The Troubles

Résumé du document

Were the troubles inevitable? Were they engrained in the Northern Irish system which emerged after the government act in 1920?
There is plenty of material about this period. Memoirs were published in the last few years. Interviews were undertaken about this period but they had a very political dimension (about what Northern Ireland currently is, about the past of the interviewers…).
The notion of ‘Troubles' underlines the inevitability of these events. Is it abrogating responsibility to consider the Troubles as inevitable?

Why did it begin in the 1960s? Why did the Troubles happen the way they did when they did? What was their initial form?
What happened was probably less coherent than the notion of ‘the Troubles' suggests. Does this notion cloud the complexity of this period?
Alvin Jackson speaks about “a compressed version of the story of Ireland”. It means that we need to question the timing of these events. What conditions are inherent in the 1960s? Are there long-term causes to explain the ‘Troubles'?

Northern Ireland was characterized by a conservative polity. James Craig had been in power for almost 20 years (Prime Minister between 1921 and 1940). Violent methods of putting down the opposition were continuously used. The government of Northern Ireland had created the Ulster Special Constabulary in 1920 to combat IRA secessionist fighters, who were opposed to Partition.

Extraits

[...] There was a clear influence of the American campaign for civil rights. The mobilisation of discontent was used. Hence, the NICRA comprised a mix of the middle-class Catholics, workers Tactics of Martin Luther King were used. For instance, a sit-in was organised on 20 June 1968 in Kinmerd Park. The movement for civil rights was also a result of the Campaign for Social Justice (especially for housing) led by the homeless citizens league (Patricia and Conn McCluskey) since January 1964. Several marches were organised, such as in Dungannon (24 August 1968). [...]

[...] Are there long-term causes to explain the ‘Troubles'? Northern Ireland was characterized by a conservative polity. James Craig had been in power for almost 20 years (Prime Minister between 1921 and 1940). Violent methods of putting down the opposition were continuously used. The government of Northern Ireland had created the Ulster Special Constabulary in 1920 to combat IRA secessionist fighters, who were opposed to Partition. The Ulster Special Constabulary was divided into three corps: the and C Specials. The A and C Specials disbanded after Partition- related violence subsided, but the Specials' survived until their group was disbanded by the British government at the beginning of Direct Rule by the British in 1972. [...]

[...] In March 1963, his health having worsened, Sir Basil Brooke resigned (at the age of 75) as Prime Minister. At this time, unionist coherence was under threat. Terence O'Neill arrived in power. He attempted to build consent. For instance, he visited a catholic school. He believed that economic progress would undermine hatred. A ministry for development was created (Wilson). Hence, he implemented a new program of economic modernisation: 64,000 houses to be built over 5 years (problem of housing allocating), Business fostered in the East. However, these efforts of modernisation made everything worse. [...]

[...] The march from Belfast to Derry led to a clash with unionists. At this time, unionism was fracturing and moving to its extreme. The unionists considered that O'Neill had just gone too far. The Ulster Protestant volunteers organised new marches for loyalism. It became difficult to continue for the PM. O'Neill resigned in April 1969 and was replaced by James Chichester-Clark. The Battle of the Bogside led Chichester-Clark to demand help of the British Army. The British support was henceforth military, not only financial. [...]

[...] The Bloody Sunday occurred on 30 January 1972: 27 people were shot people died (among them, several teenagers). This event shocked the international community. Faulkner resigned on the 22nd of March. Direct rule was implemented, although it was not seen as the best policy from a British point of view. Certain attempts tried to make peace changed and shaped the troubles. After years, the Troubles are still very contentious history and some questions are still controversial. What are the forces that shaped the Troubles? Why was this movement violent? [...]