CREATIVE EVENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We do this one in the second half of Year 11.  We start the topic more or less after your exams, which usually take place in the middle of January.

 

The focus here is not only to understand the events and issues, but also to appreciate the different viewpoints of the people of Northern Ireland (and even Britain and the Irish Republic) on what was going on.

 

 

Back in the 1960s, Northern Ireland had its own government and own Prime Minister (although Britain was still in charge of a lot of the key things). 

 

O’Neill's Actions and Policies

We start off by looking at Terence O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s Prime Minister for most of the 1960s.  We cover his aims and policies, considering how successful he was in achieving them.  The main policies we do are O’Neill’s economic policies, his efforts to improve relations between Catholics and Protestants, and his policy towards the Irish Republic (Irish prime ministers Lemass and Lynch in particular).  

 

We explore the different opinions of Unionists and Nationalists on O’Neill’s policies – where his support came from, where his opposition came from, and why. 

 

The Civil Rights Movement

After this, we go on to look at how the promises took a long time to be delivered, leading to frustration and the formation of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA).  We examine the influences on NICRA, what its aims were, and what it demanded from the Northern Ireland government.  Once again, it’s important to know how both Unionists and Nationalists felt about NICRA, and why.

 

The progress of NICRA is followed carefully, with a close look at their tactics (non-violent one, such as marches and housing protests) and what their actions led to.  The government and police response is especially imp0ortant here, as is the slide towards violence at the end of 1968.  We then come to O’Neill’s famous 5 Point Reforms and the opposition of many Unionists to these, while some Nationalists were reassured.  We also explore the whole approach of Unionists and Nationalists to NICRA in general.

 

We look at the fall of O’Neill and what brought this about.  We find out about the People’s Democracy (a more extreme civil rights group in the late 1960s), and the part they played in the problems that emerged in early 1969.  We look at how Unionists split over O’Neill’s policies, loyalist violence and finally O’Neill’s resignation.  As always, we examine the views of Unionists and Nationalists on what was going on at the time – particularly, in this case, views on O’Neill’s policies.

 

Violence in 1969: Causes, Events and Responses

Here we start by looking at how things fell apart during the summer of 1969.  We investigate the “Battle of the Bogside” and the violence in Belfast at this time, particularly Bombay Street.  We think about how Unionists and Nationalists felt about all these events.

 

From here we go on to see what Britain did to deal with the situation when it became clear the Unionist government couldn’t cope.  We do the arrival of the British troops into Belfast, the Downing Street Declaration and the attitudes of Unionists and Nationalists to what Britain did.

 

The emergence of paramilitary organisations

It’s also at this time that the paramilitaries started to appear again.  We look at the Provisional IRA, the Official IRA and the loyalists (e.g. the UVF).  We consider why each appeared, their aims and what they did.  We also think about how the Provos were different from the Official IRA, and why.  We explore Unionist and Nationalist views on the paramilitary groups that emerged.

 

Internment (and Bloody Sunday)

This part finishes with an investigation into the worsening situation and increase in violence just before Direct Rule was introduced in 1972.  We see how and why Nationalist attitudes towards the army changes for the worse as a result of key events like internment and Bloody Sunday.  We go into why and how internment was brought in, and why and how Nationalists and Unionists reacted to it.  The final death blow to the army’s reputation among Nationalists came with Bloody Sunday.  This was also fatally damaging to the Unionist government.  We explore Unionist and Nationalist reactions to Bloody Sunday.

 

Direct Rule, 1972

We start with the return of Direct Rule from Britain.  Britain finally decided the Unionist government in Northern Ireland wasn’t able to handle the situation here and brought in Direct Rule.  We find out how and why this happened, how Unionists and Nationalists felt about Direct Rule – and why they felt this way.  We look at how Direct Rule failed to bring peace, and how an attempt to get a long-lasting IRA ceasefire came to nothing, with Bloody Friday being the final proof of this failure.

 

 

Power Sharing, 1973-4

The next important attempt to bring peace to Northern Ireland was Power Sharing in 1973 and 1974.  We do how and why it was introduced, the problems it experienced and how and why it eventually failed.  We focus in on important events like the Sunningdale Agreement of December 1973 and the Ulster Workers Strike of May 1974.  We consider Unionist and Nationalist views of and reactions to Power Sharing.

 

The Hunger Strikes, 1980-1981

After this, it’s the Hunger Strikes, with a good look at the reasons for and the events of the 1980 and 1981 Hunger Strikes.  We see how Nationalists and Unionists responded to the Hunger Strikes, and why.  We also find out about the impact of the Hunger Strikes on nationalist politics – particularly on Sinn Fein and the SDLP.  We think about the approach of the British government to the Hunger Strikes as well.

 

The Anglo-Irish Agreement, 1985

Finally we go into the New Ireland Forum and the Anglo-Irish Agreement.  We investigate the events surrounding, and the main recommendations of the New Ireland Forum.  We look at Margaret Thatcher’s rejection of the Forum Report, and views of the Forum within Northern Ireland.  After this, the Anglo-Irish Agreement was negotiated by the British and Irish governments, and we look at why it came about, what exactly was in it, and the views of Unionists and Nationalist to it.  We also look at the Unionist and Nationalist actions in response to the Agreement, as well as views of it in Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

 

Note that there is a strong focus here on the roles of the British and Irish governments.  You will be expected to be clear on the positions and roles of these governments, as well as the attitudes and actions of Unionists and Nationalists in Northern Ireland