northern ireland
The struggle for peace in Northern Ireland is not a new concept, for the past four hundred years the Catholics have continued to battle the Protestants for the land, which was taken from them so long ago. Despite the war's longevity, the twentieth century has, for the most part, seen the worst of the conflict. The civil wars and guerrilla tactics of the 1900's produced much bloodshed and have further divided the people of Northern Ireland. Leaving one to believe that an agreement may never be reached, but a settlement between the two sides is imperative if we are to ensure a global peace in the new Millennium. However, how can peace be reached in a country where children grow up learning to hate their neighbours, witnessing acts of senseless brutality in the streets, living in a country so hostile, so divided? Truth-be-told, the chances of these two sides coming to any kind of agreement in the near future are bleak. Peace is unlikely in a country with a history filled with su!Prior to British rule, Ireland had been a peaceful country, but in 1541 Henry VIII had himself declared 'King of Ireland" and the peace began to dwindle. In 1543, he made the Church of England independent from the Pope in Rome leavi
The Industrial Revolution of the 1800's further divided the two sides because those that benefited were the British and Irish Protestants while the Catholics suffered. Protestants owned the factories and businesses, hiring mostly Protestants, leaving the Catholics without jobs. If a Catholic was lucky enough to find work, "he was paid less, and was the first to be fired." In hopes of finding work, Catholics were forced to leave their farms and head to the cities. Unfortunately, there were few jobs and good housing was far too expensive. This further separated the Protestants and Catholics, as the Catholics were forced to move into "substandard housing in neighbourhoods separate from the wealthier Protestant communities." Catholics blamed the Protestants for their poor living conditions, and Protestants were unable to identify with the Catholics and their problems because Protestants, also known as Unionists and Loyalists, were of a higher class. This segregated separation is! - The calling of free elections to an all-Ireland Constitutional Conference to agree upon a new constitution and national system of government Between 1980 and 1981 members of the IRA participated in hunger strikes to attract political attention and campaign. These members were in prison and felt they needed to attract attention to their cause, and did so by starving themselves to death. Bobby Sand, a veteran IRA soldier was the first and most famous hunger striker. He "died after fasting for 50 days in prison." There were two separate hunger strikes, killing 10 Catholic prisoners in total. The hunger strikes gained serious attention in not only Ireland, but also world-wide. - British disengagement from the six provinces ng most Irish, who claimed allegiance to the Pope, angry and struggling to accept their new leadership. This, along with the growing amount of Protestant power, led to a rebellion in 1641 against English and Scottish immigrants in Ulster. England was seeking only to expand their empire, caring little for the rightful inhabitants of the land, the Irish Catholics. In 1642, Oliver Cromwell confiscated Catholic land, giving it to British settlers and soldiers. By 1665, the Protestants made up 1/3 of the population, but owned 4/5 of the land. On July 12, 1690, William of Orange defeated the Irish Catholics, led by James II, in the Battle of the Boyne. This Protestant victory marked the beginning of secure Protestant power in Ireland, a power that they ha! The IRA is not the only group to attack civilians. Sectarians (Unionists) also rebel against the opposite side in this heated conflict. "On October 25, 2000, a number of Protestant men attacked a Catholic workman, shooting him repeatedly." Later that day "Catholic schoolchildren travelling home from Rathmore Grammar School narrowly escaped injury when their bus was attacked by a stone throwing gang." These are typical events, occurring on a daily basis in Northern Ireland. These guerrilla groups do not care who they harm, as long as it is someone from the opposite side. The situation in Northern Ireland has affected society as a whole due largely to Irelands relation with Britain. Because Ireland falls under British rule, the IRA often strikes targets in England, hoping to send a message to the British Government. In doing so, the IRA is bombing civilian areas, particularly in London where many visitors from all over t
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Approximate Word count = 2288
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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