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Index

I. Introduction

II. Main Part
1. Battle of Boyne 1st July, 1690
1.1 The Background of the Battle
1.2 The Happening
2. The Great Famine 1845-1851
2.1 Calamity of and consequences for the Irish population
3. Easter Rising 1916
3.1 The Planning/final Rising
3.2 Aftermath and Consequences
4. Irish War of Independence (Anglo-Irish War) 1919-1921
4.1 The Start and the Happening
4.2 The Agreement
5. The Troubles 1968-1998
5.1 The Beginning (1966)
5.1.1 Emergence of the Ulster Volunteer Force
5.2 Escalation - total violence
5.2.1 -1969: The Protestants' (Anglo-Irish/English people)
provocation on the 12-14th of August
5.3 Irish Republican Army (=IRA) and Sinn Fein's influence
5.3.1 Bloody Sunday
5.3.2 Hunger strikes
5.4 The Negotiations of the parties and the official end 1998

III. Conclusion

1. Statement
2. List of Literature
3. Annex
4. Clarification
I. Introduction

Do we still appreciate our country and all the rights we have? Not many people think about what our ancestors achieved for us.
Today the government, the political system in general, the liberty of every individual and the independence of countries wouldn't exist in that conformation without all the historical events that happened. People had to revolt against several sovereigns and fight for their rights and freedom to become independent. It was always a hard and long war and there are still some countries which are not completely independent. Such as one was and probably is Ireland (The Republic and Northern Ireland).

The demographically Ireland consists of four provinces. The three provinces Connaught (the West), Leinster (the East), Munster (the South) and three of the nine counties of Ulster (the North) belong to the Republic Ireland. The remaining six counties of Ulster belong to Northern Ireland.(foto von provinces)

Today are still some current conflicts and disputes in Northern Ireland between the Catholic Irish and Protestant Anglo-Irish population which they might never abolish till Northern Ireland is independent and united with the Republic of Ireland (which already became released from the claws of England). They don't fight with weapons and total violence anymore, but there is still no complete peace between Anglo-Irish and Irish men and women.

One or two decades ago there were big troubles going on in Northern Ireland. There were many violent situations that were brought upon the Irish and the Anglo-Irish that led to many deaths on both sides. The question is how could the situation escalate so much and this is why I am concerned with the topic "Northern Ireland and all its troubles in the past". In addition to that I am travelling to the Republic of Ireland since I

was 2 years old and I met several really nice and friendly people from the Republic of Ireland and also from Northern Ireland. This is when I became suspicious about how these people (and their ancestors) could have had such a bloody war in 1968-1998, so I decided to write about the historical development which led into "The Troubles".

At the beginning I will go back to where it all started1690: The Battle of Boyne and list the most important happenings till "The Troubles" and specify them. I will dwell on the "Big Famine", the "Easter Rising", the "Civil War" and finally I will specify "The Troubles".

II. Main Part

In 1169-71 the Normans started to take over Ireland under the command of Strongbow. The Anglo-Norman barons were independent and became so powerful that England lost its governance of Ireland except for the region around Dublin (known as "the pale").

In the 16th century Henry VIII feared a French or Spanish invasion detouring across Ireland, so he decided to take over Ireland again and made himself get elected by the government as the king of Ireland in 1541. The province Ulster was the last picket of the Irish and Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, tried to fight for his country, so he let supply plumb to produce bullets. Because of that determining action the Nine Years' War began (1594-1603). The Irish didn't give up, but Elisabeth I ultimately took over Ulster during the "Battle of Kinsale" in 1601.

1. Battle of Boyne 1st July, 1690

1.1 The Background of the Battle
The Irish Confederate Wars (also known as the "Eleven years War" - Irish: Cogadh na haon deag mbliana) was fought in Ireland between 1641 and 1653. That war affected Ireland. The Catholic-Irish and Anglo-Normans supported Charles I (King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1625 till 1649(execution)) who was opposed the Protestant Parliament and endorsed the "Divine Right of Kings, which was the belief that kings received their power from God"ˡ. The Monarchy was abolished and a republic was declared (called as the "Commonwealth of England).

The conflict in Ireland was virtually caused because of the Catholic-Irish and the Protestant-British settlers and their supporters in England and Scotland. It was mostly a religious conflict, which was about who would govern Ireland in the future.

However Oliver Cromwell was the winner and he betook to Ireland to make things better in 1649 with an army of 20000 men. After a brutal massacre in Drogheda (County Louth, province Leinster) he trekked through Ireland and left a trace of death. He was feared by everyone and some cities capitulated right a way when he approached. A lot of the Irish population lost their property and had to move to Connaught which was barrenly, many beggars were ambulating across Ireland and pest epidemics were everywhere. When Cromwell died the time of the republic of England was already over, the parties decided to go back to the monarchy and crowned Charles II. Ireland's situation improved with England's support and when Charles II died (1685) and the Catholic James II became the new King, the population expected even more improvements. He wanted to enforce religious tolerance, but because of the Church of England and the Tory Government (Conservative) he got into conflicts. Because of that the government invited William (James' son-in-law, Prince of Orange (Orange Order = Protestant), Protestant) and his wife Mary to England to ascend the throne in 1688. They inducted the constitutional monarchy (=the Monarch is appointed by the Government). After that happening James II fled to France, but went back to Ireland to reclaim the throne again (1689) - with the military. Nevertheless he didn't find anyone in England who would fight for him and neither in Scotland (except for a few), so he needed the Irish support.

1.2 The Happening
James II wanted to overcome William of Orange and ascend the throne again. The Irish Parliament admitted him as the King and gave the dispossessed land back to the Catholic proprietor. For this purpose James II beleaguered the city Derry in 1689, but after 15 unsuccessful weeks they raised the siege. Afterwards that failure the Catholic-Military's moral was winded and accordingly that happening William's troop leader (Marschall Schomberg) went to Ulster with 20000 men followed by William and his troops (mostly foreign freelancers) (total number: 36000). William's army was made up with English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, Danish and Huguenots (French Protestants) men (Williamites) and James men (Jacobites) were basically Irish Catholics, but strengthened by 6,500 French troops sent by King Louis XIV.

The time when James' enemies came together and joined each other, James II was settled inactive in Dublin.
On the 1st July 1690 was the final battle at the river "Boyne" - "The Battle of the Boyne". The Jacobites (25000 men) camped Southward and the Williamites Northward the river (36000 men). 10000 Williamites were sent to attempt a transit of the river at Rossnaree and when they arrived the Jacobites thought that it was their main attack and James II sent many man of his army to that place. Then the Williamites started their main attack and because 1300 Jacobites were posted in Drogheda, only 6000 were left at Oldbridge to confront 26,000 Williamites (more or less 1500 soldiers died). When James II got the message that the battle was lost he instructed Hamilton to stay on the field and stall the Williamite projection and commanded the drawback across the river Nanny at Duleek and carry on the war in the west of Shannon. Meanwhile that James went back to France.

The Battle of the Boyne was the decisive battle of the "Williamite War" (1689-91) and the beginning of the triumph of the Williamite (Protestant British) over the Jacobites (Catholic Irish). This battle was and basically is the foundation for the conflicts between Catholics (Irish) and Protestants (Anglo-Irish/English).

2. The Great Famine 1845-51

2.1 Calamity of and consequences for the Irish population
The famine entailed that Western Ireland was depopulated and approximately 1,5 million Irishmen died or emigrated to the USA or to Britain. The causes for that disaster are manifold. It started in 1601 when Ireland started to export corn, milk and other quality goods to England and potatoes became the dietary staple for the rapid-growing and very poor Irish population. A potato disease (called "potato blight") was caused in Ireland 1845 and it reiterated till 1851 in a vast extent and because the Irish ate mainly potatoes the disease had those terrible consequences. Nevertheless the disaster was encouraged because of the monoculture of Ireland. The time when the potato blight was going on the corn of high quality was still getting exported to England while the Irishmen vegetated with their potatoes. Moreover most of the landowners were Protestants (because of the anti-Irish rules in the 18th century) and not interested in the progress of their land (these people are called absentee landlords).

After that big famine the situation for the Irish Catholics who survived or didn't emigrate, improved. The number of average farmers increased, but principally the Catholics slowly regained their land again. "In 1870 just 3 % of Irish households were in possession of land. In 1916 the number increased to 64%."˛

Despite of the improvements and because of the huge misery, Irishmen look back to the big famine with enormous bitterness.
_____________________________
˛ Quotation: "Ireland" - Rolf Breuer
3. Easter Rising 1916

3.1 Background/the final Rising
The "Easter Rising" was fought from the 24th to 29th April in 1916 leaded by the organization "Irish Republican Brotherhood" (established in 1858) which wanted Ireland to become an independent and democratic Republic.

In 1913 the Home-Rule-Bill (Ireland could govern independently inside of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) was passed by the House of Commons, but not passed by the House of Lords. Nevertheless the bill would have been inured in 1914 because the decision of the House of Lords was just a delaying effect. Because of that fact the Unionists (the Anglo-Irish Protestants who wanted Ireland to be one union with the UK) began with the takeover of the 100,000-men-army in Northern Ireland with the result of the establishment of the "Irish Volunteers" (weaponed arm of the Irish Republican Brotherhood) by the Catholic Nationalists. In addition to that the "Irish Citizen Army"James Connoly(the weaponed arm of the established "Irish Labour Party") supported the Nationalists. The time when the First World War started, 1914, England awed that Germany could invade England across Ireland, so the already passed Home-Rule-Bill was delayed to the end of the war.

After the Irish got scent of that England wanted to get through the general conscription in Ireland, the IRB matured plans for a rebellion occur Easter 1916. Sir Roger Casement went to Berlin to purchase weapons and recruit prisoners of war, but when he left Germany with a submarine and went ashore in Western Ireland, he got arrested. Anyhow the Military Council decided to start the rebellion as scheduled on the 24th of April, Easter Monday. The rebellion wasn't well organized (no infrastructure) and because of treason and capture of Casement, Englishmen knew most of their plans and could assume when the rebellion would begin.

Easter Monday began (approximately 2000 men, led by Patrick Pearse, were and the rebels hoped that the rebellion in Dublin would motivate the remaining Irish population, so they tried to take over the Dublin Castle, Provincial government, but failed bitterly because of the mangling surprise effect. Their strategy already broke down in Ireland's capital because of missing communication. Nevertheless some snipers and small groups of men took over a few important places for example: the General Post Office. From that place on the men "proclaimed the Independence of Ireland and announced the establishment of a provisional government of the Irish Republic" (Damian Luby). In addition to that there were political differences between the two groups who organized the resistance movement against England. Patrick Pearse and his nationalistic orientated men didn't want to win, but wanted to set an example with their self-immolation. On the other hand James Connolly and his men (Irish Citizen Army) wanted a general social revolution.

Finally - after five days of fighting - England achieved the victory. 500 people died - thereof 300 civilians, 132 soldiers and police men and 76 rebels" (Rolf Breuer)

3.2 Aftermath and Consequences
Sixteen leading rebels - including James Connolly - got executed. That action of military authorities made the rebels to heroes just as Pearse wanted it to be. Ireland was indignant, America didn't countenance that and even people in England were shocked about how the situation escalated. After England's victory of the First World War they propagated for the right of self-determination of the peoples.

In Ireland arose a new militant national consciousness and when the First World War ended and the first free elections could be held, the Nationalistic Republican party Sinn Féin (ir. "Wir selbst") won. In January 1919 Sinn Féin's elected members ignored the parliamentary seat in Westminster and established their own Parliament in Dublin (called: Dáil Éireann "The Assembly of Ireland"). Then they confirmed the Declaration of Independence. The development of Ireland continued and the Irish Volunteers constituted to the IRA (=Irish Republican Army) in 1919. The new emerged parliament gave the IRA the order to revolt against the British troops in Ireland which led into the "War of Independence".

4. Irish War of Independence (Anglo-Irish War) 1919-1921

4.1 The Start and the Happening
In county Tipperary two policemen got shot dead in January 1919 which was the decisive action for the start of the Irish War of Independence (led by Michael Collins (1890-1922)). The war became bloody really quickly because the IRA had more than one rival; the "Royal Irish Constabulary", the "Auxiliaries" and the irregular "Black-and-Tans". Although the IRA consisted of just 3000 man and the British soldiers of 40,000 (plus 15,000 policemen and auxiliaries), they succeeded to sabotage the British heaps of times. Especially Terence MacSwiney (Lord Mayor of Cork), who died because of a hunger strike, and Michael Collins motivated the people and encouraged the war. Because the IRA operated invisibly and America's influence (America has a high population of Irishmen caused the Great Famine), England couldn't operate reckless and with violence to achieve determining successes against the IRA (during the period of the war "just" 700 people died). Therefore England supplied negotiations to the Irish rebels for the Independence in July 1921.

4.2 The Agreement
After a few months of negotiations in London, the Irish Delegation subscribed a Peace Agreement on the 6th of December 1921. That Agreement included that 26 Irish Counties become the full Independence and six Counties in the Province Ulster (mostly Protestant) should decide about their future on their own. Basically Collins and Griffith guided the negotiations on the Irish side. Although they knew that delegated men from the Dáil Éireann wouldn't accept the separation of Northern Ireland, they accepted the Agreement. That implied that the Unionists ruled Northern Ireland and different Republican Governments ruled Southern Ireland.

Guerilla

2. List of Literature

Books: - Irland (lonely planet)
- Nordirland, Klaus Stadler
- Geschichte Irlands, Jürgen Elvert
- Irland, Rolf Breuer
- Konflikt und Gewalt, herausgegeben von Reinhard Hermle

Homepages: - schwarzaufweiss.de/Irland/geschichte.htm
- iol.ie/~kevins/boyne/background.html
- members.dokom.de/fschulz/Sinnfein.htm
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Confederate_Wars
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_I_of_England
- battleoftheboyne.ie/thebattleoftheboyne
- 12travel.de/ie/information/battle-of-boyne.html

- irelandseye.com/aarticles/history/events/dates/homerule.shtm
- de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Casement
- iol.ie/~dluby/history.htm#Revolution
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williamite_War_in_Ireland
Pictures: - genuki.org.uk/big/Ireland.html