After the plantations, deep resentment continued between the two religions. This led to Catholic Rebellions, massacres of Protestants by Catholics and the massacre of Catholics by Oliver Cromwell’s troops. Acts of violence (Protestant v Catholic) still happen today and these past events are used to justify the actions taken. For example, many of the protests today turn to violence. One example is the Orange marches, where Protestants celebrate William of Orange’s victory in the Battle of the Boyne. They feel that the Protestants shouldn’t celebrate the Battle of the Boyne because the reason for William of Orange coming over to Ireland was to stop James II linking up with France to take control of England. It was not a religious battle. Protestants fail to recognise this and use this event to justify their actions. The Catholics then use this to justify why they retaliate. Despite this, many of the marches are peaceful.
Differences of opinion have caused difficulties in bringing peace. Throughout history different people have wanted different things. For example, Irish Catholics wanted their land and rights back and Protestants wanted all the control. One of the main events, which is often referred to today is the penal laws, where Catholics were stripped of their rights, including voting and land rights. This was to stop the Catholics gaining too much power. Catholics felt these laws were too harsh.
There are many examples in Northern Ireland’s history of unfair treatment to Catholics. In 1922, after the partition of Ireland, Unionists ensured control over councils by restricting the vote to householders and property owners, ruling out the Catholic poor. The boundaries were changed (Gerrymandering) so the maximum number of Unionists were councillors and so had control. Nationalists did not like the control of Britain as they felt Britain was not on their side because of past events, where the British government has treated them unfairly e.g. the Penal Laws.
Home rule is another key event. When it was suggested in 1886, Nationalists wanted home. The Unionists supported the union between Ireland and Britain. Catholics wanted their civil rights back but because the Protestants had all the power, it was difficult. Some of the more extreme Catholics still hate Protestants for taking their civil rights and use it to justify their actions. Extreme Nationalists felt so strongly about keeping Ireland separate that they took over parts of central Dublin in the Easter Rising. They did this for their political rights. The leaders were executed and many felt this punishment was too harsh. Many Nationalists today bring up the Easter Rising (particularly paramilitaries) and use it to justify why they take action for their political rights. This is done as wall paintings, which clearly get their message across.
Today many people are prepared to compromise in order to bring peace although it has been difficult because many people want different things. During the Home Rule period Nationalists and Unionists have separated themselves into Hardline Nationalists e.g. Sinn Fein, Moderate Nationalists e.g. SDLP, Moderate Unionists e.g. DUP and Hardline Unionists. The hardline groups are the extremists and will not be happy until everything goes their way. It is because of these extremists who are unwilling to compromise, that bringing peace has been difficult, particularly as many of these are members of paramilitaries groups. It is mainly the paramilitary groups, which cause violence.
It is the moderate groups who are more willing to compromise, very much so the ordinary person on the street. In politics, there was a strong focus on the everyday issues of normal life from both sides. Many voted for parties, which oppose to violence. Even when affected by the troubles, they do not change their opinion.
There have been various peace movements which involve very much of the ordinary person.
Gordon Wilson is a very important individual. He came from a Unionist community. However, at a Remembrance Day ceremony, an IRA bomb killed his daughter. Instead of feeling anger towards Nationalists, he felt it was more important to encourage peace. His anger still remains with those who refuse to compromise. His work and determination resulted him in him being made Senator of the Republic of Ireland in 1993.
Betty Williams witnessed an IRA getaway car kill Anne Maguire and three children. Anne Maguire’s sister, Mairead Corrigan, joined forces to launch the Peace People. They staged many rallies and marches, which caught the imagination of both Catholic and Protestant communities. Their work was obviously recognised as in 1977, they won the Nobel Peace Prize.
It is because of these individuals that ordinary people have been encouraged to believe that bringing peace is the best way forward.
Paramilitaries have formed illegally to protect themselves, as they often feel threatened. Because of this, they have turned to violence. Most of the violence in Northern Ireland took place as bombs, shootings and beatings, killing ordinary, innocent people. This still takes place today, but is not as regularly, unlike before the Peace Process was set up. They have caused a huge problem because they have caused resentment between loyalists and republicans. Loyalists want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and to defend the Protestant religion. They feel they have the right to defend their people and use the birth of the UVF to justify their actions. Nationalists want no political involvement of Britain. They feel they have the right to use armed forces against British forces and use the Easter Rising to justify their actions. It is because of they two variations that peace has been difficult.
They have influenced people’s opinions by wall paintings and the actions they take. They are trying to convince ordinary people to fight for what they believe in. It has been a barrier to bringing peace because they are constantly influencing people’s opinions. This causes the Peace Process to slow down. They also refuse to give up their arms and state they will never back down. One of the most important reasons why Nationalists e.g. IRA have so power is because they have plenty of money. Up until recently, America has funded the IRA because in 1846, there was a potato famine and caused many Catholics to flee to America. The reason for the funding being stopped is because of other terrorist attacks, which have taken place in America. However, today, many people have more resentment to paramilitaries rather than to loyalists or republicans.
Social groups have also caused problems when trying to bring peace. Today there are many areas, which are strictly Protestant or Catholic, i.e. Catholic or Protestant roads. Barricades, which were set up during the late 60s and early 70s, were in place to stop Protestants walking down Catholic roads for example. It wasn’t until the current peace process that the social barricades began to be taken down. Putting them up was to stop other people walking through their areas. This is particularly a factor for Catholics because they don’t like the Orange marches going through their areas as they feel they are rubbing it in their faces. Also, they want it to be clear to the Protestants that the land belonged to them. This is because they feel threatened and they don’t want the land to taken from them, like in the 17th Century (plantations).
The reason for many barricades being taken down today is because of the Peace Process. Most Catholics and Protestants are willing to compromise and want peace. Also the groups are more cultural and so there is less tension between Catholics and Protestants. However the problem still remains with the extremists.
Some individuals have had a negative influence in bring peace to Northern Ireland. Iain Paisley has had an influence. He is an outspoken Unionist and strongly opposed to the IRA and nationalism. He wanted no involvement of Dublin in ruling Northern Ireland. This had been encouraged by Edward Carson, who was the first to sign the covenant against Home Rule in 1912. He was an inspirational leader for the Unionists. We know that he was a major influence over Protestants because there is a statue of him outside Stormont Castle, the home of the Northern Ireland government. Paisley often refers to the “covenant” to encourage other Protestants to use violence and go against the Peace Process.
I think that all of these factors have contributed in the difficulties in bring peace. However, I think some are more significant than others. I think that individuals have influenced people’s opinions tremendously because they have exaggerated points to the general public, which have turned their opinions. For example, when James Conolly and Padhraic Pearce took part in the Easter Rising, many Nationalists disagreed. However once they had been executed by the firing squad, many people change their opinions. They felt this punishment was too harsh.
I also think one of the biggest problems has been that people use the past to justify their actions. This causes a problem because this will encourage others to do the same and the situation in Northern Ireland will not improve.
Paramilitaries hold a huge amount of control because of the money they receive for weapons, for example. There for it is a big problem and is a difficult step to overcome in order to bring peace. Therefore it is all extremists who must learn to compromise before peace is restored into Northern Ireland.
