Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland in terms of Housing and Employment

There has been a long history of violence, prejudice, and discrimination between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, particularly highlighted throughout the 1960s, when Catholics were discriminated against by the Protestant Stormont Government in both employment and housing. Hence, in order to understand in what ways and how much it occurred, both these areas must be investigated. Firstly, one must look at how the Catholics were discriminated against in terms of employment, and to what extent this occurred. In the public sector, Catholics suffered great difficulties being employed, as there appears to have been some bias towards employing Protestants, especially in senior levels of the civil service. For example, in a report by the Cameron Commission in 1969, it is stated, "[As of October 1968] In County Fermanagh, no senior council posts, (and relatively few others) were held by Catholics" and according to the Sunday Times, in the same county, in 1961 "322 of the [370] posts, including the top ones, were filled with Protestants. This shows how during the 1960s, the Catholics in Fermanagh did not have many jobs at a high level in the public sector. This is particularly interesting because the majority of people in Fermanagh were Catholics, hence highlighting the extent of their discrimination. The Sunday Times also wrote that in Derry "of 177 salaried employees,

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  • Subject: History
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Why Were The British Troops Sent Into Northern Ireland In 1969?

Why Were The British Troops Sent Into Northern Ireland In 1969? The violent events of 1969 started mainly because of the Civil Rights marches (which started in 1968), that often ended up in violence, one particular event was at Burntollet Bridge on a march from Belfast to Londonderry. The Catholics were fed up of being treated badly by the Protestants and having unfair rights. Due to the violent events the Republic's Prime Minister, Jack Lynch, threatened to send troops into Northern Ireland to stop the violence. But the British saw this as an invasion of part of their country, so they decided to send in their own troops to control the violence. This measure can be linked back to some long-term courses, as well as some more recent causes. A combination of these causes led to the violent events of 1969 and then to the British troops being sent into Northern Ireland. In 1916 the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) took over the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin. This event was led be Padraig Pearce, and James Connolly, they decided that they no longer wanted to be ruled by the British and wanted Ireland to become its own nation. British troops quickly suppressed the rebels and gained control again. This event became known as the Easter Rising. It was a major turning point in Irish history, even though it failed, as it gathered more support for Home Rule, partly because of how

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  • Subject: History
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What were the consequences of the 1916 Easter rising?

What were the consequences of the 1916 Easter rising? In this essay I will outline the consequences of the 1916 Easter rising all short term long term and immediate. The rising was a symptom of the failure of Home Rule. This led to increased support for militant nationalism. Sinn Fein gained a rise in support. The Dail Eireann was set up and the war of independence was an indirect consequence to the rising. The British government proposed the 26 county free state and it was accepted. There became a nationalist minority in Ulster. The Easter rising left a legacy of anti British feeling. This encouraged generations to continue the fight against British occupation. The big immediate consequence of the Easter rising was the execution of the leaders. This had a huge impact in Ireland. Within four days of the rising Thomas Clarke, Padraig Pearse and Thomas Mc Donagh were executed by firing squad on May the third. Then up to May the twelfth a further twelve leaders were shot including James Connolly. The last rebel to be executed was Roger Casement by hanging on August the third. Overall seventy-five were sentenced to death, and two thousand to imprisonment. This turned public opinion in Ireland against the British government. This created a new wave of anti-British feeling. Nationalist opinion in Ireland was radically changing. Militant Nationalists began to attract sympathy.

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  • Subject: History
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Ireland and World War 1

Ireland and World War 1 By 1912 different Irish groups were still fighting over the matter of Home Rule. Unionists, lead by Edward Carson and James Craig, wanted to stay loyal to Britain and remain under British rule, they said that if Home Rule did come about, that Ulster should be treated separately. John Redmond, leader of the Irish Nationalists, wanted some power given to Ireland but they said that they would still remain loyal to Britain and the monarchy. Padraig Pearse and the IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood), who were Irish Republicans, wanted more than Home Rule, they wanted total separation from Britain and they wanted a free Ireland. In Westminster, Conservatives (supported by Unionists) and Liberals (supported by Nationalists) were fighting over the Third Home Rule Bill in 1912, Herbert Asquith (leader of the Liberals) who was Prime Minister at the time, was in favour of Home Rule because he needed the support of Redmond and the Home Rule Party or the IPP (Irish Parliamentary Party). But the Home Rule Bill was never passed because Conservatives took power (with Bonar Law) and they were opposed to Home Rule. With both, Unionists and Nationalists, having militant organisations (the UVF & Irish Volunteers), the race for arming was frantic in Larne and Howth. Ireland was heading towards a civil war between Ulster Unionists and Irish Nationalists/Republicans BUT

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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