Conflict in Ireland - Impact of the easter rising.

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CONFLICT IN IRELAND

QUESTION 1: WHAT IMPACT DID EACH OF THE FOLLOWING EVENTS HAVE ON THE HISTORY OF THE CONFLICT IN IRELAND?

THE EASTER RISING

In 1916 a Fenian group known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood Revolutionary knew the war for Britain was going badly, so they thought now was a good opportunity to strike for independence, and lead an armed uprising against the British troops.

The rising started on Easter Monday, the rebels seized control over the general post office in the centre of Dublin and announced that Ireland was an independent republic. But they got very little support from the public who were Catholics; they were appalled by the damage and atrocities. On person who was present at the time recalled,

“If Ireland as a whole could of got hold of Tom Clarke and his Fenians during that week it would have torn them to pieces.”

The rebels were soon outnumbered and sent to prison. They executed 15 of the rebel leaders. The Catholics were horrified and angered by this and turned those people into martyrs. This led to more people joining Sinn Fein and helping them; and favoured complete independence.

DEPLOYMENT OF BRITISH TROOPS IN IRELAND

By 1968 Catholics were getting very frustrated by the lack of progress that was being made to get rid of discrimination against them. They organised marches to protest, but Protestants and police broke these up. They violence was spreading rapidly through towns like Belfast and Londonderry. Catholics attacked Protestants and Protestants attacked Catholics. Then finally in August 1969, there was hope for the Irish people so they thought. The British government sent in British troops to restore order and help. Catholics welcomed the army, woman brought tea out to them; they saw the troops as protection against Protestant mobs and police. But this situation took a drastic turn; by 1971 the Catholics had turned against the troops. Although there were new reforms that were introduced such as:

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  • Part time B specials that were entirely Protestant and biased were abolished and new police were brought under army control.
  • Fairer housing system, so Catholics had the same housing privileges as Protestants.
  • Gerrymandering and fixed elections were abandoned-fairer voting system for Catholics in which they could now vote.
  • The British government giving grants tackled unemployment, which favoured those Catholics who were previously deprived of work.

This still didn’t help, the reforms failed to overtake violence and fighting. Also the IRA resented the presence of the British troops and the fact they had come into Ireland and taken over ...

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