How Has The I.R.A. Attempted To Re-unite Eire And Northern Ireland Since 1972?
How Has The I.R.A. Attempted To Re-unite Eire And Northern Ireland Since 1972?
During 1969 the IRA changed its tactics, from just using violence to a combination of three methods to get total independence from Ireland. These methods were; violence (terrorism), publicity (strikes and protests), and, politics. In this essay I will explain why the IRA changed their methods at this time.
In 1969 British troops were sent into Northern Ireland to try and restore peace and order, after the violent events of the same year. The troops failed and withdrew. Although the IRA has tried to re-unite Ireland since 1972, this year contained many high profile violent events. One such instance was on 30 January 1972, in Derry, when British troops shot 13 innocent and unarmed men in the back. This became major news and is still seen as a major event in Irish history. At the time the Catholics were outraged and the IRA increased its bombing. By this year (1972) specialist private armies were fighting against each other to try and get what they wanted. To try and restore peace and order Britain removed control of Northern Ireland from Stormont and placed it under direct rule, this meant that Britain controlled what happened in N. Ireland. The Catholics and the IRA saw this as Britain trying to take control of a country that they did not have any right to, and the IRA again stepped up its violent campaigns.
The most IRA bombs exploded in 1972, with around 1000 bombs going off in that year alone. Those bombs killed 467 people, and injured many more. To get more publicity and support the IRA went after high profile targets. These included the Queens Uncle, and the British Prime Minister. They were successful in the assignation of the Queens Uncle, Lord Mountbatten, in 1979. They were not as successful in their attempt to kill the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. A bomb was planted in a hotel in Brighton, where the Conservative Party conference was taking place. Mrs. Thatcher ...
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The most IRA bombs exploded in 1972, with around 1000 bombs going off in that year alone. Those bombs killed 467 people, and injured many more. To get more publicity and support the IRA went after high profile targets. These included the Queens Uncle, and the British Prime Minister. They were successful in the assignation of the Queens Uncle, Lord Mountbatten, in 1979. They were not as successful in their attempt to kill the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. A bomb was planted in a hotel in Brighton, where the Conservative Party conference was taking place. Mrs. Thatcher narrowly avoided death. Another IRA bomb exploded at a Remembrance parade in Enniskillen, in 1987, which killed 11 people. The public saw this explosion as shocking and disrespectful, because of the fact that it was carried out on Remembrance Day. The IRA
wanted their tactics of violence to scare people into supporting them, and a united Ireland. One IRA member said, "We will get them out of the
country"; he was speaking about creating a united Ireland, without any interference from Britain.
In 1976 the British Government decided to no longer allow IRA members in prison the status of 'political prisoners', which gave them special rights as they were fighting and committing crime for their countries cause. This change in policy angered the prisoners who, to get publicity, went on strike. They refused to wear the prison clothes and wore nothing, except for their blankets from their cells. This was known as the blanket protest. It gave the protestors publicity for a while, but was not enough to make the government change their policies. It lasted for a total of 3 years. This led to the prisoners to start another protest, the Dirty Protest. During this protest the prisoners covered the walls of their cells in excrement. This shocked many people and gained lots of publicity for the IRA. Most of the public could not believe the poor conditions the prisoners put themselves in, and the humanitarian issues suffered. The British Government were still not willing to admit defeat and give into the prisoners demands. The prisoners then used the last resort, hunger strikes. These hunger strikes were carried out in two phases. The first hunger strikes lasted for 53 days, in which time most of the strikers became very weak, and lost their sight and hearing. However no one died. They came to an end because they were told that some of their demands would be met, but while not having to wear prison clothes they had to wear civilian type clothes that were provided by the prison. This made the prisoners feel betrayed. In 1981 Bobby Sands started the second wave of hunger strikes. Sinn Fein saw this as a good opportunity to get a nationalist into parliament, at Westminster. They nominated Bobby Sands, as they thought that Mrs. Thatcher would not let a fellow M.P. die. He got elected with 35,492 votes. It was thought that an M.P. would not be left to die and that Mrs. Thatcher would give into Sands' demands to keep him alive, however she took a hard-line approach and did not give in to any of his demands. Sands' then went on to die and become an Irish martyr. Sands' died after 66 days, on 5 May 1981. 100,000 people attended his funeral. Mrs. Thatcher did nothing, even after 9 other hunger strikers died.
In the 1980's the IRA had branched out and was trying to combine the use of violence and politics to get a united Ireland. This marked the
start of the Sinn Fein party, led by Gerry Adams. They were hoping to win support from nationalists who did not support violence. The IRA even
stated that they were combining both methods by saying, "Taking power with a ballot box in one hand and an Armalite rifle in the other". Sinn Fein was not very successful in its early stages and gained few votes. After the IRA experienced some problems, such as IRA members being shot dead by the SAS, Sinn Fein looked at more peaceful methods of trying to get their wants. Adams tried working together with other politicians and held talks, which made very slow and unsteady progress.
At this time the peace process has been making steady progression and cease-fires have put into place. The decommissioning of arms has also started. To get to this position three methods have been used; violence, publicity, and (increasingly) politics. By using all of these methods the IRA, and their political arm Sinn Fein, have gained maximum support. Not only have they got the support of the original nationalists who were for violent attacks, they have also gained the support of other Catholics who like the peaceful methods used. The aspect of publicity has got the IRA and Sinn Fein attention from the 'outside' world, and brought more support and funding.
Simon Owen
How Has The I.R.A. Attempted To Re-unite Eire And Northern Ireland Since 1972?
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