How to Read the History of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland, formed by the breakaway of predominantly Protestant northern counties of Ireland from the mostly Catholic Irish mainland, has a bloody and tumultuous history. Catholics and Protestants in the country have fought against each since its inception. Here's what to expect when you read about the history of Northern Ireland.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Study the formation of Northern Ireland. Sir Edward Carson, the Ulster Unionist leader, led the Ulster Volunteer Force against Dublin's rule in Northern Ireland's six counties. In 1921, Northern Ireland became a separate country and the first parliament session took place.
2. Read about escalating tension in the "Irish Free States." Michael Collins, the founder of the Free States (Northern Ireland), was assassinated by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), a group opposed to the split between northern and southern Ireland.
3. Note that Northern Ireland joined the Allied forces during World War II. The Republic of Ireland remained neutral.
4. Learn that the Irish Republican Army gained strength during the 1950s. The IRA continued to launch attacks in Ulster and throughout Northern Ireland. Unrest grew when poor Northern Irish Catholics protested for better living conditions in the predominantly Protestant country.
5. Find out that British troops were sent to Northern Ireland in 1969. Due to escalating violence between Catholics and Protestants, British soldiers protected the Catholics from attacks. However, the presence of British forces soon becomes a point of resentment for many Northern Irish and the IRA killed several British officers.
6. Discover that the early 1970s brought more violence to Northern Ireland. The day known as "Bloody Sunday" occurred in January 1972 in London when 13 Catholic protesters were killed by members of Britain's Parachute Regiment. Violence continued intermittently to the late 1990s, until the IRA disarmed in the early 2000s.