| U2 Bloody Sunday |
Catholics and protestants have been fighting for along time, so long that they can be traced back to about 400 years ago.
Everything started when the British conquered the island after putting up with several fightbacks from Ireland. A lot of the island, especially in the North, was settled by Scottish and English protestants, leaving Ulster apart from the rest of Ireland. Most Catholics ruled over Ulster. Northern Ireland did not separate from the rest of Ireland until the Catholics and the Protestants divided into two warring camps because of the Irish Home Rule Bill in the early 20th Century. To show that they would oppose to any attempt to make the Home Rule, the protestants formed the UVF, or the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1913. From April 24 to April 29 of 1916, 400 people died and 2,500 were injured because of the rebels that the Irish Voleenters did to the British. The rebels were led by Patrick Pearse and James Connoly. They attacked the Dublin's General Post Office on an Easter Morning and the fight lasted for five days.
In December of 1920, the Govenmnet of Ireland Act divided Ireland into two Parliaments. One was made up of twenty-six counties in Dublin and the other was made up of six northern counties in Belfast. The people in Dublin were known as the Irish Free State and were given some independence. Belfast had to stay with the United Kingdom but they could still have their own parliament.
In January 1967 NICRA, Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, was formed because the UK had anti-Catholic laws. Then in March of 1968 the Civil Rights protest began. Since the British government could not take any more inconveniences, they forced the parliament to make minimal changes that did not meet the demands that the people gave during the Civil Rights movement.
During 1971,the Civil Rights Movement and the IRA kept attacking the British troops. On August 9th, 350 IRA members were arrested. Throughout the year, protests against the arrests continued. In 1972, the British Embassy was burnt. Bloody Sunday happened in the same year, January 30. Thirteen people died on the day and another one died later in the year, around June. Most of the people were between the ages 17 and 20. After the British Embassy was burnt, the British government decided to stop the Northern Ireland Government in March. As a result, the IRA reacted violently. In November of 1974 the IRA bombed Dublin, Monaghan, Guildford, Woolwich, and Birmingham, which is the British mainland. In the 1980's, a lot of the prisioners participated in hunger strikes. In December 15th of 1993, the British Prime Minister, John Major, and the Irish leader talked about a "proposal of peace to both governments".
Present day Northern Ireland is still under control of the United Kingdom. The British government's decision is that if there is a majority vote of Northern Ireland and the Irish Free States to become untited again, it will possibly happen.
Everything started when the British conquered the island after putting up with several fightbacks from Ireland. A lot of the island, especially in the North, was settled by Scottish and English protestants, leaving Ulster apart from the rest of Ireland. Most Catholics ruled over Ulster. Northern Ireland did not separate from the rest of Ireland until the Catholics and the Protestants divided into two warring camps because of the Irish Home Rule Bill in the early 20th Century. To show that they would oppose to any attempt to make the Home Rule, the protestants formed the UVF, or the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1913. From April 24 to April 29 of 1916, 400 people died and 2,500 were injured because of the rebels that the Irish Voleenters did to the British. The rebels were led by Patrick Pearse and James Connoly. They attacked the Dublin's General Post Office on an Easter Morning and the fight lasted for five days.
In December of 1920, the Govenmnet of Ireland Act divided Ireland into two Parliaments. One was made up of twenty-six counties in Dublin and the other was made up of six northern counties in Belfast. The people in Dublin were known as the Irish Free State and were given some independence. Belfast had to stay with the United Kingdom but they could still have their own parliament.
In January 1967 NICRA, Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, was formed because the UK had anti-Catholic laws. Then in March of 1968 the Civil Rights protest began. Since the British government could not take any more inconveniences, they forced the parliament to make minimal changes that did not meet the demands that the people gave during the Civil Rights movement.
During 1971,the Civil Rights Movement and the IRA kept attacking the British troops. On August 9th, 350 IRA members were arrested. Throughout the year, protests against the arrests continued. In 1972, the British Embassy was burnt. Bloody Sunday happened in the same year, January 30. Thirteen people died on the day and another one died later in the year, around June. Most of the people were between the ages 17 and 20. After the British Embassy was burnt, the British government decided to stop the Northern Ireland Government in March. As a result, the IRA reacted violently. In November of 1974 the IRA bombed Dublin, Monaghan, Guildford, Woolwich, and Birmingham, which is the British mainland. In the 1980's, a lot of the prisioners participated in hunger strikes. In December 15th of 1993, the British Prime Minister, John Major, and the Irish leader talked about a "proposal of peace to both governments".
Present day Northern Ireland is still under control of the United Kingdom. The British government's decision is that if there is a majority vote of Northern Ireland and the Irish Free States to become untited again, it will possibly happen.
