1169: English first arrive in Ireland 1690: Battle of the Boyne, Catholics defeated by Protestants who settle in Ulster, Protestants begin taking control over Catholics 1692 - 1829:

Authors Avatar

Danielle Keates. Grade 10MR.                                          The Good Friday Agreement

May 2004

Chronology of Events

1169:                 English first arrive in Ireland

1690:         Battle of the Boyne, Catholics defeated by Protestants who settle in Ulster, Protestants begin taking control over Catholics

1692 – 1829:         Catholics are excluded from Parliament and certain professions

1845 – 1850:         Potato Famine, population decreased by over two million

1916:         Easter Rising, Irish Republican Brotherhood take over Dublin head post office and claim Ireland is free from Britain

1919 – 1921:         Irish War of Independence against English

1949:                 Southern Ireland become Irish Republic, free from English

1972:         Bloody Sunday, British Paratroopers fire at Irish demonstrators in Londonderry, Northern Ireland

1981:         Year of remonstrations; among them, the Hunger Strike and the Blanket Protests

1984:        The Anglo-Irish Agreement between the Irish and British Governments

1994:                 IRA declare cease-fire

1996:         IRA disregard cease-fire and spend a year causing violence in England and Northern Ireland

1998:                 The Good Friday Agreement


The Good Friday Agreement: Introduction

“A day of joy. The electorate has shown courage and vision.” British Prime Minister Tony Blair, 1998

These words are referring to the day the Good Friday Agreement was established. The agreement was set up in 1998 as a way to abolish “The Troubles” that had surrounded Ireland, Northern Ireland and England for the past thirty years. However, the disputes between these three countries have been going on for hundreds of years over political and religious matters.

The Good Friday Agreement is a peace settlement reached by the Irish and British Governments with politicians in Northern Ireland after an intense period of talks with cease-fire. The agreement covers numerous issues concerning Northern Ireland. These array from the Irish language (Gaelic) to employment legislation. However, the main terms of the agreement are as followed:

  • Ireland could not be united (with Northern Ireland) without the consent of all peoples living in Northern Ireland
  • A new Government Assembly would be created for Northern Ireland that would sit at Stormont, Belfast
  • A new North-South Ministerial Council with members of the Irish Parliament and the new Assembly would be founded to deal with mutual issues, such as fishing and tourism
  • The release of all Paramilitary prisoners
  • All parties agreed vocation to achieve decommissioning of total disbarment of all Paramilitary organizations and illegal arms

In order to apprehend the Good Friday Agreement, the relationship between Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain (but more specifically England) must be traced back through time to when the predicaments began. Almost all the main events leading up to the agreement was triggered by smaller, but significant actions and/or influences. The troubles concerning Northern Ireland have been going on for hundreds of years but only recently (within the past thirty years) has any political progress been made.


The Good Friday Agreement: Essay

Although the English landed in Ireland as far back as 1169, religious conflicts within Ireland did not initiate until King Henry VIII (1509 – 1547) crowned himself King of Ireland and formed Protestantism. Supporters of the Protestant belief were given greater priority over Catholics in land, employment and status. Followers of the Catholic faith resented him and the English and they caused minor rebellions simultaneously over Ireland.

When Queen Elizabeth came to the English throne (1558 – 1603) she feared the Irish Catholics would generate a vast revolt against her so she implied many ruthless procedures to maintain their suppression. One of the harsh policies she executed was to acquire land from Catholic rebels and grant the land to faithful Protestants. This policy was acknowledged as “Plantation” and it continued to be extended until the 1700’s.

The Battle of the Boyne happened in 1690 after Oliver Cromwell’s death (1658). Former King of England, James II, a Catholic, was fighting with the Irish Catholic population and was defeated by Protestants who were following the new King of England, William of Orange. It was at this stage the Protestants settled in Ulster (Northern Ireland). Today this battle is still celebrated on July 12th by Protestants marching through the streets of Drumcree who call themselves “Orangemen”. Already, there was the dislike of the English rule, Protestant Church, land ownership and the thirst for revenge.

For over a hundred years (from 1692 – 1829) Catholics were barred from the Irish Parliament and treated as inferior citizens. Laws were conceded against Catholics and incorporated conventions such as “No Catholic, when he dies, may pass on his land as a whole to one son. He must divide it between all his sons. However, if one of his sons becomes a Protestant, then he will inherit the whole of the land”, “Catholics may not receive higher education or take professional jobs” and “No Catholic will be allowed to vote, or become a Member of Parliament, or a town councillor. No Catholic may join the civil service. No Catholic may become a solicitor or a lawyer.” This era of Irelands history is branded as “the Protestant Ascendancy – the rule of Ireland by an elite group of Anglican Protestants”. The Anglican Church had great power in Ireland; it had wealth and many privileges, even though only 1 in 7 people in Ireland were represented through it.

Join now!

The Great Potato Famine happened from 1845 to 1850 causing Irelands population to drop by more than two million and a long-lasting hatred of the English was firmly rooted. “A people whose land and lives are in the keeping and custody of others… in spite of the famine… they took the whole harvest and left hunger… had the people of Ireland been the landlords… not a single human creature would have died…” 

The problems between Northern Ireland, Ireland and England continued on into the 1900’s and became recognized as “The Troubles”. The disputes amid the three countries (although ...

This is a preview of the whole essay