How has the Provisional IRA attempted to re-unite Eire and Northern Ireland since 1972?

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Jessica Ashton 11H

How has the Provisional IRA attempted to re-unite

Eire and Northern Ireland since 1972?

        The IRA played little part in the campaign against civil rights between 1967 and 1969. In fact, the IRA were almost non-existent. This was partly due to a split within the republican movement.

        The Provisional IRA (The ‘Provos’) were founded in December 1969 after a split in the IRA ranks. This split was due to the members who wanted to follow the traditional policy of uniting Ireland and were prepared to use violence to achieve their aims. Once this split had taken place the Provisional IRA immediately started recruiting young Catholics into the organisation. This was because they thought the IRA was their only hope.

        The aims of the PIRA were:

  • To withdraw British troops from Northern Ireland
  • To abolish the Stormont (Northern Ireland government)
  • To end partition

In the early 1970’s the IRA wanted to get rid of the British army in Northern Ireland. They put pressure on the British government by carrying out bombing campaigns and shootings.

The PIRA intensified attacks on the British army. By the end of 1970, 46 British soldiers had been killed.

In 1971 the IRA launched a bombing campaign where they targeted Protestant businesses and shops. By May 1971, the IRA had set off 136 bombs.

The British government led by Edward Heath sent more troops into Ulster because the violence was increasing. The Ulster PM James Chichester-Clark resigned and Brian Falkner replaced him.

The increase in violence in Northern Ireland led to the government introducing ‘Internment’.        

Internment meant that anyone the security forces suspected of terrorism could be arrested without being charged or put on trial.

In August 1971, Internment was introduced. It had been used against the IRA in 1956-62 and was very effective, but this time round it was a disaster. Instead if reducing the violence, it increased it. It was supposed to be used against terrorists but it was only used against Catholics, none of the IRA leaders were arrested. It increased support for the IRA in the USA, which helped the IRA raise funds abroad, and to obtain weapons from America.

On Sunday 30th January 1972, there was a civil rights march in Londonderry to protest against Internment. The army erected barriers to prevent the marchers reaching the centre of Derry and the Guildhall. “Snatch squads” of soldiers were sent in to arrest troublemakers. The army were fired upon so they returned fire. By the end of the day, 13 unarmed civilians had been shot dead by the British army. Catholic leaders said that no shots were fired at the army. The day was known as Bloody Sunday.

The Prime Minister Edward Heath appointed the Lord Chief of Justice of England, Lord Widgery, to conduct an inquiry. Widgery’s verdict was controversial when it appeared in April 1972. He concluded that the soldiers had been fired upon first yet there was no evidence that the dead or wounded had been shot while handling weapons. The Londonderry Coroner, Major Hubert O’Neil did not share his conclusions. He said what occurred was “sheer unadulterated murder”.

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The results of Bloody Sunday were:

  • Massive recruitment for the IRA
  • Suspension of the Northern Ireland government and imposition of Direct Rule from Westminster
  • Made IRA campaign legitimate” – allowed them to justify violence to force Britain out of Ireland.

Once Direct Rule from Westminster began, the British government wanted to try and solve the majority that Protestants had in Ulster. They wanted to try and see if politicians in Ulster and the government in Ireland could work together in order to achieve peace.

A conference was held in Sunningdale in Berkshire. It was agreed that Ulster ...

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