The Troubles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Troubles |
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 A map of the island of Ireland, showing Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. |
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| Belligerents | ||||||||
State security forces:
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Irish republican paramilitaries:
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Ulster loyalist paramilitaries:
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| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
| Security Forces Killed: 1,060 | Republican Paramilitaries Killed: 368 | Loyalist Paramilitaries Killed: 162 | ||||||
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The Troubles was a period of conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years, from the late 1960s to 1998. It is also known as the Northern Ireland conflict. The conflict was mainly about whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom or join with the Republic of Ireland.
The two main sides in the conflict were:
- Unionists and loyalists, who were mostly Protestant. They wanted Northern Ireland to stay in the United Kingdom.
- Irish nationalists and republicans, who were mostly Catholic. They wanted Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and become part of a united Ireland.
Although the two sides were often identified by their religion, the conflict was mainly a political and national one, not a religious war. The Troubles officially ended with a peace agreement called the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Contents
Why Did the Conflict Happen?
A Divided History
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The roots of the conflict go back hundreds of years. In the 1600s, many Protestant settlers from England and Scotland were given land in the province of Ulster. This was known as the Plantation of Ulster. This created two communities with different backgrounds and beliefs living side-by-side. Over time, these two groups often came into conflict.
For centuries, Ireland was ruled by Britain. Many Irish people wanted independence, while others, especially Protestants in Ulster, wanted to remain part of Britain.
The Partition of Ireland
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In 1921, Ireland was divided into two parts. The larger part became the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland), an independent country. Six counties in the north, which had a Protestant and unionist majority, became Northern Ireland and remained part of the United Kingdom.
This division, known as partition, was supported by unionists. However, nationalists were very unhappy with it. They now found themselves as a minority in a new state that they did not want to be part of.
Unfair Treatment
From the 1920s to the 1960s, the government of Northern Ireland was controlled by unionists. During this time, many Catholics and nationalists felt they were treated unfairly. They faced discrimination in jobs, housing, and voting. For example, electoral boundaries were drawn to give unionists more political power, a practice known as gerrymandering. The police force, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), was also over 90% Protestant.
The Start of the Troubles (Late 1960s)
The Civil Rights Movement
In the mid-1960s, a civil rights movement began. Inspired by the civil rights movement in the United States, they demanded an end to discrimination against Catholics. They organised peaceful marches and protests to call for:
- An end to unfairness in jobs and housing.
- Fair voting rights for everyone ("one man, one vote").
- Changes to the police force.
Violence Breaks Out
Many unionists and loyalists were suspicious of the civil rights movement. They feared it was a secret plan to bring about a united Ireland. They held counter-protests, and some marches were attacked.
Tensions grew, and in August 1969, major riots broke out in Derry (during the Battle of the Bogside) and Belfast. The RUC struggled to control the situation. The British government decided to send the British Army to Northern Ireland to restore order. At first, many Catholics welcomed the army, hoping they would be a neutral force. However, this feeling did not last long.
The Most Difficult Years (1970s)
Paramilitary Groups
As the violence worsened, armed groups, known as paramilitary groups, became more active on both sides.
- On the republican side, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) began a campaign of bombings and shootings. Their main targets were the British Army, the RUC, and important buildings.
- On the loyalist side, groups like the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defence Association (UDA) also carried out attacks. They often targeted ordinary Catholics in what they called "retaliation" for IRA attacks.
"Peace walls" were built in Belfast and other cities to separate Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods and stop the fighting. Many of these walls still stand today.
Bloody Sunday (1972)
On 30 January 1972, a key event known as Bloody Sunday took place in Derry. During a banned civil rights march, British soldiers shot and killed 13 unarmed male civilians. Another man died later from his injuries. This event caused great anger in the nationalist community and led many young men to join the IRA. It made the conflict much worse.
Direct Rule
The situation in Northern Ireland became so unstable that in March 1972, the British government suspended the Northern Ireland Parliament at Stormont. Instead, Northern Ireland was governed directly from London. This was known as "direct rule".
The Conflict Continues (1980s)
The Hunger Strikes
In the late 1970s, the British government decided that paramilitary prisoners should be treated as ordinary criminals, not as political prisoners. This led to protests inside the prisons.
In 1981, republican prisoners in the Maze prison began a hunger strike. Ten prisoners, led by Bobby Sands, starved themselves to death. While on hunger strike, Sands was elected as a Member of the British Parliament. The hunger strikes attracted worldwide attention and gained a lot of support for the republican cause.
Politics and "The Long War"
The IRA continued its campaign of violence, which it called the "Long War". One of its most famous attacks was the Brighton hotel bombing in 1984, which was an attempt to kill British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her government.
At the same time, the political party linked to the IRA, Sinn Féin, began to take part in elections more seriously. Led by figures like Gerry Adams, they started to win votes and seats, showing that republicans could use politics as well as violence to achieve their goals.
The Peace Process (1990s)
Ceasefires
By the early 1990s, many people on all sides were tired of the violence. Secret talks began between political leaders, the British and Irish governments, and even paramilitary groups to find a peaceful way forward.
In 1994, the IRA announced a "complete cessation of military operations," or a ceasefire. Six weeks later, the main loyalist paramilitary groups also announced a ceasefire. Although the IRA later broke its ceasefire for a short time, the move towards peace had begun.
The Good Friday Agreement
After years of talks, a major breakthrough came in 1998. On 10 April, a peace deal known as the Good Friday Agreement (or Belfast Agreement) was signed. The main points of the agreement were:
- A new government for Northern Ireland where unionists and nationalists would share power.
- The people of Northern Ireland would decide its future. It would remain in the UK as long as a majority wished.
- Paramilitary groups had to decommission (give up) their weapons.
- The RUC was reformed and renamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The agreement was put to a vote in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and it was approved by a large majority in both.
Life After the Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement did not solve all of Northern Ireland's problems. Some smaller paramilitary groups, known as dissident republicans and loyalists, rejected the agreement and continued to cause violence, like the Omagh bombing in 1998. Tensions between the two communities still exist, and society remains divided in many areas.
However, the agreement marked the end of the main conflict. It brought a lasting peace and created a new way for people with different views to work together for the future of Northern Ireland.
The Human Cost of the Conflict
The Troubles had a terrible impact on the people of Northern Ireland. Over 3,500 people were killed, and more than 47,000 were injured. The victims included civilians, police officers, soldiers, and members of paramilitary groups. Many more people were affected by the violence in their daily lives, and the conflict left deep scars on society that are still healing today.
Images for kids
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The Ulster Covenant was signed in 1912 by people who were against Home Rule for Ireland.
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The Proclamation of the Irish Republic was read out during the Easter Rising of 1916.
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Sir James Craig, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
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A meeting of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), a republican paramilitary group.
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Police officers inspect the van used by the IRA in a 1991 attack on 10 Downing Street.
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The damage caused by the Docklands bombing in London in 1996.
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An Orangemen's parade in Bangor on the Twelfth of July.
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A heavily fortified RUC base in Crossmaglen, a sign of the high level of conflict in the area.
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A "peace line" built to separate communities in Belfast.
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A peace line in Belfast in 2010. Many of these walls are still in place.
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A chart showing who was responsible for the deaths during the Troubles.
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A map showing where deaths occurred during the Troubles.
See also
In Spanish: Conflicto norirlandés para niños
