History

Study

Keith

Kiely 10-Apr-23

-Home Rule

Home Rule Timeline

1870 Home Rule Association founded by Issac Butt.Soon renamed the Home Rule League.

Gladstone introduces the First Land Act.

1875 Charles Stuart Parnell elected M.P. for Co. Meath.Shortly after assumes leadership of Home Rule League from Butt.

1879 Michael Davitt forms the Irish Land League working for land reform and opposing evictions

Parnell becomes its President.

1880 Gladstone introduces Second Land Act.

1884 Reform Act leads to increase in the electorate.

G.A.A. founded.

1885 First Home Rule Bill defeated in the House of Commons.

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The Conservatives campaign against Home Rule - Lord Randolph Churchill tells an Orange rally in 1886 that "Ulster will fight and Ulster will be right".

1889 Parnell named in O’Shea divorce petition.

Home Rule League splits. John Redmond, John Dillon and William O’Brien lead different factions over the next twelve years.

1893 Second Home Rule Bill passed by the House of Commons but stopped by the House of Lords.

Gaelic League founded by Douglas Hyde.

1901 Irish Parliamentary Party reunites Home Rule M.P.’s under the leadership of John Redmond

1903 Wyndham Land Act.

1909 Birrell's Land Act.

Budget Crisis in Britain when the House of Lords rejects the Government’s budget.

1910 Two general elections leave the Irish Parliamentary Party holding the balance of power.

Veto in the House of Lords is abolished. Two year delay allowed.

1912 Third Home Rule Bill is passed by the House of Commons but again rejected by the House of Lords.

Home Rule to become law in 1914.

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The Irish

Volunteers:

Eoin McNeill said:

Irish Nationalists should follow the example of Ulster Unionist and form their own

organisation to defend Home Rule

The IRB told McNeill to hold a meeting in Dublin to form that organisation.

They called the organisation The Irish Volunteers. It pretty soon had 75 or

more members

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The popularity of The Volunteers threatened the position of the Irish Home Rule

Party.

Redmond forced the members of the Home Rule Party to join the volunteers and

he took over

The success of the Ulster Volunteers in getting arms gave the Irish Volunteers

some hope in seizing some to ship abroad.

It looked as if there would be a civil war of the Home Rule Bill came in as a law.

This crisis came to end at the start of the First World War and The Volunteers

split.

John Redmond thought that it was a perfect time for them to show loyalty to

England and join the English army to help them in the war. A lot of people

supported Redmond and became known as The National Volunteers.

The minority of the people who did not support Redmond’s views continued as

The Irish Volunteers and it was mainly ran by the IRB.

These all planned on a rebellion against England while they were at war in the

First World War

The First Sinn FeinArthur Griffith was the founder of the Sinn Fein Party.

He was a Republican but didn’t think that people would support the rebellion.

He published an article The Resurrection of Hungary. It involved the way

Hungary got their parliament and government.

It involved:

Dual Monarchy- separated parliaments but same king/queen.

Parliamentary Abstention- not in the Westminster but separate

Passive Resistance

Protectionism

All of this became the policy of Sinn Fein.

By Sinn Fein had branches

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It allowed women in the party as full members

The party won seats at local elections

In Sinn Fein was in decline:

Griffith was not easy to go on with

His newspaper now called Sinn Fein had financial trouble

Home Rule had the balance of power so it seemed more likely

World War One

Impact on Ireland:The Home Rule Crisis of - war ended. The Third Home Rule Bill became law in

September but was suspended till the war was over.

Carson agreed with the unionists that this would be accepted understanding that it

would not operate

Carson called the Ulster Volunteers to join the British Army

This would show loyalty to the British Empire

It would guarantee consideration of the Ulster Question after the war.

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About Ulster Volunteers joined the British Army along with some southern

unionists.

Also members of the National Volunteers joined the army

They were not given their own regiments or emblems

They wanted to make sure Home Rule would be accepted after the war

They joined also for personal and possibly religious beliefs

Over overall joined the army and about or more was killed in the duty of war. The

enlisting numbers then started to decline around 5.

Industry: The economy of Belfast and north-east Ulster all benefited in the

increased demand their ships but the rest of the country was not developed enough

to develop

Farming: these benefited from the increase in demand of food from Britain

Inflation: overall prices increased but wages did not improve during the war

The First World War added to the decline of Redmond and the Home Rule Party

Conscription: the British army needed more solders so the government

introduced conscription for the year

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The 6 Rising Revived IRB:

In the twentieth century the IRB was revived. They thought their physical force

would do well in the Rising or Rebellion.

Volunteers Split:

They split because of Ireland in the First World War. The Minority of them were

IRB Ruled and Ran the Volunteers were run by Eoin McNeil. They provided the

armed group needed in the Rising.

Britain in War:

Ireland believed that when Britain was at war with Germany was the best

opportunity to fight them and organising the Rebellion against them.

Blood Sacrifice:

Some of the leaders including Patrick Pearce believed that the Rising did not need

military success. All it needed was the deaths of Irish people to revive the nation.

Planning:

The military council was led by Pearce Plunkett Ceannt MacDonagh

Clarke and MacDermott. They made sure it was kept secret to the Supreme

Council.

The Military Council wanted to ensure the Rebellion plans of the Easter Rising

was kept secret and told nobody because they believed previous rebellions were

unsuccessful because of the G-Men Spies

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German Help:

The Military Council needed weapons. They sent Roger Casement over to

Germany to try retrieving some.

His mission was:

To form an Irish brigade

To get arms off Germany

The Plan Goes Wrong:

The German AUD sent Arms to Ireland but they were captured by the British at a

Kerry Harbour. Now there were little or no arms.

The Military Council had a plan to trick MacNeill by letting him believe his

Volunteers were going to be arrested in order for him to help fight the British.

MacNeill found out that it was not true and the letter had been forged and also the

aud was captured and cancelled his help.

Now the Military council had no men or arms so the plans of the Rising were

fallen apart to ruins. It was moved to Easter Monday and just a Dublin Rising and

not nationwide.

The Rising:

On Easter Monday around 6 volunteers and Citizen Army men marched the

Streets of Dublin near Liberty Hall.

Some of the men took the GPO where they set up the headquarters.

The main ideas were:

A Revolutionary Tradition

Demanding a Republic

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Results

About 5 people were killed and it was mainly ordinary civilians’ and 5 injured

during this.

The executions and arrests had a huge influence:

It declined Home Rule and rose Shin Fein

The idea of a republic took over Home Rule a solution for the Irish Question.

There was an increase of an anti-English feeling

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The War of

IndependenceThe War of Independence was a war between Sinn Fein and the British

Government.

Aspects of war:

Political Aspect: they used passive resistance

Military Aspect: they used guerrilla warfare

The first Dail met on 1st of January

It included:

The Declaration of Independence

The provisional Constitution of a Republic

A message to the free nations of the world to get recognition

Activities of the Dail:

Aurthur Griffith- Minister for Home Affairs

Cathal Brugha- Minister for Defence

Michael Collins- Minister for Finance

W.T Cosgrave- Minister for Local Government

Sinn Fein had a number of problems in setting up the government:

They lacked experience

The British Government banned the Dail so there was no conflict with the British

Government

There was difficulty in decisions about power and control

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They lacked money

De Valera spent most of the war in America and got little or no recognition for

Ireland from the Republican Parties

Role of Collins

The IRA looked at Collins for instructions and not Minister for Defence

Collins was determined that spies and informers would not betray the IRA and he

set up a Spy Network

He managed to evade arrests

Collins got his Squad to murder English spies and G-Men

Early

During the British government paid little attention to Ireland because they were

involved in the Paris Peace Conference

The Black and Tans and the Auxiliaries came into Ireland and they were very

difficult to deal with.

The Ordinary people began to fear and Hate the Black and Tans.

This increased the support in the IRA

General Macready Commander in chief of British forces in Ireland was giving the

authority to arrest and imprison people thought to be in the IRA without trial.

The Government of Ireland Act

The Parliament in Belfast controlled the six counties

The country was partitioned

The Unionist accepted the act

Sinn Fein rejected it

Flying Columns:

In late as the IRA formed a new group called the Flying Columns. The leaders of

them included:

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Tom Barry

Sean MacEoin

Liam Lynch.

They were a group of men that staged hit and run ambushes on British forces

In December a bunch of auxiliaries burned the centre of Cork City.

The British Government enforced martial law on the streets and arrests had

weakened the IRA.

Truce:

Factors towards Truce:

Public opinion in Britain and abroad favoured peace

Lloyd George had to Fully Defeat IRA or negotiates

Sinn Fein won a good number of seats in the election

De Valera was also under pressure to make peace

Irish people was growing tied in conflict

Lloyd George made a speech at the opening of the Northern Ireland Parliament

which began the process

The truce became in operation on June 6th

Sinn Fein won the right to negotiate directly with the British government

By agreeing to talk to Lloyd George de Valera also agreed to work out a

compromise

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The Anglo-Irish

Treaty Preliminary negotiations July-October:

Negotiations began between De Valera and Lloyd George. They met four times in

London

De Valera wanted a county republic

Lloyd George wanted Ireland to stay in the Commonwealth

He also wanted the government in Northern Ireland

Lloyd George invited the Irish Delegation to London to talk and negotiate the

Irish demands and see what could be reconciled.

The Irish Delegation as envoy plenipotentiaries

De Valera was not included in the delegation because:

He was head of state and didn’t want to leave

He was needed in Dublin to keep all the extremist republicans in place

He would give the delegation and excuse to refer British proposals to Dublin

Later it was believed that that Lloyd George would not want to give Ireland a full

Republic and De Valera knew this and didn’t want to go and get the blame.

Negotiations by delegation October-December:

De Valera was excluded as he was because he was the only person who knew and

understood the external affairs and negotiated with Lloyd George

The negations were held in London at the centre of the British Empire which gave

psychological advantage to the British.

It was a long serving British Delegate that included long serving politicians

including

“The Welsh Wizard” Lloyd George was also at the Paris Peace Conference.

The Issues:

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How much independence Ireland gets and how much is linked to Britain

Will Ireland have 6 counties or counties?

Will Ireland join with British Enemies if they have independence?

The Negotiations:

The early parts of the negotiations were difficult and split up into sub-committees.

There was an agreement on the British naval bases in Ireland and the trade and

Portions of UK debt that had to be paid by Ireland.

De Valera’s External Association was proposed by the Irish delegation and was

rejected

Because it meant leaving the empire and agreeing in alliance with the treaty.

There was an eventual agreement on the Oath of Allegiance for Dail members.

The oath was recognised as a domination status for Ireland

The terms of the Anglo Irish Treaty:

Domination status for the south of Ireland

Known as Irish Free Sate

Oath of Allegiance for the Dail

Boundary commission between Ireland and the North

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Treaty DebatesThe cabinet debated the Anglo Irish treaty. The people that were for the Anglo

Irish Treaty were:

Michael Collins

Arthur Griffith

W.T Cosgrave

The people who were against the treaty were:

De Valera

Cathal Brugha

Stack

The IRA was divided:

Some did not want normal everyday life

People thought treaty was a sell out

People influenced by Collins

The IRB was hugely in favour of this treaty because of the influence of Collins.

The Anti-Treaty Case

Extreme republicans were against the treaty because it did not give the full

demands of the full republic. They said:

Republic declared in 6 Proclamation

Delegates that negotiated this treaty betrayed the republic

They would fight a war if necessary

Would not accept the decision of the Dail if they favoured the treaty

Moderate republicans that rejected the treaty were because:

They thought a better deal could have been negotiated

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They felt British would interfere with Irish affairs

They felt Ireland would not be able to follow an independent foreign policy

The Pro-Treaty Case

Those who were in favour of the treaty said:

It was the best deal we could get

A new war would fail as all the main leaders were now well known and would not

be able to surprise Britain and also would get less support

They believed it was a good step towards getting a full republic

They also believed domination status was better than Home Rule

The Vote

Six women TD’s spoke against the treaty

There was a reference to partition as they believed the Boundary Commission

would end it

During this many people were influenced by the amount of people that wanted

peace. The final vote tally was in favour of the treaty

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Irish Civil WarCauses:

Some of the IRA was attached to the ideal full republic and the treaty did not give

them the ideal republic.

They swore an oath to the republic

They fought for a republic and some died for the republic

The IRA had already operated under Sinn Fein and the Dail during the War of

Independence.

The commanders of the flying columns fought the war independently

They claimed success in the War of Independence

De Valera campaigned against the treaty in his speeches that were very extreme

Collins and De Valera made an election pact to fight the election together and

form a coalition government afterwards. Collins called off this pact just before the

election.

Pro- Treaty candidates’ won the election easily. This showed that the majority of

people supported the treaty

The election results gave Collins the go-ahead to attack the Four Courts garrison

The anti-treaty forces kidnapped General O’Connell of the Free Sate Army and

this gave Collins and excuse to attack the Four Courts.

The Civil had now begun

The pro-treaty were called the Regulars

The anti-treaty were called the Republicans

The fighting lasted about a week. The leader of the Four Courts was captured.

Cathal Brugha was killed on O’Connell’s St

The centre of the city was destroyed twice in 6 years

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The Republicans retreated into Munster near Limerick and Waterford.

More people joined the Regulars and forces came up to 6 and had a successful

attack on Limerick and Waterford.

The Civil War became very bitter as the Republicans used guerrilla warfare

The government used internment to hold anti-treaty prisoners and the war ended

when Liam Lynch the chief of staff in the IRA was shot dead.

Impact:

About people died soldiers and civilians

The centre of the city of Dublin was destroyed

There was still bitterness after the war

The economy had been disrupted again like to was in the 6 Rising and then again

in the War of Independence

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Language Religion

and Education

Language Education and Culture:

The Free State government wanted to revive the Gaelic culture and the

education system was the main part of achieving this. Eoin MacNeill

was Minister for Education and he changed the curriculum to achieve

this:

Irish language and history had to be thought in primary schools and

the Irish had to be thought at least one hour a day.

The teachings in history was designed to show the patriotic people of

Ireland

A School Attendance Act was passed to make sure that there was a

full school attendance up to the age of

In second level education only about per cent of people attended

New examinations at intermediate and Leaving Certificate were now

introduced

There was special grants to schools that did all their teachings in Irish

and extra marks given to students that do their exams in Irish

Irish came compulsive to learn if you wanted any civil job

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Religion:

The Catholic Church was concerned with their morals on attitude and sexual

matters with the effect of the radio and the English press.

The Bishops wrote pastorals attacking drinking violence gambling and modern

dancing

Modern fashions were criticised because of the danger of immortal behaviour

Most of the laws made followed the issues of the church like on divorce drinking

and censorship

Films could be cut off if it went against the church morals

Opening hours of bubs was cut back

Divorce was banned

When De Valera came into power in he was a devout catholic

The Eucharistic Congress was organised successfully

De Valera made a holy year pilgrimage to Rome in

The government put a tax on foreign newspapers

But on political matters De Valera took an independent line on the entry of the

Communist Solvent Union

After the Second World War the catholic religion strengthened as it became more

conservative

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The Eucharistic

CongressThe Eucharistic CongressThe Eucharistic Congress is an International Catholic religious festival bringing together clergy, religious and laity from all over the world. The 31st Eucharistic Congress was held in Dublin in 1932 to celebrate the 1,500 year anniversary of St. Patrick’s arrival in Ireland. The Congress was the idea of the Cumann na nGaedheal government but took place after Fianna Fail won the 1932 General Election.

The Events of the CongressJuly 1932 saw the new Irish State entertain thousands of churchmen who came from all over the world for the 31st Eucharistic Congress. There were incredible scenes of devotion and a papal mass in the Phoenix Park A live papal broadcast from Rome was done and it was felt to be a milestone for all who attended it.

The Congress Demonstrated The importance of the Catholic religion.The close relationship between politicians and the Catholic Church. The confidence of the new state as it deployed its resources to provide a spectacular occasion.The monolithic nature of Catholicism - the implications for minority groups such as Protestants and for relations with Protestant-dominated north.

Importance for Free StateIreland sought to organise a Congress to be even more impressive than the previous one in Chicago.City of Dublin underwent makeover for purposes of international publicity and celebration. Spotlights, illuminations, decorations show enormous effort in planning and preparing for event.

Importance of Catholicism to Ireland Catholics 93% of population following partition; Protestant-dominated north is separate. Catholic Church hierarchy saw chance to make a Catholic state; it was in a homogeneous state in which the Church could impart social and moral stability. Politicians wanted to build a state that would reflect Catholic values which almost everyone shared.

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Independent Ireland could assert independence of England as the dominant Protestant power. Catholicism was a binding force unifying Ireland after the scars of the divisions caused by the Civil War. It demonstrated that the collective loyalty of the Irish people was to the Catholicism although the Constitution of 1922 forbade the government from giving privilege to any one faith over another It paved the way for the Constitution of 1937. Catholic Church has enormous impact on society in many ways: the running of hospitals, schools, orphanages etc as well as missionary efforts overseas and help for the poor.

Church and PoliticsThe organisation of the Eucharistic Congress involved both Cosgrave and deValera De Valera's speech emphasised the persecution the Irish had suffered for Catholicism. Politicians share a platform with clergymen.The Catholic Church “forgets” about the condemnation of Civil War violence and the excommunication of de Valera and co-operates with politicians.The influence of John Charles McQuaid - later Bishop of DublinThis close relationship was evident in the legislation of the period, for example: The Intoxicating Liquor Act 1924, Censorship of Films Act 1923, Censorship of Publications Act 1929, The Criminal Law Amendment Act banning contraceptives, The Public Dance halls Act and 1937 Constitution.

DivisionsIt was repugnant to northern Protestant identity because of the stress on Catholic infallibility which clashed with Protestant regard for the conscience of the individual.It showed the need for a border in many Protestant eyes. There were attacks on northern Catholics coming south for the occasion. Southern Protestants felt that this was an expression of Catholic triumphalism that emphasised their minority status.

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The Emergency

Neutrality

Ireland had to declare their neutrality when World War Two started. The years to come in Ireland in this war time became known as The Emergency

The Emergency Powers Act that gave the government extensive powers to secure public safety and the preservation of the state.

Why was Ireland neutral

This was a huge test for Ireland to show that they had good self-determination and assertiveness to their independence. This was all part of a very complex political strategy. Neutrality was also the policy of national unity.

It was a popular among the majority of the Irish population. Ireland's military weakness was glaringly exposed because of return of the Treaty ports in. De Valera was disillusioned with the League of Nations and had to believe that small nations should not be the pawns of larger nations.

De Valera claimed that partition remained a continued affront to Ireland and that military collaboration could not come about whilst Ireland remained divided. Britain briefly was willing to consider the possibility of reunification.

Dealing with the BritishNeither Germany nor Britain gambled on invading Ireland. Britain had use of Irish bases and felt that invasion would present more problems than it would solve. After the immediate threat to Britain receded and De Valera took a strong line with the IRA in order to avoid the angering Britain.

5 IRA members spent the war interned in the Curragh. De Valera insisted that Hempel's the German ambassador radio transmitter was shut down in because American and British pressure. John Maffey the British representative developed a good working relationship with De Valera.

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De Valera and the US

David Gray the American representative disliked De Valera and Irish neutrality The American Note demanded that the German and Japanese missions in Dublin were to be closed in order to prevent details of Normandy Landings leaking out.

De Valera refused – the Allies imposed a ban on travel to and from Britain until after D-Day. De Valera's biggest blunder was signing the book of condolence on Hitler's death

CensorshipThe censor stopped anyone from publishing information that would favour one side over another. Knowledge of the war was limited to the public knowledge. All accounts of Nazi atrocities were denounced as propaganda and the Irish lived in ignorance – most of the press colluded willingly in this.

Escaping the BombsNeutrality was popular - civilian escaped the suffering elsewhere. The Belfast Blitz provided a demonstration of this. There were a few bombings on the South One dropped on the North Strand Dublin in May killing peopleProbably accidental but may have been a warning from the Germans about the consequences of siding with Britain.

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The Apprentice Boys of Derry, one of the Protestant Loyal Orders, is based upon this

defiant action of “no surrender”.

New Apprentice Boys can only be initiated inside the city, in ceremonies in August

and December each year.

The order holds its main parade in Derry on 12 August to celebrate the relief of the

city and the end of the siege.

Usually some 10,000-12,000 members take part.

There is a lesser demonstration on 18 December, to mark the shutting of the gates,

when an effigy is burned of Colonel Lundy, an officer who tried to negotiate the

surrender of the city in 1689.

Even today those regarded as traitors to the unionist cause can be referred to as

Lundies.

There were serious riots in Derry after the August 1969 march, and parades were

banned for the following two years.

The then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Brian Faulkner, an Apprentice Boy

himself, was expelled from the order in 1971 for being associated with the ban.

In 1972 the parade was limited to the predominantly Protestant east side of the River

Foyle, the Waterside area.

Bogside Controversy

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The order’s general committee decided to call off the parade but many Apprentice

Boys gathered at the Waterside to be addressed by fellow member, the Reverend Ian

Paisley.

The order was allowed to parade within the old walled city again in 1975, but were

banned from taking their usual route around the walls because they overlooked the

mainly Catholic Bogside.

In 1985 Unionists boycotted the local council for changing its name from

Londonderry to Derry.

Two leading Apprentice Boys officials refused to support the boycott and were

dropped by the order.

James Guy, who was replaced as Lieutenant Governor, became Mayor of Derry in

1987-8.

In recent years, renewed controversy over parades by the Protestant Orange Order,

and the Apprentice Boys, either through or near to Catholic nationalist areas have led

to clashes.

Violent clashes

Lengthy negotiations have often been held in an effort by local community leaders

and politicians such as SDLP leader John Hume to avoid violence.

In August 1995 the ‘feeder parade’, on its way to the main demonstration in Derry,

resulted in violence on the nationalist lower Ormeau Road, in which 22 people were

injured.

In Derry, the Apprentice Boys marched around the city’s historic walls for the first

time in many years, and republicans who mounted a sit-down protest were removed

by the RUC.

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Why were British troops sent into Northern Ireland in 1969?

The conflict between Northern Ireland is part of a larger conflict with a long-term history between the Irish Catholics and the Irish Protestants. The conflict between these two groups became so violent that Ireland had to be divided. Some Catholics found themselves in the minority in the Protestant controlled North, where they were treated unfairly sparking a series of Civil Rights marches in the late 1960’s. The violence escalated, and this is why British Troops were sent to the area to maintain the peace.

The struggle between Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants had a long-term history. The Nationalist’s wanted an Independent Ireland but their rebellion, the Easter Rising on 1916, failed because the British quickly defeated them. It was difficult to control the situation as hundreds of constables were resigning because they feared for their lives. Both sides were constantly gunning down innocent people. The Government of Ireland Act 1920 failed miserably so it was decided on to create the Anglo-Irish treaty which consisted of Ireland being free state and the Irish MP’s would have to swear an oath of allegiance to the King. The British Army was to be removed but Northern Ireland was to be kept a part of the United Kingdom and a Boundary Commission would decide on the exact border between the North and South.

Northern Ireland was in Protestant control. In the Northern Ireland parliament there was always a majority of Unionist MP’s, even when the Protestants were in a minority. The control was established in local councils by only restricting the vote to householders and property owners. Boundaries were reconstructed to contain the highest possible number of Unionist councillors. This was a method called “gerrymandering”. Catholics were treated with no respect and were left to live in poverty. The living conditions were terrible and efforts were made to put the situation, affected by gerrymandering, right. The new Prime Minister of Northern Ireland promised there would be reforms to help the Catholics, but they were slow to come into action. The Civil Rights Association in the 1960’s was then formed.

New groups were formed in an attempt to secure equality of civil rights. The Prime Minister made attempts to improve the affairs between the two communities, but this made the Protestants believe the Catholics were questioning their superiority. In retaliation the Orange Order re-emerged, as did the UVF, which lead to Catholic buildings being attacked and several Catholics were murdered. The police took little action and instead of protecting the Civil Rights marchers, some of them joined in attacking them in Derry. There was a demand for more Civil Rights not only in

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Northern Ireland but also in the USA. The general culture of the 1960’s/70’s was that of equality and rights, people believed they were not being treated fairly.

The Catholics felt very threatened and realised they were to get no help from the police so they barricaded themselves in Derry’s Bogside area. The situation worsened and the the march by the Apprentice Boys which passed by the Catholic Bogside brought huge amounts of violence to the streets, this resulted in the “Battle of Bogside”. Riots and violence escalated and the new Prime Minister of Northern Ireland asked the Government of Westminster to send in troops to restore the order. The Downing Street Declaration was published on 19 August 1969 to calm the fears of the Northern Ireland population; it stated “…there shall be full equality of treatment for all citizens.” The Catholics were happy when the troops were sent into Northern Ireland because they were seen as their protectors.

From the information in this essay I can conclude that the reason the British troops were sent in was part of a long-term history. Ireland was partitioned in 1920 after a long period of violence between the Protestants and the Catholics. This was expected to bring an end to the hostility, but in fact the relations between them got worse, so eventually the troops had to be sent in.

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The Colraine Controversy

Background Jan. 1962 – Stormont officials meet the University Grants Committee to discuss the establishment of a second university in Northern Ireland Coleraine and Armagh begin to lobby to host the second university

May 1963 – Stormont establishes a committee under Sir John Lockwood to investigate higher education

The Lockwood committee comprises 8 members, 4 from England and no Catholics. Lockwood Committee meets. Decides to meet fifteen times at three/four week intervals.

Terms of reference should cover academic, social and other factors relating to a suitable location and the choice of a specific site should be left to the government

Main Criteria Jan. 1964 – Lockwood Committee visits Queens University and confirms need for second university

Feb 1964 – University Grants Committee warns main cost is building of halls of residence. It advises main criteria be:

Existence of higher technical institutions that are potential universities

Regional planning needs Availability of sites of over 200 acres with room for further

expansion The proximity of a town with reasonable facilities

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Magee College, Derry Feb 1964 – Lockwood Committee visits Magee College and members are unimpressed. They report “lack of dynamism” among college community who have no “clear idea about how the college should develop”

May 1964 – Senior official from Department of Commerce, Labour and National Insurance tells Lockwood Committee that industrialists think Derry “too remote”.

June 1964 – Lockwood Committee draws up its shortlist – Magee College is not included. Dec 1964 – Stormont cabinet recognises backlash of “killing Magee” and O'Neill aware of the support for Magee College

Derry being side-lined Jan 1965 – Basil McFarland, former mayor of Derry, says he doubts Lockwood report will “do Derry much good” leading to foundation of University for Derry Committee 8th Feb 1965 – Large protest meeting held at the Guildhall in Derry.

10th Feb 1965 – Lockwood Report published recommending Coleraine as site for new university and Magee College to be closed down. Caused surprise and anger

Protests in Derry 18th Feb 1965 – Two-minute silence in Derry with many shops and businesses closed in protest. Opposition is cross-community. 2,000 vehicle motorcade to Stormont led by Derry's Unionist Mayor and Nationalist MP.

19th Feb 1965 – O’Neill secretly meets ‘faceless men’ – leading Unionists in Derry

Mar 1965 – Lockwood shocked at bitter reaction to his decision and at length of parliamentary debate took three days. Despite heated discussion and defection of two Unionists, O'Neill's government wins the vote 27:19.

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May 1965 – Magee College trustees agree to compromise – the college will become part of Coleraine University, with full degree courses – broken promises

Why was Coleraine Chosen?Most people in Derry felt that O’Neill’s government had influenced Lockwood in choosing Coleraine. Lockwood denied that this has happened. Sectarian tensions in Derry did not make it suitable for a university.

Derry was 70% Catholic and Unionists were afraid any increase in Catholic numbers because of a university would upset their control of the city

Certain leading Unionists (faceless men) influenced O’Neill against choosing DerryO’Neill shared the view of Derry Unionists. He asked ‘If Derry industrialised, how is it possible to insure against a radical increase in R.C. papes?’

Magee College was too small, in need of repair and no new site was offered.

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The Sunningdale Agreement Background

1972 Whitelaw (N.I. Secretary) calls a meeting for all partiesBorder Poll to ease Unionist worries: boycotted by Nationalists but Unionists vote 99% support for remaining part of the UKWhite paper from Whitelaw has 4 key components:

Assembly Executive Council of Ireland Guarantee that Northern Ireland remains part of UK as long as majority

want it.

Splits in UnionismSplit in Unionists: Faulkner and moderate Unionists agree to White Paper and pledge their support called Pledged UnionistsThose Unionist against: Paisley and DUP, Craig and his Vanguard Party, Orange Order and the Unpledged Unionists led by Harry West. The SDLP welcome White Paper with cautious support Republicans reject it as it reinforces partition Election 64% in favour of PowerSharing, 36% against All factions of Unionists results: 26 seats for antiWhite Paper 24 seats for proWhite PaperFaulkner in difficulty trying to unite Unionists within his own party and the more extreme Unionists.

Talks BeginWhitelaw has great skill and patience as a negotiator Faulkner wants a Unionist majority in the Executive Council of Ireland agreed on and would have influence on policing and representatives from the Dail. SDLP agree to end rate strike against internment During Talks Whitelaw called back to London and replaced by Francis Pym

The Agreement6th Dec. meet in Sunningdale, Berkshire Liam Cosgrave, Taoiseach along with Garret Fitzgerald and Conor Cruise O Brien attend John Hume from SDLP chief negotiator for Nationalists gets real power for the Council of Ireland which could open doors for a United Ireland at a later date. Prime Minister Heath chairs the meeting and quickly gets impatient with Unionists. Irish Government agrees to give a verbal agreement on Northern Ireland remaining

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part of the UK as long as the majority wanted it.Conference ends 9th Dec with Sunningdale Agreement

PowerSharing Executive1st Jan 1974, Faulkner as Chief Minister and Gerry Fitt (SDLP) as Deputy, PowerSharing Executive beginsOrange Order, DUP, Vanguard and Unpledged Unionists led by Harry West unite to form the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) UUUC is created to resist powersharing and a Council of Ireland. Faulkner resigns as leader of the Unionist party after a motion on the Council of Ireland fails to pass at a meeting. He is replaced as leader by Harry West. Faulkner sets up the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland Unionists now deeply split and Faulkner becoming isolated IRA and Loyalist attacks continue

British General ElectionElection called by Heath against the advice of the Executive who said it was bad timing UUUC use election as a referendum on Sunningdale and put forward one antiAgreement candidate in each constituencyUUUC win 11 out of 12 of the Westminster seats (Paisley, Craig and West all win) Gerry Fitt the only proagreement candidate to win a seat. In Britain, Heath (Conservative) loses the election and Wilson becomes PM (Labour )Pym replaced by Meryln Rees as Northern Ireland Secretary (indecisive and not as committed a party)Assembly remained despite violent and abusive behaviour from antiagreement members

Ulster Workers Council Strike Many Northern Ireland industries employed predominantly Protestant workers. The Ulster Workers Council was a group of loyalist workers who worked in shipbuilding, engineering and electricity generation. 15th May 1974, the UWC called a strike Loyalist paramilitaries became involved and workers were persuaded not to return to work. Road blockades were established and youths armed with clubs turned back lorries delivering milk, groceries or petrol. Strikers managed to cut electricity output by 60% and more factories were forced to close. The British Army and Police stood by and did nothing. Many Protestants supported the strike.The UWC made sure needed supplies got through to Protestant areas in order to keep support for the strike in Protestant areas.Loyalists were strongly suspected of bomb attacks in Dublin and Monaghan in May. The Executive was isolated and had no control. Rees the Northern Ireland Secretary failed to stop the strikes. Faulkner tried to get the Dublin government to reduce the powers of the Council of Ireland and despite them agreeing to hold off implementing it was too late.

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Hospitals were about to close and the Executive resigned.The PowerSharing Executive had ended in failure.

Why Did The Sunningdale Agreement Fail?Northern Ireland Secretary Rees was unwilling to use the police and army to stop the strike.The Labour party under Wilson who were in power were not as keen as the Conservatives about the Agreement. The UWC strike brought the North to a halt. The Council of Ireland was greatly feared by the Unionists as they believed it would lead to a United Ireland.

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ESSAY:

Why did the Sunningdale Agreement fail to achieve powersharing?

The inability of the Northern Ireland government under Brian Faulkner to stop paramilitary violence and the reaction of the Catholic population to internment led the British government to suspend the Northern Ireland government and impose direct rule from Westminister in March 1972. William Whitelaw was appointed the first Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Whitelaw ordered the the dismantling of barracades in nogo areas around the North. This led to increased support for and paramilitary activity by the IRA.

In an effort to undermine the paramilitaries on both sides Whitelaw published a White Paper for negotiations that would lead to a powersharing arrangement between Nationalist and Unionist politicians. Almost immediately divisions arose in the Unionist Party over the measures proposed in the White Paper. Those like Brian Faulkner who supported the proposals became known as pledged Unionists, those in oppostion were known as unpledged Unionists and supported Harry West. Even before the Sunningdale Agreement was negotiated the divisions that would lead to its downfall were begining to emerge.

Within the Catholic community, Nationalists around the SDLP supported the measures while Republicans opposed the White Paper on the basis that it reinforced partition. The SDLP actively engaged in the negotiations and called off the rent and rate strike that was taking place to protest against internment. A majority of Catholics supported the efforts towards powersharing as it would be seen as a significant improvement on the existing arrangements.

The election to the new assembly resulted in almost twothirds of the electorate supporting candidates in favour of a powersharing arrangement. However a majority of the Unionists elected, based around the unpledged Unionists, Ian Paisleys DUP and William Craigs Vanguard Party, were opposed to the proposals. This placed Faulkner in a very difficult position in trying to unite unionism in support of the agreement and further undermined the possibility of the powersharing arrangement succeeding.

Among the proposals put forward during the negotiations was the establishment of a Council of Ireland that would involve Southern politicians and would have control over a number of areas including policing. Despite outright opposition by the more extreme Unionists the Sunningdale Agreement was signed in December 1973 and the powersharing arrangement was due to be established on 1 January 1974. The Council of Ireland was to be a major focus of opposition by Unionists opposed to the agreement. They regarded it as a step towards a united Ireland.

The Orange Order, the DUP, the Vanguard Party and the unpledged Unionists come together and form the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) to resist powersharing and the Council of Ireland. After the General Council of the Unionist Party rejected the Council of Ireland Faulkner resigned from the party and established the Unionist

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Party of Northern Ireland. His position within Unionism is now completely undermined and the UUUC launch a campaign to bring an end to the powersharing arrangement.

The powersharing Executive received a further blow at the begining of February when Edward Heath called a British General Election. The UUUC took the opportunity to use the election as a referendum on the Sunningdale Agreement. The antiagreement Unionists selected a single candidate to run in each constituency. The general election resulted in the UUUC winning eleven of the twelve Westminster seats in the North. Ian Paisley, William Craig and Harry West were all elected. The only proagreement candidate elected was Gerry Fitt of the SDLP in West Belfast. The election result put further pressure on the powersharing executive and particularly on Brian Faulkner and the Unionists who supported him.

Following the general election the Labour Party under Harold Wilson replaced the Conservatives in government. The Labour Party appeared less committed to the Sunningdale Agreement than the Conservatives. They reaslised the difficulties that the powersharing executive was in and didnt want to be associated with its failure. The new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees, was to prove indecisive when confronted with the opposition of Unionists.

On 15 May the Ulster Workers Council called a general strike in an effort to bring down the powersharing executive and the council of Ireland . Loyalist paramilitaries forced many workers to stay at home. Road blocks were established by Loyalist paramilitaries in many parts of the North. Merlyn Rees proved indicisive in dealing with the strikers. When electricity supplies were interupted Faulkner decided that it was no longer possible to maintain the powersharing executive. Along with his fellow Unionist ministers he resigned from the executive. The powersharing executive collapsed and direct rule from Westminster was reimposed.

The Sunningdale Agreement failed to achieve powersharing as a result of opposition from Unionist politicians and the Protestant population. The continuing paramilitary campaign of the IRA and Loyalist paramilitaries compounded the problem. The powersharing executive was finally brought to its knees by the strike organised by the Ulster Workers council and imposed by Loyalist paramilitaries. Sean Farren, a leading member of the SDLP, has described the Sunningdale Agreement as an agreement too soon.

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