Social Studies Revision Resource - Causes of Conflict in Northern Ireland
Factors: Causes of Conflict in Northern Ireland
 Divided Loyalties
 Unequal Allocation of Housing
 Unequal Employment Opportunities
 Lack of Voting Rights
 Lack of Opportunities for Social Interaction (Education & Housing)
Divided Loyalties
 The difference in political beliefs between the Protestants and Catholics also
contributed to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
 The Protestants see themselves as British and want Northern Ireland to remain part
of the UK. They are afraid that a union with the Republic of Ireland would mean that
the Catholic government would be intolerant of their Protestant beliefs.
 The Catholics see themselves as Irish and want a union with the Republic of Ireland.
The Catholics also resent the history of English conquest where they were killed and
treated badly by the Protestants.
 Loyalty to different countries makes the Protestants and the Catholics
intolerant of each other, causing tension which would later result in conflict
between the two sides.
 This difference also contributes to a lack of identity which further prevents
understanding and co-operation between the Catholics and Protestants,
leading to more tension and conflict.
Unequal Allocation of Housing
 One reason for the conflict in Northern Ireland is the unequal allocation of public
housing by city councils.
 As the city councils are largely made up of Protestants, more houses would be given
to the Protestants than the Catholics, therefore the Catholics find the allocation of
public housing by the government to be unfair.
 As the Catholics have larger families, they are frustrated by the shortage of
housing as they would have to wait many years to be allocated a house.
 They were angered by this discrimination and their frustration led to the
conflict.
Unequal Employment Opportunities
 In Northern Ireland, it is more difficult for Catholics to get jobs, especially in the civil /
government service although they were just as / more qualified than the Protestants.
 There were also very few Catholics in senior positions n the public sectors and the
number of Catholic civil servants were not proportionate to their numbers in the
country.
 As a result, this affected the Catholics as they were likely to be jobless or
unable to get the jobs they wanted. Their social and economic position in
Northern Ireland and their standard of living would be affected if they are
jobless or lowly paid.
 The Catholics were thus very unhappy that they were discriminated and
suffering from economic hardship. This resentment would later lead to conflict
between the two communities.
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Lack of Voting Rights
 The lack of voting rights also caused conflicts between the two groups. In local
elections only people who owned houses or businesses could vote.
 As Protestants tended to be wealthier, more of them could vote which meant
they dominated local councils and ruled in their own interests which made
Catholics resentful.
 Poorer Catholics who did not own companies got less votes, which resulted in
them being unable to obtain any say in the government or gain political power,
making them resentful of the Protestants and their ability to gain advantage
through voting rights.
 Secondly, by re-drawing the voting districts, Protestants could ensure that the
Catholics were unable to gain a power base, further marginalising them.
 The Catholics were angry with this, causing tension which later led to conflicts
between the Protestants and the Catholics.
Lack of Opportunities for Social Interaction (Education & Housing)
 Another cause of conflict was the lack of opportunities for social interaction between
Catholics and Protestants.
 One area was in the education system. Protestant children attended fully-funded
public schools where they were taught British history, played British sports and were
loyal to Britain.
 On the other hand, Catholic children attended partially-funded private schools where
they were taught Irish history, played Irish sports and regarded Britain as a foreign
country.
 Only a small group of children attended integrated schools where both groups
interacted with each other. In addition, the Catholics and Protestants have always
lived in separate residential areas which reduced the opportunity to socially interact.
 Due to a lack of interaction, the Protestants and the Catholics are unable to
resolve their differences. Attending different schools and learning different
things and not interacting together makes generations of Protestant and
Catholic children grow up distrusting and being hostile to each other, causing
tension and conflict.
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Upper Secondary Social Studies Resource
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Analysis of Causes of Conflict
Divided
Loyalties
Unequal
Housing
Allocation
Unequal
Employment
Opportunities
Lack of Voting
Rights
Due to their
loyalties to
different
countries which
have made
them unable to
find a common
identity, the
Protestants and
the Catholics
are in conflict
with each other.
Of course,
there are other
causes which
include the
voting system,
unfair housing
allocation,
unequal
employment
opportunities
and lack of
opportunities
for social
interaction but
each of them
have the
common
denominator of
stemming from
divided
loyalties.
Unequal
housing
allocation has
caused the
Catholics to
feel
discriminated
against and has
contributed to
their sometimes
poor standards
of living. As a
result, the
frustration
created would
drive them to
support the IRA
but it is not a
direct cause of
the conflict but
rather fuels the
conflict by
being yet
another reason
why the
Catholics hate
the Protestants.
Unequal
employment
opportunities
have caused
the Catholics’
social and
economic
position in
society to be
affected. While
it will create
frustration and
drive some
Catholics to
resort to
supporting the
IRA, it is not a
direct cause of
the conflict but
rather fuels the
conflict by
being yet
another reason
why the
Catholics hate
the Protestants.
Although a lack
of voting rights
led to the
demand for
more civil
rights, the issue
was resolved in
1969 where
everyone aged
18 and above
who was born
in Northern
Ireland or had
lived in the UK
for at least 7
years was
given one vote
each.
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Lack of
Opportunities
for Social
Interaction
The different
education
system that
Protestant and
Catholic
children
attended has
added to the
tension but is
not the main
cause of
conflict. As the
children are
exposed to
different
histories, sports
and their
loyalties lie with
different
countries, they
grow up to
mistrust each
other,
obstructing the
end of the
conflict but not
causing it.
Social Studies Revision Resource - Consequences of Conflict in Northern Ireland
Factors: Consequences of Conflict in Northern Ireland
 The Troubles (Armed Conflict)
 Social Segregation
 Declining Economy
 Political Reform
The Troubles (Armed Conflict)
In order to end discrimination for Catholics, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
(NICRA) was formed in 1967. NICRA adopted non-violent protest marches. However,
fights broke out between Catholics, Protestants and the police. In 1969, the British
government sent in the British Army to keep the peace. Relations between the British
Army and the Catholics were initially good as the Army was seen as neutral protectors.
However, in 1971, the “internment laws” were introduced by the Northern Ireland
government which gave the British Army the power to arrest, interrogate and detain
anyone suspected of being involved in acts to weaken the government. Catholics lost
faith in the British Army when their homes were searched and they were arrested on
suspicion of carrying out terrorist activities.
In 1972, the British Army opened fire on a NICRA march and killed 13 civilians in an
incident called “Bloody Sunday”. The deaths on “Bloody Sunday” led to a great outburst
of Catholic anger. More violence between the Protestants and the Catholics occurred
with Catholic homes and businesses being targeted for violence by the Protestants.
Angered by the non-action of the local police and the raids by the British Army,
the Catholics turned to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for help. The IRA retaliated
with violence, attacking the British Army and Protestants. The IRA was
responsible for two-thirds of the deaths that occurred as a result of the
Protestant-Catholic violence.
The Troubles resulted in a worsening conflict situation between the Catholics and
the Protestants.
Social Segregation
People in Northern Ireland have grown up in an atmosphere of tension and violence.
The Protestants and Catholics have also been segregated socially resulting in them
being unable to interact with each other to promote better understanding and conflict
resolution. With divided loyalties and social segregation, a resulting lack of
understanding between the Protestants and the Catholics makes it harder to
resolve the hatred and suspicion that has been created due to the various issues
which contributed to the conflict.
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Declining Economy
The economy of Northern Ireland has been affected because the violence discourages
domestic and foreign investment in the country as investors are put off by the rising cost
of security and the threat of bombings. The violence and bombings have also destroyed
property and infrastructure. As the economy is in decline, there is little money to be
obtained to rebuild the damaged infrastructure. Progress and development in
Northern Ireland would be slowed down leading to economic hardship and a lower
standard of living. The Protestants and Catholics would then blame each other for
the violence and their resulting low standards of living.
Political Reform
The Civil Rights Marches/Movement put pressure on the Northern Ireland government to
pass anti-discrimination measures in Northern Ireland. The unfair voting system was
abolished and promises were also made to review the schemes for allocating
government-owned houses. However, despite these efforts, other discriminatory
policies continue to remain and efforts to bring about power-sharing have not
been successful as the different political parties refuse to share power.
Analysis of Consequences of Conflict
The Troubles
The Troubles is
the most serious
consequence
because it has
resulted in more
violence in
Northern Ireland,
and has led to
the Catholics
and Protestants
resenting each
other more. It
has also caused
a decline in the
economy as the
violence
impedes
economic
growth.
Social Segregation
Social segregation
prevents the
Catholics and the
Protestants from
coming together to try
and understand each
other and resolve the
conflict which
prevents them from
reaching peace.
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Declining Economy
A declining economy
and its resulting
lowering of standards
of living for Catholics
and Protestants
deepens the hatred
both parties have for
each other as they
blame one another
for the economic
problems in the
country.
Political Reform
While the political
reforms initially
generated were
good and looked
towards a peaceful
resolution to the
conflict, problems
created between the
two groups resulted
in the political
reforms only having
limited success.
Social Studies Revision Resource – Efforts to Resolve the Conflict
Is there Peace in Our Time?



Yes
Efforts have been undertaken by the
British government from the 1970s and
the 1990s to attempt to bring peace to
Northern Ireland by exploring new
systems of government which would
satisfy both Protestants and Catholics.
Representatives from the British
Government, the Protestants, the
Catholics and the IRA have met to
resolve the conflict.
Good Friday peace agreement in 1998
signed by the British and Irish
governments and supported by most of
the political parties in Northern Ireland.





No
All parties have failed to come to an
agreement.
Good Friday peace agreement failed
following an IRA bomb blast in Omagh,
Northern Ireland.
Violent clashes and deaths followed
after Protestants staged the annual
Orange Order Marches which celebrate
the victory of the Protestants over the
Catholics in the Battle of Boyne.
Violence continues to plague Northern
Ireland.
Underlying discrimination and
prejudices still exist in Northern Ireland
Social Studies Revision Resource – Who is to Blame for the Conflict?
British
Government
Protestants
Sent the British
Army into
Northern Ireland
and gave them
the right to use
the “internment
laws” that led to
the Catholics
hating the British
Army and turning
to the IRA for
help, worsening
the conflict.
Have followed
local traditions
that mark
Protestant
dominance like
the Battle of
Boyne
commemoration
parades to
celebrate the
victory of the
Protestants over
the Catholics,
fuelling tension
between the two
groups.
Have not done
enough to
remove
discriminatory
policies or put in
place policies to
foster more
interaction or
better ties
between the
Protestants and
Catholics.
Catholics
While the
Catholics are
mainly the
victims in this
conflict, their
support for the
IRA has
worsened the
conflict.
Unfair and
discriminatory
policies
regarding
housing and job
allocation have
caused tension
between the
Protestants and
the Catholics.
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British Army
IRA
Worsened the
conflict between
the Protestants
and the Catholics
after the Bloody
Sunday incident.
Worsened the
conflict by
resorting to
violence to
achieve their
aims.
Raids of Catholic
homes by the
British Army also
contributed to the
tension and led
to a build-up of
hatred against
the British Army
and the
Protestants.
By using terrorist
tactics like
attacks on
authority and
bombings, they
have killed many
innocent
Protestants as
well as Catholics.
Their actions
also drove the
Catholics to
support the IRA.
The IRA also
went against a
peace
agreement it
signed by setting
off a bomb
attack, clearly
showing it was
not willing to
commit to peace.
Social Studies Revision Resource – Was the British Army Wrong to Send Troops
in Northern Ireland?
Yes

Created more tension and hostilities by
enforcing the internment laws which gave
them the power to arrest, interrogate and
detain without trial anyone suspected of
being involved in any acts to weaken the
government causing the Catholics to lose
faith in the British Army when Catholic
houses and businesses were raided and
innocent people arrested on suspicion of
being terrorists.

The Bloody Sunday incident in 1972 where
the British Army shot at protestors made
worse Catholic-Protestant ties and led to
an outburst of Catholic anger.

After Bloody Sunday, there was more
Catholic-Protestant violence as Catholic
homes and businesses were targeted by
Protestant mobs and petrol-bombed. The
local police also did nothing to stop the
violence and the British Army often raided
Catholic homes, using force and damaging
property. As a result, the Catholics turned
to the IRA for help as they were desperate.
If not for the initial violence which stemmed
from the Internment Laws and the Bloody
Sunday Incident, it would have been alright
to send the British Army into Northern
Ireland. However, the British Army became
involved in the conflict as well, making it
wrong and creating more tension and
violence.

Provided a target for the IRA to use violent
methods to force its withdrawal, resulting in
the deaths of many innocent Protestants
and Catholics. As the IRA continued to use
violent methods to dislodge the British
presence in Northern Ireland, their
bombings and attacks cost lives and
scared away investors, causing economic
decline in Northern Ireland.
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No

The British Government had to send in
troops to help keep order in Northern
Ireland following the fights that broke out
between the police, Catholics and
Protestants during the Civil Rights
Marches.

The British Army was initially welcomed by
the Catholics as protectors as they were
seen as a neutral force and it was hoped
that their presence would deter and
eventually stop anymore violence between
the Catholics and the Protestants in
Northern Ireland