Irish troubles PAPER
The Irish Troubles: A Quest For Peace
The Irish Troubles is the name given to the political, cultural, and civil conflict that enveloped the island of Ireland for decades. The conflict is deeply embedded in the history of Ireland and the cultural difference between the native Irish and the British. As Ireland fell under the rule of England, cultural clashes resulted in two completely different societies living amongst one another. The Protestant British and the Catholic Irish make up the clashing sides of the conflict. The British make up the Unionists and the Irish make up the Nationalist. Though the seeds for conflict were sown much earlier, violent protests and attacks from both sides broke out in the 1960s, perpetuating a cycle of violence that would not be resolved until around 1998. The Troubles depict the constant struggle between different cultural groups for reform and change as well as the necessary rise of political parties to search for peace. The political unrest in Northern Ireland between Nationalists and Unionists initially prompts peaceful protests, however violence quickly ensues, ultimately leading both sides to resort to political negotiations to affect a lasting peaceful solution. The political and social unrest during the Troubles originated from a longstanding tension between the Irish and the British, dating back to the Norman Invasion of 1170. Ireland has long been a colony of England and thus has adapted many similarities as British culture enveloped the Irish clans. Henry II of England was the first to claim Ireland as a member of the British kingdom. However it was not until the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign around 1603 that military conquest over all of Ireland occurred. The Irish tribes fought back, however the strength of the British military proved to be too powerful. Soon Queen Elizabeth ushered in an age of settlement on the island. Using generous land donations, Elizabeth attracted colonists from England, Scotland, and
The Irish Troubles is the name given to the political, cultural, and civil conflict that enveloped the island of Ireland for decades. The conflict is deeply embedded in the history of Ireland and the cultural difference between the native Irish and the British. As Ireland fell under the rule of England, cultural clashes resulted in two completely different societies living amongst one another. The Protestant British and the Catholic Irish make up the clashing sides of the conflict. The British make up the Unionists and the Irish make up the Nationalist. Though the seeds for conflict were sown much earlier, violent protests and attacks from both sides broke out in the 1960s, perpetuating a cycle of violence that would not be resolved until around 1998. The Troubles depict the constant struggle between different cultural groups for reform and change as well as the necessary rise of political parties to search for peace. The political unrest in Northern Ireland between Nationalists and Unionists initially prompts peaceful protests, however violence quickly ensues, ultimately leading both sides to resort to political negotiations to affect a lasting peaceful solution. The political and social unrest during the Troubles originated from a longstanding tension between the Irish and the British, dating back to the Norman Invasion of 1170. Ireland has long been a colony of England and thus has adapted many similarities as British culture enveloped the Irish clans. Henry II of England was the first to claim Ireland as a member of the British kingdom. However it was not until the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign around 1603 that military conquest over all of Ireland occurred. The Irish tribes fought back, however the strength of the British military proved to be too powerful. Soon Queen Elizabeth ushered in an age of settlement on the island. Using generous land donations, Elizabeth attracted colonists from England, Scotland, and
Cited: Grimaldi, Fulvio. Blood in the Street. Derry: Guildhall, 1998. Print. McKay, John. "Northern Ireland: Soon to Be a United Ireland." Personal interview. 19 Nov. 2013. McKenna, Fionnuala Melaugh, Martin. "Bloody Friday." CAIN: Bloody Friday. CAIN Web Service, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Melaugh, Martin. "The Omagh Bomb." CAIN: main events. CAIN Web Service, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. “The Good Friday Agreement." BBC News. BBC, 9 Dec. 2004. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Hancock, Landon. "Northern Ireland: Troubles Brewing." CAIN: Conflict in Northern Ireland. CAIN, 1998. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. "IRA Declares End to Armed Struggle." BBC News. BBC, 28 July 2005. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Lynn, Brendan. "Security and Defense." CAIN. CAIN Web Service, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Melaugh, Martin. "Ulster Freedom Fighters" CAIN: Abstracts of Organizations - 'U ' CAIN Web Service, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Purdy, Martina. "Peace in the Troubles." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Rowthorn, Bob, and Naomi Wayne. 1988. Northern Ireland: the political economy of conflict. London: Polity Press Taylor, Peter "The 1968 Civil Rights Movement." PBS. PBS, 1997. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.