Conflict in Northern Ireland
Cy-Woods High School
World Geography
Where are we talking about?
Who is fighting?
• Protestants
• Catholics
• Protestants are the
majority in Northern
Ireland.
• Catholics are a strong
minority in Northern
Ireland (and majority in
Ireland)
Why are these people fighting?
• In the 1500s, Ireland
was conquered by
King Henry VIII and
England.
• He split England
away from the
Catholic Church.
Why are these people fighting?
England
• King Henry took land
in Northern Ireland
from Catholic nobles
and gave it to his
English and Scot
friends.
• People are still mad
about this.
Northern Ireland
Why is Northern Ireland not part of
Ireland?
• In the early 20th
century, Irish
Catholics decided
they wanted to break
away from England.
• The Protestant
minority feared living
in a Catholic country.
Why is Northern Ireland not part of
Ireland?
• In 1921, after some
fighting, the British
tried to make
everyone happy by
creating an Irish Free
State and Northern
Ireland, which would
remain part of the
United Kingdom.
What did this mean for Northern
Ireland?
• They would have
some selfgovernment, but still
be part of the U.K.
• The Catholics were
now the minority.
Catholics in Northern Ireland
• They began to
face
discrimination.
• Housing
• Jobs
• Education
Catholics in Northern Ireland
• In the 1960s, Catholics started to take to
the streets in protest.
• YouTube - U2 - Bloody Sunday
• “Bloody Sunday”: In 1972, the British fired
on a crowd and killed 20 people. They
claim they were fired on first.
“The Troubles”
• 1960s until 1998
• Violence was common and terrorism was
the weapon of choice.
• Car bombs gained popularity.
“The Troubles”
• The British Army got involved, but the
violence only escalated.
Who is the IRA, and how do they fit
in?
• A nationalist group
devoted to the
idea of a united
Ireland.
• Organized by
Michael Collins.
• Want the British
out of Northern
Ireland.
The landscape of Northern Ireland
• You know when you are entering a Catholic or
Protestant neighborhood.
Catholics call it Derry; Protestants call it Londonderry
Conflict today
• Murals and artwork on buildings show
support for the IRA or the Loyalists (those
who want to remain a part of the UK).
Conflict today
• A “peace wall” exists in
some places, separating
Protestants and
Catholics.
• School children of each
religion do not even go to
the same schools.
Conflict today
• Every year, “orangemen”
march in Northern
Europe, celebrating
British victories over the
Catholics.
• They cause conflict by
marching through
Catholic neighborhoods.
Do they have peace now?
• Many other countries have gotten
involved, but peace talks were back and
forth for many years.
• The sticking point, appeared to be the
disarmament of the IRA.
Do they have peace now?
• In 2007, both sides agreed to share power in
Northern Ireland if the IRA would concede that
Northern Ireland would only join Ireland if they
voted to.
• Neither side will let their guard down however,
and Northern Ireland remains part of the United
Kingdom.
Northern Ireland Quiz
• Who were the two groups fighting in
Northern Ireland?
• What English monarch help start the
conflict?
• What does IRA stand for ? What were
their two goals?
• Who are the Loyalists?
• Is the fighting still going on today? (2010)
Assignment
• On a sheet of notebook paper, summarize
the conflict in Northern Ireland.
• Be sure to include things like:
–
–
–
–
–
Where this is happening
Who is involved
Causes
What is happening
What is going on now?