Causes of the Northern Ireland Conflict

Chapter

4

Deep Irish Hatred for the British

Religious Differences

Employment Opportunities

Allocation of Public Housing

4Causes

of Conflict

Deep Irish Hatred for the British

1

English invaded Ireland since

12th century

Brought settlersfrom Scotland and England who were Protestants to settle down

Occupied the northern part of the island

Chased the Irish people, who were Catholics, further South where the land was less fertile

Introduced laws which limited the poorer Irish from owning properties, lands, joining the army and religious restrictions

1690Battle of the Boyne

LINKCatholics and Protestants saw each other as enemies since historical times.

Constant attempts by the Catholics to demand for independence for Ireland.

Religious Differences

2

Catholics lived mainly in the Southern part of Ireland.

Protestants lived mainly in the Northern part of Ireland.

Originally

Ireland became independent.

However, the Northern part became Northern Ireland

and remained as part of United Kingdom.

Irish in Northern Ireland 1. saw themselves as Catholics 2. wanted Northern Ireland to have a union with Ireland.

Protestants preferred Northern Ireland to remain within United Kingdom.

For they fear of being a religious minority in a united Ireland.

LINKCatholics and Protestants are divided and cannot see themselves as part of the same country.

EmploymentOpportunities

3

Catholics were as qualified as Protestants but had less employment opportunities.

Catholics were

times more likely to be jobless than Protestants.

Most business owners were Protestants.Many government-controlled jobs and private companies preferred to employ Protestants.

LINKCatholics felt discriminated.Well-paid jobs were given to Protestants.

Catholics remained poorer.

Violence could easily occur when the Catholics felt that they were disadvantaged.

Allocation of Public Housing

4

Public housing paid by government given mostly to Protestants.

%

of public housing given to Protestants

%

of population were Protestants.

Catholics found their applications were delayed and those who got the houses had poorer facilities.

LINKCatholics became frustrated and had to wait longerto get houses.

Catholics realised that they did not have equal rights to get public housing.

Catholics felt unfair which caused them to turn to violence.

Peaceful means such as protest marches and debates in Parliament had failed to give them the equal rights to housing