Explain why the marching season in Northern Ireland still causes tension between the two communities? In 1988 the Good Friday Agreement promised an end to violence and division. Why is the path to peace still proving difficult to complete?

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History Studies

Part 1: Explain why the marching season in Northern Ireland still causes tension between the two communities?

Part 2: In 1988 the Good Friday Agreement promised an end to violence and division. Why is the path to peace still proving difficult to complete?

                        

                               Ian Paisley, leader of

                                     the D.U.P

Gerry Adams, leader of

         Sinn Fein

By Ben Dearing 10GL

Part 1: Explain why the marching season in Northern Ireland

still causes tension between the two communities

  The marching season is where the Protestants of Ireland celebrate William of Orange’s victory in the Battle of the Boyne by marching through Northern Ireland via some Catholic areas. These marches take place in July of every year and are usually peaceful. But sometimes they are violent. There are a number of possible reasons why there is a tension between the two communities over the marches, for example land, religion, politics, history and social division.  

  During the 16th century, James 1st and England started to take a closer interest in Ireland. They feared Ireland because they thought that they could become a threat to their own power. This was mainly because of the difference in religion. England was mainly Protestant whereas Ireland was mainly Catholic. This was worrying to the English rulers. So instead of sending in soldiers to defeat the Irish before a war had even started and destroying Ireland, he decided to send English Protestants over to Ireland. Land was still the main source of power, so by sending people over who were loyal to the English crown, he was gaining more power. The lands in which he sent his people over to were owned by Catholics. This process was called the ‘Ulster plantations’.

  This was fine until 1640. But in 1641 there was a big rebellion by Catholics against English rule. It originally broke out in Ulster but quickly spread to other parts of Ireland. During this year many English Protestants were killed by Catholics and from 1641 –1649, the Irish Catholics controlled Ireland. These massacres helped to create a siege mentality for Protestants. During this time, the English were distracted because they were having their own civil war so the Irish thought that they were victorious. But when the civil war in England had finished, Cromwell was eager to regain control of Ireland. So he sent over soldiers from England to control Ireland again. He restored control of Ireland between 1649 –50 but was ruthless. As a punishment for the rebellion, he ordered his soldiers to slaughter all people, soldiers and civilians, in Drogheda and Wexford. Also, the Catholics involved in the rebellion had there land taken off them and were forced to live in poor lands.  Many of these people died of hunger and disease. This was the start of Catholic hatred towards the English rule and towards Protestants.

  The next big event to happen was the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The marching season commemorates the Protestant victory over Catholics at the Battle of the Boyne, so this event lives long in both Catholics and Protestants memory. That is why this battle is one of the main contributors to why there is still tension over the marches.

 The Battle of the Boyne symbolises ‘protestant ascendancy’. It was the first time that the Protestants stood up for themselves against the Catholics. The Battle of the Boyne was a fight between two people and two religions. It was William of Orange from the Netherlands against James II. James became king of England in 1685 but was expelled from the throne in 1688. Instead of leaving quietly and forgetting about England, he ran to France, to his friend Louis who was then king of France. He then with the help of Louis, gathered a big army of French soldiers and took them to Ireland. He planned on using Ireland as a base to invade England and regain the throne. But, unknown to him, he was followed to Ireland by William of Orange and a Dutch army. William was protestant and James was Catholic.

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  The two religions had very different ideas on James. Catholics thought highly of James and wanted to help him. They wanted their land back and thought that he was the man to do that for them. They also wanted to get rid of Protestants. Protestants however had a very different view of James. They feared that he would again introduce Catholiscm. William however was very popular with Protestants and even with some Catholics. William also had papal blessing from the pope. This was surprising, as the pope would have usually given his blessing to the Catholic army. He reasoning ...

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