a say in the governance of their Protestant state. The Unionists in Northern Ireland were particularly strong post-war when Stormont basked in the favour of Northern Ireland's help during the second world war. They adopted a Marching tradition as an expression of their culture. It was a tradition that often involved aspects of Protestant Triumphalism and when these marches passed through Catholic areas they could be very antagonistic.
Many in this audience employ Catholics, but I have not one about my place. Catholics are out to destroy Ulster...If we in Ulster allow Roman Catholics to work on our farms we are traitors to Ulster...I would appeal to loyalists, therefore, wherever possible, to employ good Protestant lads and lassies – Lord Brookesborough Attempts to rationalise, encapsulate and create a Northern Irish culture were made by poets and artists such as Seamus Heaney, John Hewitt and Ciarán Carson (to name a few). Many of whom were put-off from commenting on one side or another when disagreements turned into violence.
Seamus Heaney’s poem, ‘A Constable Calls’ seems to subtly reflect the tense time-bomb of discontent mounting in Northern Irish society around this time A shadow bobbed in the window. Following the uneven application of the Welfare benefits, thanks to the UK principle of parity, (CF The Dungannon Housing Crisis Case Study) and Prime Minsters they struggled to identify with –such as Lord Brookesborough- many Catholics saw equality as the most pressing political goal for them. From this point on we see the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement and later a decent into violence.
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