Sinn Féin

Historical case studies in reconciliation. Background to the Northern Ireland conflict After getting its independence from Britain, Ireland remained united with England, Wales as well as Scotland. When talking of the conflict in Northern Ireland, the division between Catholics and Protestants cannot be omitted. Historically, the Irish nation is a catholic nation. However, the citizens in North Ireland have ancestors who were Protestant immigrants from England and Scotland. Therefore, the…

The events that took place during the 1649 re-conquest of Ireland are perhaps some of the most controversial in Irish history. Popular history tells us that Oliver Cromwell was a genocidal maniac who led an army with the aim of wiping out the Irish population. Consequently, the name Oliver Cromwell still brings out negative emotions in Ireland today. Cromwell went to Ireland with the aim of seeking the loyalty of the population to the Westminster Parliament. Attacks on towns such as Drogheda…

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the subsequent provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) both existed based on British policies and involvement related to Irish Independence. The IRA of the early 1900s “fought an insurgency that successfully challenged British rule in the whole of Ireland” (Gregory, 2010), this challenge resulted in an agreement granting Irish Independence in 1921. Independence was agreed upon with a caveat that the 6 northern counties be retained by the British. This…

The Easter Rising took place from the 24th to the 29th of April 1916. Irish rebels garrisoned multiple locations in Dublin in an armed attempt to overthrow British rule and establish an independent Irish Republic. After five days of fighting the rebels unconditionally surrendered , a presumed successful retaliation by the British, but the essence of the rebellion changed the course of Irish history forever. In 1800 the Act of Union Bill was passed which united Great Britain and Ireland into the…

Evaluate to what extent the competing ideologies in 20th century Ireland could cause conflict. Firstly, contrasting ideologies are likely to cause conflict due to the differing nature of their key features. A key factor still contributing to the tension prevailing in Ireland today is the contrasting placement of loyalty between Unionists and Nationalists. Ulster Unionist, who comprise almost exclusively of Protestants, place their loyalty to the British government and have demonstrated their…

King John of England, also known as John Lackland, was born either in late 1166 or early 1167 at the Tower of London. He was the youngest son of Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Henry II, the latter controlling a ‘territory that stretched from the pyrenees in the south of France to the very borders of Scotland’. His father held considerable claims of territories at the time, and was part of a Royal House known as the Angevins. Due to the size of his controlled lands, they collectively became known…

In the wake of a bombing that lead to the loss of the innocent lives of two children, a song that called for peace, titled “Zombie”, was written. It was written and released by The Cranberries, an Irish punk rock band, in 1993—shortly after the Northern Irish militant group bombed a mall in Warrington. With moving lyrics and a unique style of singing, the song was a worldwide hit, bringing attention to the Ireland-England conflict. Its impact may have possibly aided in the peace that they sought…

Around hundred years after concerning Britain, the Normans came to Ireland. The Norman leader, Richard de Clare, came and defeated the Vikings and the Irish, and became the new king of Leinster. He began on what became the Norman rule, which spread across Ireland. The English was worried that the Normans in Ireland were becoming more Irish than the Irish, so they banned them from marrying into Irish families or speaking the Irish language. When king Henry VIII wanted a divorce he split from the…

The Irish Republican Army’s Struggle The IRA or Irish Republican Army. The IRA was founded in 1917 and their main goal was to unite Northern Ireland (which belongs to the UK) with Ireland. They tried to do this through suppression, violence and, assassinations to cause fear and panic. They usually targeted British governmental figures but have also targeted agents from British intelligence agencies like MI5 (Irish Republican Army And Censorship). In 1969, the IRA split into the Official IRA…

Patrick Pearse 1. Who was this leader (relevant biographical information)? Patrick Pearse was a key leader in the Easter Rising (Irish rebellion against British rule). He was an Irish man living in the late 1800s to early 1900s (1879-1916). (Green, http://www.ireland-information.com/articles/padraigpearse.htm) He was a nationalist and firmly believed that Ireland should be its own country. He was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (a group that wanted to use force to break the link…