Troubles in Northern Ireland

The Sixties:

• Issues between Ireland and Northern Ireland began in 1922 when Northern Ireland was announced as independent from the Republic of Ireland and would be a part of the UK. Ireland was divided into 32 counties - 6 in the North and 26 in the South. 
• Those who supported union with Britain were called unionists and those who supported a united Ireland, nationalists. 
• There were also cultural differences between the North and South of Ireland. The North was mainly Protestant while the South mainly Catholic. In the North, Catholics were discriminated against in employment and housing. The   Parliament in Belfast was largely Protestant and also discriminated against Catholics, few could agree. Gerrymandering began which was a drawing out of consituencies in order to gain a majority. This led to the civil rights movement which began in 1964. 
• In 1967 NICRA (Northern Irish Civil Rights Association) was established, fighting for civil rights for the Catholics in Northern Ireland. Tensions rose as unionists believed that the IRA would start a new campaign. 
• In 1968, the first civil rights movement began to protest against discrimination. The RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) were sent in to break up the protests which furthered angered Catholic protestors. 
• In 1969, the situation worsended during the Apprentice Boys' annual procession when unionists were attacked by nationalists in the Catholic area of the Bogside. 
• Riots continued across Northern Ireland and in 1969, Harold Wilson deployed the British army there to keep the peace. 

The Seventies: 

• In 1971, Heath introduced internment for political prisoners to prevent the spread of terrorist acts. Internment mainly netted innocent Catholic protestors however, which caused discontent among Catholics and the IRA (which had split into two halves, split between the Provisional IRA and the Official IRA). 
• In 1971, protests against internment began. 
• In 1972, British troops opened fire on Catholic protestors who were protesting against internment. 14 were killed and the act only exacerbated the terrorist attacks of the IRA. 
• In 1972, Heath suspended Stormont Parliament and imposed direct rule from Westminster as well as employing Willie Whitelaw as secretary of state. 
• Issues continued developing so in 1973, Heath and Whitelaw negotiated the Sunningdale Agreement. This proposed a Northern Ireland Assembly with power shared between unionists and nationalists. The Assembly would be elected under proportional…