The following factors are all equally important reasons for the continuing conflicts between Unionists and Nationalists in Northern Ireland, Do you agree?

The Orange Order hold marches every July to celebrate William of Orange's victory. They are a protest group who were founded in 1775. They believe in keeping the protest religion and Unionist culture in Northern Ireland. Problems occur because some of the marches are through Catholic areas which results to trouble. When the Protestants march they carry banners and play music with pictures of William. This makes Catholics feel like they are being insulted. Lately the police have got involved and last time the police stopped marches going along the Catholic Garvaghy road but the protest group camped out by the road and said that they will stay there until they can be permitted to go there. They often attack police by throwing stones and petrol bombs. The Orange Order is probably one of the biggest sources of tension between the Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. Orange Order Marches cause a lot of conflict between Unionists and Catholics because the Catholics feel as if they are being insulted when they march through Catholic areas and Protestants feel angry because they are not allowed to march. It also reminds Catholics about their defeat.

Republican violence was said to have started in1968 and still carries on to present day. This is mainly because in the late 1960's Catholics in Northern Ireland started to protest against the discrimination that they took from the Protestant Government.

Soon violence and fighting started between the two sides; the IRA representing the Catholics and the British army were sent in to restore peace. One main event that occurred was the IRA's Enniskillen Remembrance Day bombing that occurred on November 8th, 1987 where 11 people died and 63 more were injured. Because the British are occupying their country the Republicans believe they have the right to used arm force. This led to a profound division in the IRA over strategy and tactics. The two groups were the Provisional IRA (the dominant group) and the Official IRA. The Provisional IRA being the more young and aggressive and the Official IRA devoted to social change. There has been a lot of use of violence by groups such as the Provisional IRA and other radical groups such as the INLA. This has often disrupted life in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain. Formal peace talks took place on September 1977 in an attempt to end violence over Northern Ireland. The talks were the first negotiations to incorporate all parties involved in the conflict. These talks came to a conclusion in April 1998. In 1994 the IRA declared a ceasefire only to resume bombing in 1996. A following ceasefire took place in 1997 and is currently working today. As well as the ceasefire the IRA has also started to get rid of some of its weapons. Nevertheless there are still some extreme Republicans who continue using violence, the Omagh Bombing being a result of this. Republican violence has cost roughly 4,000 lives. The Republicans said to be responsible for 60% and the Loyalists responsible for 30% (The remaining 10% either unknown or security forces). Republican violence has led to a lot of conflict between Unionists and Catholics because it is making the Unionists hate the Catholics even more and there is a lot of retaliation that goes on.

The creation of the Irish Free State In 1922 Happened after the war of independence that was fought between the IRA and British Army. The treaty was called the Anglo-Irish Treaty and gave Southern Ireland Independence. The Southern part was called Eire and was governed by the people themselves. The English agreed to keep Northern Ireland part of Britain due to the Protestants living there. In total there were 26 counties that became the Irish Eire. The Protestants feared that if they stayed in an independent Ireland they would get persecuted because they were the minority. The settlement did cause unhappiness because many Catholics wanted the whole of Ireland Independent and the Catholics that were living in Northern Ireland were unhappy because they felt they were still being treated unfairly. The creation of the Irish Free State might cause conflict between Unionists and Catholics because the Catholics want all of Ireland to be independent but the Protestants don't want this.

Bloody Sunday in 1972 is probably the most controversial event in the history of Ireland. It all started off with a banned civil rights march in Derry which was to protest against the policy of internment. The British army tried to keep the march as quiet as possible for as long as they could. They put barriers up to keep the march in the Catholic area but their strategy failed and problems were about to occur. They decided to create a scoop up operation where they would arrest as many hooligans and rioters as they could. Violence started when the rioters threw stones at the barricades, when this started the army was sent in and because they were trained in handling vicious attacks and not managing crowds, shots rang out on the marchers. In the end 13 Catholic civilians were shot dead and another 13 were wounded. No one knows who shot first, the army or the IRA. This has led to conflict because the Catholics are very angry that 13 Catholics were shot dead just because of a civil rights march. Bloody Sunday also causes conflict because the Catholics and Protestants are arguing over who fired first. The British army said that they didn't fire first: General Ford, Commander of land forces said "There is absolutely no doubt at all that the paratroops did not open up until they'd been fired at."

Some of the British army said they did fire first Private A of 1 Para said "When we first appeared the crowd stopped immediately and turned to face us and raised their hands.... This is the way they were standing when they were shot." Almost all of the Catholics said that the IRA did not fire first. Father Bradley, a Catholic Priest said: "It was a massacre. I saw no one shooting at the troops. If anybody had been, I would have seen it. I saw only the army shooting." A Journalist for the Daily Telegraph said: "I was one of more than a thousand people lying flat on their faces as the shooting continued. Pinned to the ground, it was impossible to tell who fired the first shots." This shows there is a lot of conflict over this matter.

I have come to the conclusion that the factors a - e are equally important reasons for the continuing conflicts between Unionists and Nationalists in Northern Ireland. I believe this because they are all factors in which conflict occurs. The Battle of Boyne causes conflict because Catholics were treated unfairly and didn't approve of it. Creation of an Irish Free State can cause conflict because the Catholics don't like Northern Ireland being independent. Bloody Sunday has left Catholics angry. Republican violence can cause conflict by anger from the Protestants and retaliation from them. Orange Order Marches 'insult' the Catholics and remind them of their defeat, it also creates violence when the Protestants try to march through Catholic areas.

Another reason why the factors are equally important in causing continuing conflict is because they all fit together. Orange Order Marches occur because of the battle of Boyne, Creation of an Irish free state might not have happened without the Battle of Boyne and Bloody Sunday has caused a lot of Republican violence.

2. Choose one of the following people and describe their impact on the history of Ireland up to the present day

Michael Collins

Ian Paisley

Ian Paisley has been a strong voice in British in Irish politics for over 30 years. He is a hard line Unionists, and has very strong views about keeping the link between Britain and Northern Ireland. He has very strong Protestants beliefs and is against the Catholic faith and the Pope. He believes that over the years Protestants have been treated poorly in Ireland and claims that there has been 'more than 75years of systematic ethnic cleansing.' This is why he believes that Northern Ireland should be kept British. In 1971 Paisley set up his own Unionist party (DUP). This was mainly because he was unhappy with the Ulster Unionist party who he claims were selling out to the Republicans and British. The DUP does not believe in any compromises and is against any sort of concessions to the nationalists

In the 1970's he was at the height of his popularity when they took over from the UUP as the most popular Unionist party. Paisley made strong speeches about no compromise and in his speeches he was very strongly anti-Catholic. This appealed to many Protestants who were feared there may be a deal done by the British to make the whole of Ireland independent.

Paisley was against the Anglo - Irish peace treaty in 1985 when he made this strong speech "The hearts of Ulster have been stricken with the deepest of sorrows. Mrs Thatcher tells that the Republic has got a say in the province. We say never, never, never. We are prepared to lay down our lives for Ulster". He was also not in favour of the recent Good Friday Agreement although his party did enter the new Northern Ireland Assembly. In the 1990's his party the DUP was not as popular as the more moderate UUP and their leader David Trimble was voted as leader of the new Northern Ireland Assembly. However Ian Paisley still has very strong views and his mixture of politics and religion influences many Protestants in Northern Ireland. Many Unionists find his way of religious certitude bought to politics quite appealing.

Ian Paisley has proved himself to be a commanding voice in Northern Ireland since the mid 1960's and continues to make an impact to the present day, currently he is in a fierce battle with David Trimble and at the age of 74 he says he has no intention to retire. He has been making quite an impact on Northern Ireland and is continuing to do so 30 years on.

Paisley has been important in changing people's views; he has achieved this by his strong speeches which have inspired many Protestants, his actions among these was his protest he organised about the lowering of the Union Flag at Belfast City Hall as a mark of respect over the death of the Pope and his belief that the UUP were selling out to the republicans and British. He is also against both Republican and Loyalist violence.

Paisley has made quite an impact on Northern Ireland he has stood in the way of every initiative in Northern Ireland for the past 30 years. He has had a great impact on Northern Ireland and Catholics in Northern Ireland regard him as a bigot. Every European election he regularly tops the poll and is seen by some as the most popular politician in the country.

He has helped create a strong link between Britain and Northern Ireland and has changed people's views about having the link. This is why I think he has made some impact on Northern Ireland.