The Politics of Northern Ireland

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

The Politics of Unionism in Northern Ireland Dominic Bryan The British Isles • Settlers - Plantations in 16th- and 17th-century Ireland • 18th Century: Loyalty, Protestantism and Orangeism • Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland • Act of Union 1800: the idea of a United Kingdom • The landed class and industrial class and a working class • The empire, the bible and the crown • The Irish Unionist Party • The Orange Order • Identity: Britishness – Irishness – Ulster Origins of Unionism • Also the Official Unionist Party or simply the Unionist Party • Derived from the Irish Unionist Party in 19th Century • Foundation – the Ulster Unionist Council of 1905 • Key role of the Orange Order • The role of the gentry and upper-class • Edward Carson, James Craig and the UVF • 1921 – Northern Ireland • Prime Ministers: Craig, Andrews, Brooke, O’Neil and Chichester-Clarke and Faulkner. • Northern Ireland – a study in political control • Ian Paisley and Civil Rights Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) • 1972: The end of Stormont • 1973: splits over the Sunningdale Agreement • Faulkner v Harry West • 1974: Vanguard and the United Ulster Unionist Council • Leader James Molyneaux 1979-1995 • Anglo Irish Agreement • 1995 – 2005 David Trimble and the Belfast Agreement • Division and Defeat. • Leadership of Sir Reg Empey and Mike Nesbitt • Leadership of Robin Swan Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) • Ian Paisley – life and times • 1966 -1971 The Protestant Unionist Party • More Unionist, more Protestant and more working class • Growth in popularity in 1980’s and 1990’s • Staunch opposition to the 1998 Agreement – No talking to terrorists! • Took there seats in Government • 2007: Largest Party in Assembly • First Minister • Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) • Cross community and anti-sectarian • Unionist with a small ‘u’ • Broke from the UUP in 1970 • Oliver Napier • 173: 13% of the vote for a Northern Ireland Assembly • 1987 – John Alderdice as leader • Squeeze of the ‘centre ground’. • David Ford stood down last year for Naomi Long Alliance Party (APNI) Since the 1970s Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party (splinter from UUP) United Ulster Unionist Party (Splinter from Vanguard) Unionist Party of Northern Ireland Ulster Popular Unionist Party PUP United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP) Northern Ireland Unionist Party (defectors from the UKUP) UDP – UPRG Conservative Party United Unionist Coalition NI21 United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Traditional Unionist Voice - Jim Allister OTHERS • The Orange Order • The Loyal Orders • Commemoration • Marching Bands • Bonfires • Football faith and flute • Paramilitaries – UVF, UDA, Red Hand Commando Protestantism, Unionism, and Loyalism (PUL).

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Reclaiming Titanic
Students in Mercy Mission RECLAIMING to Africa TITANIC Career in Crisis? Queen’s people at the heart of Belfast’s rebirth How we support our graduates Innovation in our DNA Queen’s is changing society for the better PLUS: UNIVERSITY NEWS, MY TIME AT QUEEN’S, CLASS NOTES, SPORT 2 The Graduate 2011 Welcome To The Graduate Welcome to the Education Centre, which aims to reinvigorate our 2011 edition of The economy by offering exceptional programmes. The Graduate Magazine. Riddel Hall Founders’ Club, set up by the Development and Alumni Relations Office, connects companies from It is important to keep across Northern Ireland who together have pledged you, our Alumni, over £1m in support of the project. You can read more informed about what about this on page 44. is going on at Queen’s. We are proud of our I would also like to welcome this year’s graduates to exceptional University our family of over 100,000 alumni. The Development and we hope you share and Alumni Relations Office is your link to Queen’s and this pride! we want to make this network beneficial for you. For example, new graduates who are uncertain about their It has been an exciting future career path should turn to page 14 and read year. Our world-class Belfast Telegraph journalist John Laverty’s article on the research has gained support available from the Queen’s University Careers significant media Employability and Skills Service. coverage. In our Innovation feature, starting on page 19, you can read about a scientific breakthrough Along with all your favourite regular columns such as in the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis that will make a Class Notes, My time at Queen’s and our Book Review huge difference to the quality of life for CF sufferers page, we hope that The Graduate lives up to the high globally.
[Show full text]
Too Chicken for a Referendum!
Too chicken for a referendum! The European Parliament, in a keynote debate, arrogance the EU's political elite believed the has discussed the Lisbon Treaty and given the people would be conned by their propaganda Parliament's verdict. Predictably, the Europhile about the Constitution. Suddenly, when the majority prevailed by 525 votes to 115. Jim people caught them on, they ran with their tail Allister MEP used the debate to again demand a between their legs, and they've been running Referendum in the UK. Mr Allister also took part ever since, petrified that the voters would in a demonstration at the Parliament by British reject them again. Eurosceptic MEPS, who wore shirts emblazoned with "Too Chicken for a That is why the key focus of the Referendum" - a message directed last 3 years has been on hatching at the British Government. an inter-governmental conspiracy to foist this Constitution on the In the course of his speech the peoples of Europe, without daring Traditional Unionist MEP said:- "I to ask them their opinion. Such reject this Report and the Treaty arrogance, such tyranny; fitting, which it supports. of course, because this Constitution is all about providing Before the French and Dutch more and more national power to referenda we heard much empty Brussels despots. Those who are talk in this House about the will of indeed "Too chicken for a the people. Why, because in their Referendum!" Statement on Paisley Junior's resignation “Welcome and overdue as the resignation of Ian policy is reversed, the DUP’s decline will Paisley Junior is, an event, no doubt, accelerated continue.” by the Dromore result, it will not be enough to redeem the DUP with the Unionist electorate.
[Show full text]
Previous Attempts to Bring Peace to Northern Ireland Have Failed. What Problems Need to Be Overcome So Devolution and Peace Can Succeed in Northern Ireland?
Previous attempts to bring peace to Northern Ireland have failed. What problems need to be overcome so devolution and peace can succeed in Northern Ireland? So what are the problems? Paramilitaries – Loyalist and Republican terrorists are fighting a war against each other. Unionist and Nationalist politicians find it hard to discuss peace when the other side is killing their people. Partition – Both sides want different things. Nationalists want a Free and independent Ireland. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK. British and Irish governments – There was a great deal of mistrust between Dublin and London until 1985. Distrust – Unionists/Protestants and Nationalists/Catholics do not trust each other. Economic and Social problems. Poor schooling, housing and amenities need investment. Who gets the investment first. High Unemployment is caused by lack of companies and businesses willing to invest in Northern Ireland whilst the Troubles continue. America was funding the IRA and Sinn Fein. Weapon decommissioning and the end of violence. The arrest and detainment of innocent Catholics. Orange Marches and RUC seen as offensive to Nationalists. Civil Rights. Different opinions amongst the Unionists and Nationalists. DUP vs UUP. Sinn Fein vs SDLP. Obstacles to Peace - Politics During the Troubles, the media reports of bombs and shootings gave people outside Northern Ireland the impression that Northern Ireland was a war zone. It seemed to have no normal life and no normal politics either. This was not the case. There were 'normal' political parties in Northern Ireland, and most people supported them. All the parties had views and policies relating to a wide range of 'normal' issues such as education, health care and housing.
[Show full text]
Identity, Authority and Myth-Making: Politically-Motivated Prisoners and the Use of Music During the Northern Irish Conflict, 1962 - 2000
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Queen Mary Research Online Identity, authority and myth-making: Politically-motivated prisoners and the use of music during the Northern Irish conflict, 1962 - 2000 Claire Alexandra Green Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 1 I, Claire Alexandra Green, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other Intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of the thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: Date: 29/04/19 Details of collaboration and publications: ‘It’s All Over: Romantic Relationships, Endurance and Loyalty in the Songs of Northern Irish Politically-Motivated Prisoners’, Estudios Irlandeses, 14, 70-82. 2 Abstract. In this study I examine the use of music by and in relation to politically-motivated prisoners in Northern Ireland, from the mid-1960s until 2000.
[Show full text]
Bb October 06
Allister welcomes Victims Commissioner to Brussels DUP MEP Jim Allister held talks with Interim Victims Commissioner, Mrs Bertha McDougall, in Brussels recently during a visit by her to the EU Institutions. Mr Allister said, "I was pleased to see the Commissioner in Brussels promoting the interests of victims. As the voice of the victims it is important that she be heard here, as elsewhere. Funding, of course, is a key issue. Such limited funding which there has been for victims from the PEACE Programme is fast reducing as the total PEACE fund shrinks to a mere 26M pa from 2007. Core funding from Government is the answer, with long term commitment to making a difference for those who suffered the most during the relentless terrorist campaign. I had a very useful discussion with the Commissioner on the various funding options. Europe has a special, though limited fund, for victims. Naturally, we explored how this could be exploited and, also, how the lead taken in Northern Ireland in having a Victims Commissioner could be used as a template elsewhere in Europe. Clearly, there are parallels between the suffering in Northern Ireland and the ETA-inflicted terrorism in Spain. It is also important that a legitimate distinction is maintained between innocent victims and those who would claim victimhood from their own involvement in violent insurrection. To me there is no commonality between the family of a policeman murdered in the line of duty and the terrorist lawfully killed by the security forces or imprisoned for his crimes. Some would wish to equate their status.
[Show full text]
NATIONAL ARCHIVES IRELAND Reference Code: 2014/105/745
NATIONAL ARCHIVES IRELAND Reference Code: 2014/105/745 Creation Date(s): 3 August 1984 Extent and medium: 11 pages Creator(s): Department of the Taoiseach Access Conditions: Open Copyright: National Archives, Ireland. May only be reproduced with the written permission of the Director of the National Archives. • Mer.tinr.:;r·lpf't1nr; bctv~ecnbetv.'ecn thethe Govc:rnmc11t.Govc: rnmCt lt. a.ncla.nd thethe> /\JJ1&nci::flJ J 1unc~ JJ'[JI[jrtyrty' u.~eu~U~eu~; ;tt J) 9c11 98 1 1 Prt:sc11tPrescnt onon thethe GovernmentGovcrnment sideside were:were: TheThe TaoiseachTaoiseach Dr.Dr. GarretGarret FitzGerald,FitzGerald, T.D.,T.D., TheThe Tanaiste,Tanaiste, Mr.Mr. DickDick Spring,Spring, T.D.T.D. TheThe MinisterMinister forfor ForeignForeign Affairs,Affairs, Mr.Mr. PeterPeter BarryBarry T.D.,T.D., accompaniedaccompanied byby Mr.Mr. WalterWaIter KirwanKirwan DepartmentDepartment ofof thethe TaoiseachTaoiseac}l andand MessrsMessrs Lillis,Lilli8, BurkeBurke andand 00 Ccallaigh,Ceallaigh, DepartmentDepartment ofof ForeignForeign •• Affairs.Affairs. TheThe AllianceAlliance PartyParty DelegationDelegation consistedconsisted of:of: TheThe PartyParty Leader,Leader, M~.M~. OliverOliver NapierNapier Mr.Mr. DavidDavid Cook, DeputyDeputy LeaderLeader Mr.Mr . John Cushnahan, Chief Whip,vlhip, Mr. Seamus Close, The Party Chairman, Mrs. Jane Copeland and Party Secretary, Mrs. Susan Edgar. , The meeting started at 12.30 and concluded at 4.00. The substantive discussions took place over the lunch table without adjourning to the Conference Room. The Taoiseach opened the discussions by saying that the situation in Northern Ireland has changed significantly and that 40% of thethe nationalist vote now goes toto Sinn Fein. There , . is withinwithin thethe nationalistnationalist community an element which could swingswing eithereither toto thethe SDLPSDLP oror SinnSinn Fein.Fein.
[Show full text]
Northern Ireland and South Africa: "Hope and History at a Crossroads" Padraig O'malley University of Massachusetts Boston, [email protected]
University of Massachusetts Boston ScholarWorks at UMass Boston John M. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Global Studies Publications Studies 3-2000 Northern Ireland and South Africa: "Hope and History at a Crossroads" Padraig O'Malley University of Massachusetts Boston, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.umb.edu/mccormack_pubs Part of the Peace and Conflict Studies Commons Recommended Citation O'Malley, Padraig, "Northern Ireland and South Africa: "Hope and History at a Crossroads"" (2000). John M. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies Publications. Paper 27. http://scholarworks.umb.edu/mccormack_pubs/27 This Occasional Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. It has been accepted for inclusion in John M. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies Publications by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. For more information, please contact [email protected]. .The John W McCormack Institute of Public Affairs Northern Ireland and South Africa: "Hope and History at a Crossroads" - •••••••••••••••••••• ) 'by Padraig O'Malley - . March2000 Northern Ireland and South Africa: "Hope and History at a Crossroads" by Padraig O'Malley March 2000 Northern Ireland and South Africa: "Hope and History at a Crossroads" Padraig O'Malley Your truth that lacks the warmth of lies, the ability to compromise. John Hewitt Whenever things threatened to fall apart during our negotiations - and they did on many occasions - we would stand back and remind ourselves that if negotiations broke down the outcome would be a blood bath of unimaginable proportions, and that after the blood bath we would have to sit down again and negotiate with each other.
[Show full text]
WORSHAM-DOCUMENT-2019.Pdf
Democracy and the Fallacy of the Post-Conflict Era in Northern Ireland The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Worsham, Nicole A. 2019. Democracy and the Fallacy of the Post- Conflict Era in Northern Ireland. Master's thesis, Harvard Extension School. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:42004239 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA Democracy and the Fallacy of the Post -Conflict Era in Northern Ireland Nicole A. Worsham A Thesis in the Field of International Relations for the Degree of Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies Harvard University May 2019 © 2019 Nicole A. Worsham Abstract While Northern Ireland has experienced a period of relative peace since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, entrenched, age-old tensions persist between those of opposing political persuasions, and between those of different religions. Those tensions continue to manifest themselves in ways which disprove the notion that Northern Ireland is in a post-conflict era. Further, demographic shifts, social changes, and external pressures make the status quo in Northern Ireland untenable. Profound uncertainty over Brexit now threatens the structure and foundation of government, and, perhaps of more immediate concern, the devolved local Executive and Assembly of Northern Ireland have collapsed, with little evidence that local government may be restored in the near term.
[Show full text]
Non-Nationalist Politics in a Bi-National Consociation: the Case of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
1 Non-nationalist politics in a bi-national consociation: the case of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland David Mitchell Trinity College Dublin at Belfast Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 24:3, 1-12. 2018 Through a case study of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, this article examines the contention that consociational power-sharing, in its determination to include dominant and conflicting identity groups, exalts these identities and excludes others including gender, class and other ethnicities and nationalities. The article describes and assesses the Alliance Party’s arguments that the power-sharing arrangements in Northern Ireland are philosophically objectionable, practically ineffective, and politically detrimental to parties which, like Alliance, are designated as ‘others’. The article finds that the party’s critique of consociationalism as implemented in Northern Ireland is overstated and that the party has been able to play a number of pivotal roles in the new politics. Northern Ireland’s Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is one of the most studied consociational settlements.1 The 1998 accord (hereafter ‘the Agreement’) appeared to enable the region’s transition out of decades of political violence and exclusion, making Northern Ireland, for many analysts, “the key confirming case for consociational theory”.2 However, the Agreement has also faced an array of academic, political and civil society detractors, many of whom have focussed on the specific criticism of consociational power-sharing which is the subject of this special section: that in its determination to include the dominant and conflicting national identity groups, consociationalism exalts these identities and excludes others, including gender, class and other ethnicities and nationalities.3 This article examines the ‘exclusion amid inclusion dilemma’ through the case study of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.
[Show full text]
Political Constructions of a Cross-Community Identity in a Divided Society
Edinburgh Research Explorer Political constructions of a cross-community identity in a divided society Citation for published version: McNicholl, K 2017, 'Political constructions of a cross-community identity in a divided society: How politicians articulate Northern Irishness', National Identities, pp. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/14608944.2017.1312325 Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.1080/14608944.2017.1312325 Link: Link to publication record in Edinburgh Research Explorer Document Version: Peer reviewed version Published In: National Identities Publisher Rights Statement: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in National Identities on 27 Apr 2017, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14608944.2017.1312325. General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Edinburgh Research Explorer is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The University of Edinburgh has made every reasonable effort to ensure that Edinburgh Research Explorer content complies with UK legislation. If you believe that the public display of this file breaches copyright please contact [email protected] providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 27. Sep. 2021 Political Constructions of a Cross-Community Identity in a Divided Society: How Politicians Articulate Northern Irishness. A shared identity has been shown to reduce prejudice between conflicting social groups. One such common national category is the ‘Northern Irish’ identity which can be inclusive of both Catholics and Protestants.
[Show full text]
OFFICIAL REPORT (Hansard)
Committee for Finance and Personnel OFFICIAL REPORT (Hansard) Defamation Act 2013: Briefing from Mike Nesbitt MLA on Proposed Private Member’s Bill 26 June 2013 NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY Committee for Finance and Personnel Defamation Act 2013: Briefing from Mike Nesbitt MLA on Proposed Private Member’s Bill 26 June 2013 Members present for all or part of the proceedings: Mr Daithí McKay (Chairperson) Mrs Judith Cochrane Mr Leslie Cree Ms Megan Fearon Mr Paul Girvan Mr John McCallister Mr Adrian McQuillan Mr Peter Weir Witnesses: Mr Mike Nesbitt MLA Northern Ireland Assembly Mr Brian Garrett The Chairperson: I welcome to the meeting Mike Nesbitt MLA and Mr Brian Garrett, a solicitor. Mike, do you want to make some opening comments? Mr Mike Nesbitt (Northern Ireland Assembly): Thank you, Chair. On behalf of Brian, I make a plea that everyone speaks up a little. First of all, thank you very much for your time and for the Committee interest in this issue. I begin by declaring an interest with regard to Paul Tweed, whom I know socially and professionally. I hope that that will not change because we appear to be on different sides of the fence on this, although I am not sure that we are that far apart. As he said towards the conclusion of his evidence, it is virtually impossible to get satisfaction under the current regime here, so it seems to me that it may not be a question of whether we should change the law on defamation in this jurisdiction but how we change it. I think that perhaps that is the issue.
[Show full text]
LIST of POSTERS Page 1 of 30
LIST OF POSTERS Page 1 of 30 A hot August night’ feauturing Brush Shiels ‘Oh no, not Drumcree again!’ ‘Sinn Féin women demand their place at Irish peace talks’ ‘We will not be kept down easy, we will not be still’ ‘Why won’t you let my daddy come home?’ 100 years of Trade Unionism - what gains for the working class? 100th anniversary of Eleanor Marx in Derry 11th annual hunger strike commemoration 15 festival de cinema 15th anniversary of hunger strike 15th anniversary of the great Long Kesh escape 1690. Educate not celebrate 1969 - Nationalist rights did not exist 1969, RUC help Orange mob rule 1970s Falls Curfew, March and Rally 1980 Hunger Strike anniversary talk 1980 Hunger-Strikers, 1990 political hostages 1981 - 1991, H-block martyrs 1981 H-block hunger-strike 1981 hunger strikes, 1991 political hostages 1995 Green Ink Irish Book Fair 1996 - the Nationalist nightmare continues 20 years of death squads. Disband the murderers 200,000 votes for Sinn Féin is a mandate 21st annual volunteer Tom Smith commemoration 22 years in English jails 25 years - time to go! Ireland - a bright new dawn of hope and peace 25 years too long 25th anniversary of internment dividedsociety.org LIST OF POSTERS Page 2 of 30 25th anniversary of the introduction of British troops 27th anniversary of internment march and rally 5 reasons to ban plastic bullets 5 years for possessing a poster 50th anniversary - Vol. Tom Williams 6 Chontae 6 Counties = Orange state 75th anniversary of Easter Rising 75th anniversary of the first Dáil Éireann A guide to Irish history
[Show full text]