The Four Events

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Usman Hussain

Choose four events from the last 100 years which have been particularly important in shaping the views of:

  1. The Nationalists/Republicans/Catholics
  2. The Unionists/Loyalists/Protestants

Irish history had a number of major events; these events were huge turning points in history.  

The first event was called Easter Rising which occurred in 1916.  Partition happened in 1921, this was when Ireland was split into two parts.  The next event was The Deployment of Troops in 1969, this was when the new prime minister of Northern Ireland (James Chichester-Clarke) called the British prime minister Harold Wilson and asked for troops to be sent into Londonderry.  Bloody Sunday shocked the world in 1972 when 13 unarmed marchers were shot dead by the British Army.

The Easter Rising in 1916 took place when Padrang Pearse organised a rebellion against British rule.  Some of the men were led by James Conolly.  They took over key buildings such as the Post Office.  They did this believing all Nationalists would rise up and join them.  However, little support was shown and after a week of fighting they all surrendered.  Some of leaders of rebellion were executed without trial; James Conolly was executed although he was already dying.  This created hatred against the British resulting in more moderate Nationalists joining the war.

The Nationalist short-term affects were that they were outraged; most of them did not even support it.  The execution of the leaders without any trial led to distrust and revulsion.  James Conolly who was already dying was also executed without trial, a lot of people considered this inhumane.  This made people think differently about the leaders.  It made them Martyrs and heroes.  The executions made more moderates turn to extremists, many now turned to Sinn Fein and an independent Ireland rather than wait for home rule.  The long term affects were that the execution made Nationalists believe the British were cruel and oppressive.  This made Nationalists join together by uniting them against a common enemy.  This strengthened the idea and support of the Nationalists.

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However, the Unionists were horrified and outraged, they thought the Irish rebels were traitors.  They also felt suspicion and mistrust toward Sinn Fein.  The rebels planned a rebellion while the Protestant men were dying in the Somme.  This made the unionists even more determined to stop home rule and keep their British identity.  Easter Rising shaped the views and opinions of the Unionists in the long term because they believe Nationalists cannot be trusted.  The suspicion of the Nationalists were reinforced by the Easter Rising.  Unionists felt very disgusted as the rebels were seen as heroes, but Unionists so ...

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