2) How did Protestant politicians explain the social, economic and political differences between Catholics and Protestants?
Protestant politicians had very strong and dogmatic views towards and about Catholics. Many like Ian Paisley, founder of the UPA and now leader of the DUP, and Lord Brookeborough, Prime Minister of Ulster, made the beliefs known in a relatively inconsiderate fashion and had to justify their somewhat forthright views.
Some politicians during these times were often accused of being discriminative against the west, more densely Catholic populated area of Northern Ireland. These accusations were denied by the government. John Oliver, second secretary in O’Neill’s Ministry of development said that, “There was usually much less local initiative there in the richer more populous, go-ahead eastern parts there was always far more drive, private and commercial as well as municipal.” He explained of the differences that Catholics lacked drive and were in effect lazy and incompetent compared to their more hands on, efficient Protestant counterparts.
On the economic front jobs and wages were extremely important to keeping afloat and not going into poverty. In 1968 Lord Brookeborough stated, “I recommend those people who are Loyalists not to employ Roman Catholics, 99 per cent of whom are disloyal.” Here he justifies why Catholics should not be employed ahead of Protestants by labelling them as untrustworthy. Ian Paisley identically echoed Brookeborough’s views of Catholics. “Keep Protestants and loyal workers in employment in times of depression in preference to their fellow Catholic workers.” Like Brookeborough he described them as unfaithful and unwilling to work in times of need compared to Protestant workers who were competent and eager. Both of these statements show the Protestant politicians use of propaganda to criticize Catholics and give reason to the disadvantages they proposed.
Protestants politicians had various political justifications to describe the differences between Catholics and Protestants. More Protestants than Catholics became boundary commissioners because Catholics refused to take these positions. They were offered but declined to because they felt that the odds were stacked against them. Therefore the government used this refusal as justification as to why the boundaries of the constituencies favoured Protestants. Politicians used propaganda to explain that if Catholics got into power then they would follow the strict guidelines of the Roman Catholic Church and in doing this many laws would have been changed due to Catholics ‘backward views.’ They would have banned divorce because Catholics believe that marriage is sacred in the eyes of god and that you should have one life long partner. Along with divorce, contraception and abortion would also have been prohibited because Catholics do not believe in preventing or destroying lives. Mrs Hamilton, a Presbyterian dissenter and supporter of Ian Paisley, described Catholics as “anti-Christ.” Many believed that if they got into power that ‘Rome Rule’ would come into practice and the pope would control goings-on in Northern Ireland.
3) Why were British troops sent to Northern Ireland in August 1969?
In August 1969 British forces were sent into Northern Ireland to try and restore law and order after the period of the ‘Troubles.’ The ‘Troubles’ was the name given to the periods of civil turbulence, riots and terrorism that took place from 1968. Two main ‘Troubles’ were the incidents at both Craigavon Bridge and Burntollet Bridge.
On the 5th October 1968 a civil rights march was scheduled in Londonderry to protest against unfair housing allocation. As they approached Craigavon Bridge they were confronted by RUC officers. All captured and broadcasted by BBC Northern Ireland and RTE, Ireland’s national T.V station, RUC officers were caught spraying water cannons at the peaceful protesters and innocent onlookers, later the uncensored images of RUC officers assaulting defenceless, unprotected protesters were aired. People around Britain and Ireland were shocked and appalled by the behaviours of the vicious system implored by the RUC. The occurrence of their acts led to increasing lack of respect between the RUC and Catholics. On 1st January 1969 ‘People’s Democracy’ (a radical offshoot of NICRA) led a march from Belfast to Londonderry. Like the October 1968 march, it protested for fairer housing distribution, along with more jobs and to put an end to the extra votes for wealthier people. They began crossing Burntollet Bridge when a loyalist mob equipped with sticks, stones and bottles begun to open-fire at the unguarded marchers. Yet again, television cameras caught the RUC not fulfilling their duties. They made extremely minute attempts to defend the marchers. In total they arrested no Loyalists and 80 ‘People’s Democracy’ marchers. It was evident from the RUC’s lack of protection and failure to arrest any loyalist that they were an anti-Catholic police force. These two incidents made the Catholic community feel very secluded and vulnerable. Due to this vulnerability many Catholics began requesting for their own protective force, although they already had a ‘protective force’ in NICRA most felt NICRA’S peaceful policies were not achieving anything. Catholics were now looking towards more forceful methods and it was in this application that the IRA re-emerged as a major force in Northern Ireland. Consequently the official reasoning for the British Army entering Northern Ireland was to protect the Catholic population against any Loyalist attacks. However secretly the British government figured they could ‘kill two birds with one stone,’ while helping out a struggling RUC in retaining law and order on the streets, they could contain the resurgence of the IRA, in doing this preventing the terrorist organisation from becoming a leading force in Ireland.
The major trigger cause for the British Army entering Northern Ireland was the events and the predicted aftermath of the ‘Battle of the Bogside.’ The ‘Apprentice Boys’ go on a traditional march every August to commemorate the defence of Londonderry against King James’s II forces. On 12 August 1969 the Apprentice Boys marched along a part of Londonderry that overlooked a Catholic Bogside. Bogsiders prevented entry of the Apprentice Boys by erecting barricades because of fears of a Loyalist attack. A minority of the Apprentice Boys threw pennies and rioting broke out between the two. Unclearly explained why, the RUC decided to take down the barricades. In reaction to this the Bogsiders began to petrol-bomb the RUC. This lasted for two days where 8 people died and 750 people were injured. Violence now erupted in other major cities. As Northern Ireland appeared on the verge of civil war British forces were sent into attempt to restore law and order, privately working along side the RUC to enable this.
Upon review, sending in the British army was the best choice all round. They would contribute and suit all parties in four ways. They would bring law and order back to Northern Ireland in the process giving the RUC more help to do this, protect Catholics from any further violent attacks from Loyalists/RUC and finally containing the IRA, preventing terrorism.
Ryan Gallagher
