The Troubles in Northern Ireland

By may.isfaraway
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    Irish War of Independence

  • Government of Ireland Act

    Established Northern Ireland, made up of the six northern counties that had a protestant majority. The twenty-six states of the South became the Free State. Protestant opposition was the main reason for the enshrinement of partition.

  • Anglo-Irish Treaty

    Established the Free State as a dominion of the British Empire, granted the same constitutional status as other countries within the commonwealth and a governmental system modelled after Canada’s. Marked the end of the War and the beginning of the Irish Free State. The Treaty was highly contested by many different factions and only passed by a slim margin in the Dáil Éireann. This ideological split led to the Irish Civil War.

  • First NI Parliament Elected

    First NI Parliament was elected with James Craigh as the first prime minister.

  • Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act

    Emergency law passed by the NI Parliament during the Civil War which was a tool for the unionist political elite to oppress/repress catholic/nationalist opposition. Gave the government, the Ministry of Home Affairs specifically and the RUC the power of death penalty, flogging, arrest without warrant and prohibition of inquests, and enabled the minister to proscribe organisations and ban or reroute parades. It was annually renewed and made permanent in 1933.

  • Creation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary

    The NI government disbanded the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and replaced it with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The new RUC was supposed to incorporate ⅓ of Catholics but it unsurprisingly did not attract them. It had a Protestant majority.

  • Local Government Bill

    Abolished proportional representation in local elections and paved the way for gerrymandering to ensure unionist majorities in antionalist-majority areas.
    gerrymandering: concentrated catholics in large wards while keeping others small and predominantly protestants. Utilised the 'company vote', giving extra votes to companies, often with an unionist majority and linked housing to voting rights.
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    Irish Civil War

    Conflict in Ireland between those who opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and those who supported it.

  • The Republic of Ireland Act

    The Republic of Ireland Act 1948[a] (No. 22 of 1948) is an Act of the Oireachtas which declared that the description of Ireland was to be the Republic of Ireland, and vested in the president of Ireland the power to exercise the executive authority of the state in its external relations, on the advice of the Government of Ireland. The Act was signed into law on 21 December 1948 and came into force on 18 April 1949.

  • Ireland Act

    Act of the British Parliament intended to deal with the consequences of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 as apssed by the Irish Parliament, the Oireachtas.

  • Public Order Act

    Concerned meetings and 'non traditional' parades, effectively banning celebrations such as St Patrick’s Day or the commemorations of the Easter Rising. However, it did not apply to loyalist/unionist celebrations.

  • Flags and Emblem (Display) Act

    Made it an offence to interfere with the Union Jack in a public place, and gave the Royal Ulster Constabulary discretionary powers to remove any other flag from public or private property.
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    IRA's Border Campaign

    A guerrilla warfare campaign (codenamed Operation Harvest) carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) against targets in Northern Ireland, with the aim of overthrowing British rule there and creating a united Ireland. It was also referred to as the "resistance campaign" by some Irish republican activists.The campaign was a military failure, but for some of its members was justified as it kept the IRA engaged for another generation

  • Terence O'Neill elected PM of NI

  • Creation of the Ulster Volunteer Force

    The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group based in Northern Ireland. Formed in 1965, it first emerged in 1966. Its first leader was Gusty Spence, a former British Army soldier from Northern Ireland. The group undertook an armed campaign of almost thirty years during The Troubles.

  • Creation of the Ulter Protestant Volunteers

    The Ulster Protestant Volunteers was a loyalist and Reformed fundamentalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. They were active between 1966 and 1969 and closely linked to the Ulster Constitution Defence Committee (UCDC) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), established by Ian Paisley and Noel Doherty in 1966.

  • Creation of NICRA

    On 24 Jan. 1967, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA), formed in Belfast, accepted a partition to attract widespread cross-communal support and formulated a six-point program to accomplish the following: (1) disband the paramilitary B-Specials; (2) repeal the Special Powers Act; (3) end gerrymandering in local elections (“one man one vote”); (4) end discrimination in governT employT; (5) end discrimina° in the awarding of local governT housing; (6) end religious discrimina°.

  • Dungannon Housing Protest

  • LondonDerry March

  • The Battle of the Bogside

    Large 3 day riot that took place in Derry opposing Catholic/Irish nationalists, residents of the Bogside district to the RUC and loyalists. It sparked widespread violence throughout NI leading to the deployment of British troops.
    Violence broke out as the Apprentice Boys marhced past the Catholic Bogside

  • Split of the IRA

    Official IRA: pushing Marxist agenda, ceasefire from 1972
    Provisional IRA: protection of Catholics/Nationalist, reunification of Ireland, no ceasefire
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    Operation Banner

    Operation Banner is a British Army operation in NI from 1969 to 2007. It was the longest continuous deployment in British military history. It was initially deployed, at the request of the unionist government of NI, bc of the Aug. 1969 riots. Its role was to support the RUC, assert the authority of the British gov in NI. = counter-insurgency, supporting the police w/ guarding key points, mounting checkpoints, patrols, carrying out raids, searches, riot control and bomb disposal.

  • Creation of the Alliance Party

    Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI)
    The Alliance Party was launched in April 1970 in an attempt to break the sectarian mold of politics in Northern Ireland through the pursuit of moderate policies. It was self-consciously biconfessional, attracting members from the Roman Catholic and Protestant communities in proportion to their numbers. Although there was no official leader between 1970 and 1972, Oliver Napier acted as de facto leader during that period.

  • Creation fo the SDLP

    Social Democratic Labour Party (SDLP)
    Nationalist political party in Northern Ireland, distinguished from the province’s other leftist and Republican groups by its commitment to political and nonviolent means of uniting Northern Ireland with the republic of Ireland.

  • Ulster Defence Regiment Creation

    Formed to replace the disbanding B Specials.

  • Falls Curfew

    Known to Nationalists as "The rape of the Falls".
    British Army operation during 3–5 July 1970 in the Falls district of Belfast. The operation began as a search for weapons in Irish nationalist district. As the search ended, local youths attacked the British soldiers with stones and petrol bombs and the soldiers responded with CS gas. Developed into gun battles between British soldiers and the IRA. After 4 hours of clashes, the armysealed off the area, and imposed a curfew that lasted 36 hours.

  • Northern Resistance Movement Rent Strike

    The Northern Resistance Movement was an Irish republican organisation set up by Sinn Féin and People's Democracy following the introduction of internment on 9 August 1971.
    Civil disobedience campaign consisting in a rate-and-strike, withholding payments from lcoal councils. In the Catholics eareas of Derry, around 90% of the population participated.

  • Creation of the DUP

  • First British Soldier Killed

    The Irish Republican Army (IRA) shot and killed Gunner Robert Curtis, the first British soldier to die during the current conflict.
    Happened as the IRA switched strategy from protection of the nationalsit community to a more offensive strategy.
    that same evening, Unionist PM James Chichester Clarke declared "Northern Ireland is at war with the IRA Provisionals."

  • Operation Demetrius / Internment Introduced

    In a series of raids across Northern Ireland, 342 people were arrested and taken to makeshift camps. There was an immediate upsurge of violence and 17 people were killed during the next 48 hours. 10 were Catholic civilians who were shot dead by the British Army. Internment had been proposed by Unionist politicians as the solution to the security situation in NI but led to a very high level of violence over the next years and increased support for the IRA.

  • Ballymurphy Massacre

  • Northern Ireland Temporary Provisions Act

    The Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 was an act of the Parliament of the UK that introduced direct rule in NI.

  • Bloody Sunday

  • Introduction of Special Category Status

    It gave loyalist and Republican prisoners a set of privileges such as the right not to wear the prison uniform and not to do prison work.

  • Official IRA's Ceasefire

    Leaves the Provisional IRA the only paramilitary on the Nationalist side.

  • Bloody Friday

    During the afternoon of 'Bloody Friday' the IRA planted and exploded 22 bombs killed 9 people and seriously injured around 130 others. There also were numerous hoax warnings about other explosive devices adding to the chaos in the streets.
    'Bloody Friday' also led to the decision by the British Gov to implement 'Operation Motorman', the biggest British military operation since the Suez crisis, where the Army entered and ended the 'no-go' areas of Belfast and Derry.

  • Operation Motorman

    Operation by the British Army aiming for the end of no-go areas, "the barricaded self-governing urban districts, on both sides in conflict, that sprung up in Belfast, Derry, and other towns between 1969 to 1972".
    33.000 soldiers took down the barricades, in biggest deployment of troops since WWII. It was a setback for the PIRA who no longer controlled those areas.

  • Border Bombings by Loyalists

    Two children, aged 15 and 16, were killed in a Loyalist paramilitary bomb attack on the village of Belturbet, County Cavan, Republic of Ireland. Loyalists also exploded bombs in the towns of Clones, County Monaghan, and Pettigo, on the border between County Donegal and County Fermanagh, but no one was killed in those explosions

  • Whitelaw's Border Poll

  • Introduction of the Diplock Courts

  • Sunningdale Agreement

    First attempt to implement a political settlement for NI after the closure of parliament in 1972, concluded at a meeting attended by the heads of the British/Irish govs, the leaders of the Unionist, Alliance, SDLP parties. No militant unionist parties and republicans invited. Included a new constitutional structure, a power‐sharing executive requiring support in the NI Assembly from major parties representative of Catholics and Protestants, cross‐border coop in socioeconomic/security matters.

  • Ulster Workers' Council Strike

    The UWC strike took place betwen 15 May 1974 to 28 May 1974. It was called in protest at the political and security situation in NI and at the proposals in the Sunningdale Agreement which would have given the gov of the Republic of Ireland a direct say in the running of the region. The strike lasted two weeks and brought down the power-sharing NI Executive. Responsibility for the gov of NI then reverted to the British Parliament at Westminster under the arrangements for 'Direct Rule'.

  • Dublin & Monaghan Bombings

    4 car bombs exploded in Dublin and Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, on 17 May 1974.
    Loyalist paramilitary groups, Ulster Defence Association (UDA) & Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), denied responsibility. A 1993 TV broadcast a documentary, 'Hidden Hand - the Forgotten Massacre'. It concluded that the UVF carried out the attacks but would have required assistance them. There was speculation of British security forces collusion. The UVF released a statement in July 1993 admitting sole responsibility.

  • Guildford Bomb Attack

    In an effort to export its activities to Britain, wanting to bring the Northern Irish problem to the British public, the IRA placed bombs in two pubs of the Guildford area in South London.

  • Birmingham Bomb Attack

    Same as Guildford bomb attack but in pubs in centre of Birmingham.
    Six people were immediately arrested after the bombings and would become the "Birmingham Six".

  • The Miami Showband Massacre

  • Creation of the Peace People

    In august 1976, an IRA volunteer was killed while driving a vehicle chased by the British Army. He revved off the road and hit passer-by, Anne Maguire, who was out with her children. SHe was badly injured and three ot of four of children died.
    In consequence, Mairead Corrigan, Betty William and Ciaran McKeown created the Peace People, a movement to end the campaign of violence.
    10,000 people attended the first demonstration in Belfast on aug. 14.

  • Special Category Status Removed

    Special Category Status enabled prisoners to be considered as political prisoners and hence have some privileges such as wearing their civilian clothes or not do prisoners work. However, this status was taken away from them with the British gov's implementation of the 'ulsterisation/criminalisation/normalisation' plan. This lead prisoners to start different prison protests from the mid 70s to the beginning of the 80s.
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    Prison Protests

    Protest over the debate as to whether the prisoners convicted of crimes committed in the name of a political cause were in fact political prisoners.
    Protests took the form of refusing to wear the uniform ("blanket protest"), or smearing feces on the walls of their cells ("dirty protest").
    The most notable though are the hunger strikes with a culture of hunger strikes in Ireland that dates back decades. The msot famous being Terence McSweeney, who died in Cork in 1920 after a 74-day fast.

  • IRA bomb attack on Lord Mountbatten

  • Death of Bobby Sands

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    Northern Ireland Assembly

    In April '82 the white paper Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution was published, providing 'rolling devolution': a new NI Assembly, w/ consultative role but that would increasingly have devolved powers if 70% of the Assembly agreed.
    In Oct. 87 members were elected, the 2 Unionist parties having majority. The Assebly was never fully operational: Unionists oppsed to the idea of power-sharing, SDLP boycotting thinking it wasn't a viable long term solu°.

  • Brighton Bomb Attack on Thatcher

    Bomb targeted at Margaret Thatcher in Brighton's Grand Hotel during the annual conference of the British Conservative Party. Thatcher escaped unmarmed.
    Signalled the IRA's determination to continue their dual approach: the political struggle of Sinn Féin and the military struggle of the IRA.
    "Today we were unlucky, but remember we have only to be lucky once, you will have to be lucky always."

  • Anglo-Irish Agreement

    The Anglo-Irish Agreement was signed by the UK, NI and the Republic of IR at Hillsborough, on 15 Nov. 1985. The Agreement was the most important development in Anglo-Irish relations since the 1920s. Both Governments confirmed that there would be no change in the status of Northern Ireland without the consent of a majority of its citizens. Both Governments also viewed the Agreement as a means of inducing unionist leaders in Northern Ireland to accept a devolved power-sharing arrangement.

  • Ulster Says No Protest

    The staunchest opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement came from the Unionists bc concern at the role given to the Republic of Ireland.
    Tens of thousand of people gathered outside Belfast City Hall to demonstrate their rejection of the Agreement. The banner flying outside illsutrated the mood: "Ulster Says No".

  • Enniskillen Bombing

    Deadly bombing during the 1918 Armistice ceremony in Enniskillen on 11 November 1987, which claimed eleven lives and injured many civilians.
    The IRA's apology for the Enniskillen bombing failed to assuage public outrage, intensifying scrutiny and criticism of the organisation's military campaign, even from within its own ranks, as incidents of unintended civilian casualties mounted.
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    IRA attacks in Germany/Netherlands

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    Hume/Adams Talk

  • Gibraltar Killings

    Killing of three unarmed IRA volunteers in Gibraltar who were planning an attack. The event caused quite a controversy domestically and internationally. According to many passers-by and local residents, the three IRA members ahd been shot without warning. SOme 60 Labour condemned the Gibraltar murder as "extra judicial execution".
    This incident was one of multiple where a "shoot-to-kill" policy was alleged to have been used the British security forces.

  • Release of the Guildford Four

  • Brooke Speech on British Interests

    Peter Brooke, then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, made a major speech on the British position to an audience in London. In the speech he said that Britain had no "strategic or economic interest" in Northern Ireland and would accept unification of Ireland if that was the wish of the people of Northern Ireland.

  • Release of the Birmingham Six

  • IRA missile attack on Downing Street

  • Combined Loyalist Military Command ceasefire

  • Downing Street Declaration

    Issued by the PM John Major and the Irish taoiseach Albert Reynolds. Continuing the momentum of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, it set a framework for peace talks in NI. It stated all democratically mandated political parties (including SF) could be involved in an all-Ireland forum if they were committed to ending paramilitary violence. The UK and Irish govs also agreed that the status of NI could only change with majority consent, and Ireland's future would be determined by the peoples of Ireland.

  • Forum for Peace and Reconciliation

    Forum initiated by the Downing Street Declaration to foster dialogue among various political parties. Major Nationalist parties were invited such as SF, the SDLP, but also the Alliance Party. The mainstream unionist parties such as the UUP and DUP rejected the invitation.
    The debates were held in Dublin for over a year with proceedings published in 1996.

  • IRA final ceasefire

    The IRA announced a "complete cessation of military activities"

  • CLMC ceasefire

    Initially, Loyalist paramilitaries expressed intentions to continue their campaign despite the IRA ceasefire.
    On October 14, 1994, the Combined Loyalist Military Command declared a cessation of all activities, signalling a significant shift in their stance.
    Gusty Spence, a prominent Loyalist figure, advocated for cross-border institutions and hinted at potential dialogue with Republicans, indicating a willingness to explore peace initiatives beyond unilateral ceasefire declarations.

  • Clinton's visit to NI

    US President Bill Clinton's visit in 1995 was met with enthusiasm from both sides of the conflict and affirmed US support for the peace process, but it also raised concerns among Unionists about perceived American bias.

  • Framework Documents

    Published by British and Irish governments and outlined proposed structures for Northern Ireland. it focused on three main areas: NIrish dimension, North-South institutions and relations between Britain and Ireland.
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    PEACE PLUS 1

    An EU programme focusing on NI and the Border Region of Ireland. Aims:
    - Strengthened social stability and encourage reconciliation.
    - Develop the economy through the creation of job and urban/rural regeneration
    - Encourage cross-border cooperation and social inclusion
    It financed projects that encouraged the inclusion of marginalised groups and intercommunity cohesion with a fair repartition of funding.

  • Mitchell Report

    International Body on arms decommissioning (or Mitchell Report) set out 6 "Mitchell Principles" under which parties could enter all-party talks, suggesting confidence-building measures. Decommissioning should take place during (instead of before/after) all-party talks. It was welcomed by the Irish gov, main opposition parties in Britain, the SDLP & the Alliance Party. It was seen as a way forward by SF & the UDP. The moderate UUP, had reservations, & the DUP rejected it.

  • Canary Wharf Bombing

    The PIRA detonated a powerful truck bomb in London, killing two people and causing important material damage.
    It dealt a severe blow to the peace process, underminig Sinn Féin's credibility.

  • Northern Ireland Forum Elections

    Elections to determine who would take part in all-party negotiations were announced. The elections would be to a Forum of 110 delegates, with 90 elected directly and 20 'top-up' seats from the ten parties polling the most votes. The Unionist obtained the majority of the seats: 30 for the UUP, 24 for the DUP, 7 seats for smaller unionist parties. On the Nationalist side, the SDLP had 21 seats and SF 17. The Alliance Party obtained 7 and the Women's Coalition 2.

  • Tony Blair elected PM

  • IRA Final FINAL ceasefire

  • Good Friday Agreement

    At 5.30pm George Mitchell stated: "I am pleased to announce that the 2 governments & the political parties in NI have reached agreement".
    It emphasised the principle of consent, non-violence, & called on the Irish people for support. Key provisions were the repeal of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, recognising Irish People's right to self-determination & the possibility of reunification. It established an elected Assembly, proportional Cabinet & safeguards to prevent one community from dominating.

  • Referendums in NI & IR

  • Omagh Bombing

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    PEACE PLUS 2

    • Restreint le nombre de projets mais a mis l'accent sur des initiatives intercommunautaires ambitieuses.
    • Impliquait une diminution des fonds distribués en raison de procédures administratives complexes et de critères plus stricts.
    • A favorisé le travail en réseau et la coopération transfrontalière.

  • Prisoners release + Maze closes

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    PEACE PLUS 3

  • Saint Andrews Agreement