Ireland and the British Union

Ireland and England's Control

• Centuries ago, England gained control over Ireland, leading to the settlement of English and Scottish people, mainly Protestants, in the north of Ireland.
• The native Irish population, primarily Catholic, resisted this control.

Division of Ireland

• In 1920, the British divided Ireland, granting independence to most of it and keeping the northern part, known as Northern Ireland, within the United Kingdom.
• This led to a state with a divided citizenry, with around 40% of northerners being Irish nationalists seeking independence from Britain.

Discrimination and Civil Rights

• From its creation, the Protestant, unionist majority in Northern Ireland discriminated against the Catholic, nationalist minority through laws and institutions.
• By the 1960s, the Catholic community's frustrations led to a campaign for civil rights, which was met with brutal force by the state.

Rise of Violence

• This led to a campaign of violence by republicans, seeking to end British rule and the partition of Ireland.
• Loyalists, defending the link with Britain, also took up arms.
• While the majority of both communities did not support violence, it became a defining feature of the Northern Ireland conflict.

Consequences of Violence

• The conflict resulted in 3,500 deaths, thousands of injuries, and widespread trauma.
• Thousands were also sent to prison.

The Peace Process

• By the 1990s, it was recognized that violence would not resolve the conflict, and a political solution required the involvement of republican and loyalist paramilitaries.
• The 'Peace Process' led to the establishment of political negotiations, ceasefires, and fundamental reforms to the system of governance.
• Progress has been significant, enabling the end of 'the Troubles', a 30-year period of violence and fear.