Other reasons trouble broke out in Northern Ireland in 1969 was the lack of civil rights to Catholics. In which resulted in student marchers being attacked by a violent mob at Burntollet Bridge near Derry.
Sources D-E tells me that civil rights were the starting point of trouble in Northern Ireland in 1969 and also the lack of it towards Catholics.
The links I could make between sources D-I is that every outburst of trouble that broke out in Northern Ireland in 1969 was all due to the lack of civil rights such as jobs, good housing accommodation, education and etc.
Source E shows a Nineteen Century Protestant cartoon showing Erin (Ireland) bound to ropes by a Catholic priest.
The source does not tell me why Erin is bound in ropes by the Catholic priest and also whether Erin is a Catholic or a Protestant.
What source E needs for it to be improved is to sow whether Erin is a Catholic or a Protestant.
What I can infer from source E is that it is a Propaganda cartoon on Catholics. It is a Propaganda cartoon because it is a cartoon that shows the strong views of Protestants on Catholics.
The links I could make from sources D-I is that Catholics are going to certain lengths to get civil right, but the power of Protestants in Northern Ireland is preventing them from getting their civil rights.
Source F is telling me that the boundaries of the constituencies favoured Protestants due to Catholics refusing to become boundaries commissioners. It also gives the statistics of the adult population of Derry in 1969. The statistics were 30,376 of which there were 20,102 Catholics and 10,274 Protestants.
Source F does not tell me whether any of the Protestants refused or not. It also does not tell me why the Catholics refused to become boundary commissioners.
What I can infer from source F is that areas which were divided into election districts were set up to favour unionists. This resulted in Protestants becoming boundary commissionaires.
The links I could make between sources D-I is that although there are constant outbreaks of violence in Northern Ireland, there is also political Gerrymandering in areas to favour Protestants.
Source G shows a drawing from a Protestant book showing Protestants being stripped naked and killed by Catholics.
The source does not tell me why the Stripped naked Protestants are being chased by the Catholics.
To make source G more useful I need a clear definition of what is being said by the Catholics and why.
What I can infer from Source G is that it is a biased and harsh view of Catholics and what they do and think of Protestants. Even though in real life at the time it was Catholics being attacked and killed by the Protestants and the opposite way,
The links I could make between sources D-I is that the Catholics are portrayed as the killer killing the Protestants and being murderers.
Source H is showing RUC officer’s striking a civil rights marcher on 5 October 1968.
The source does not tell me why the RUC officers attacked a civil rights marcher.
To make source H more useful I need the reasons as to why the RUC officer attacked the civil rights marcher.
The links I could make from sources D-H is that the violence is escalating against marchers marching for civil rights.
Source I is showing crowd violence as loyalists ambush civil rights marchers at Burntolett in January 1969.
The source is not telling me why loyalist ambushed civil rights marchers in 1969.
To make source I more useful I need facts on whether there were any civil right marchers injured and killed.
I think there is enough evidence with the question of why troubles broke out in Northern Ireland in 1969. Trouble broke out in Northern Ireland in 1969, due to lack of civil right and justice. But also the lack of respect given to the Catholics. Also this resulted in more attacks on civil right marchers.
Question 2
The question is asking why events such as ‘Bloody Sunday’ produced such different historical interpretations and to also refer to sources A-C and any other interpretations of the events from your studies to help you in your answer.
In 1972 student marchers were attacked by a violent mob while police stood by. During the riots in the Derry Bogside, Catholics put up barricades tom protect themselves and the RUC forcibly removed them later. The British government sent in troops to keep order. It was decided to re-form the ‘B S specials’ and to insist that the Northern Ireland government discrimination against Catholics. In 1972 soldiers shot and killed 13 people on what became known as Bloody Sunday. In March 1972 the British government suspended the Northern Ireland government and parliament and took direct control.
Bloody Sunday started due to discrimination, lack of justice, job opportunities, civil rights, lack of good housing accommodation and etc. So the Irish reacted by bombing English pubs in 1973 due to events in the previous years, which is known as Bloody Sunday.
Source A is telling me that Lord Savills inquiry into Bloody Sunday shootings was at the centre of a fresh row last night. Former paratroopers and their supporters were incensed at the premature and partial release of a new forensic report. They believe it was a part of a piecemeal process made for public opinion to go against them and possibly be made for some to be put on trial. The report commissioned by Lord Saville says there is no credible evidence that any of the 14 people that were killed by the army in Londonderry in January 1972 had been handling firearms. The Nationalists and their families were happy at the report. Ex paratroopers and their supporters accused Tony Blair at setting up the inquiry to appease Sinn Fein during Northern Ireland peace talks. Tory MP Gerald Howarth said the investigation was a total disaster. In a u-turn forensic scientist Dr John Martin changed his opinion. The new report says that the original suggestion that Mr Wray was shot from a distance of more than 30ft were wrong and that it was likely he was lying on the ground when he was shot with the first bullet fired from not less than a yard. One of Lord Widgelys conclusions was that at one end of the scale the soldiers took a high degree of responsibility, but on the other hand they fired recklessly. Major Hubert O’Neil said the army ran amok and described the incidents as sheer unadulterated murder.
The source is not telling me why Dr John Martin changed his opinion and why were supporters accusing Tony Blair of setting up the inquiry to appease Sinn Fein.
What source A needs for it to become more useful are some views from soldiers that witnessed these events.
What I can infer from source A is that it is written in defence of the soldiers and against the public.
The troubles broke out in Northern Ireland in 1972 because civil rights marchers were attacked and also because British government had suspended Northern Ireland government and parliament and took direct control.
Sources A-C tell me about the starting of the troubles is that 14 people were killed due to being on suspicion of handling firearms, but conclusive evidence suggested that they weren’t and were innocent.
The links I could make between the sources is that the evidence was incorrect as later found out and that those that were killed actually were innocent, defenceless people that were killed by the army.
Source B is telling me that new reports were found about those who died in 1972. It was believed they were handling firearms at first, but this new report suggest otherwise. A second report indicated that Jim Wray, 22 was lying on the ground when he was shot twice. Report by forensic scientist Dick Sheppard suggested that Barney McGuigan was shot through the back of the head by a ‘Dum Dum’ bullet. The 1972 Widgery cleared the soldiers who opened fire. It ruled that they had been shot at before responding, which was strongly denied in Derry. John Martin a forensic scientist did some test on victims in 1972. He found Lead deposits on their hands and believed it meant they had either fired a weapon, handled one fired recently, or been close to someone firing a gun. But now he says that’ developments in testing show the same findings could be explained by contamination, including emissions from car exhausts’. He concedes there could no longer be a ‘strong suspicion’ that many of the victims held or were near weapons.
The source tells me that Barny Mcguigan had been shot in the back of the head by a ‘Dum Dum’ bullet. The 1972 Widgery report cleared all the soldiers who opened fire and that further testing showed that there was no strong suspicion that any of the victims held firearms.
The source does not tell me the view of civilian witnesses.
What I can infer from source b is that it has been further proven that those killed were innocent and were not handling firearms.
The link I could make between the sources is that further inquiries have been taken out due to whether or not those killed were handling firearms.
Source C is telling me that Daniel Porter a witness has told the Bloody Sunday inquiry into the death of 13 men in Londonderry that he heard soldiers talk about clearing the ‘Bog’ by which he linked it to the military operation in Derry’s Bogside on January 30 1972, when 13 men were shot.
The source does not tell which soldiers he heard about clearing the ‘Bog’ and if any of the soldiers admitted to talking about the operation.
To make source C more useful to me I would need accounts from other eye witnesses.
The links I can make between sources A-C is that the debate has now been further taken as an eye witness has stepped forward.
I think there is enough evidence in the question because most of the evidence from inquiries that were taken out was misleading and incorrect. Also the suspicions of whether the 13 men killed were handling firearms or not have now been slightly decreased due to some successful test and investigations. Events like Bloody Sunday produced different historical interpretations because of the events that led up to Bloody Sunday. For e.g. civil right marches. Also because of Catholics being on suspicion to have handled firearms.