The Troubles - Northern Ireland 1979-199

situation in NI by 1979

• removal of Special Category Status for prisoners from 1976 - increased tensions, drove up IRA recruitment

• attempts at compromise fell through - Sunningdale in 1974, NICC 1976

• Direct military involvement from Britain with no foreseeable exit strategy

Hunger strikes dates

1980-81, lasted 53 days

Hunger Strikes details

• led by Bobby Sands, IRA member serving 14 years in prison

• campaigned for reinstating Special Category Status

• Sands became a Sinn Fein MP for South Tyrone at the same time

• died at 27 - a martyr to the cause

• 9 more strikers died, called off

Hunger strike significance - for Thatcher

• IRA defeat - did not achieve aim

• phyrric victory for Thatcher - condemned by IRA seen as heartless, a hate figure for Republicans - ‘crime is crime is crime’

• strikers appeared as heroes and martyrs

Hunger strike significance - in elections

• Sands’ electoral victory showed leader Gerry Adams the advantages of using ‘the ballot box and the gun’

• Sinn Fein became more focused on winning parliamentary seats

Brighton Hotel Bombing

october 1984

• attempted IRA assassination of Thatcher at a party conference

• she was unharmed but it caused national outrage

• Thatcher appears stronger, surviving assassination

• Thatcher also appears more sympathetic

Remembrance day bombing

November 1987

• 12 killed by the IRA

Harrods, London bombing

December 1983

• 6 killed by the IRA

ongoing episodes of violence - significance

• IRA violence made the Republican cause seem extremist - detracted support and prevented negotaiation

• continued pattern of retaliation from both sides unionist/loyalists

• intensified the partisan nature of conflict, prevents resolution of the troubles

The Anglo-Irish agreement date

November 1985 ( also known as the Hillsborough agreement)

Anglo Irish agreement provisions

• Irish Republic recognises NI as constitutionally part of the UK

• British gov supports full civil rights in NI and acknowledges the strength of nationalist desires in NI

• set up permanent inter-gov cooperation on cross-border security matters

• gave Irish government an advisory role in NI

Anglo Irish agreement significance

• Republicans do not like it - recognises NI as belonging to the UK

• Unionists did not want Ireland advising on NI affairs

• Iain Paisley (DUP) ‘we say never’

• 1986 - Ulster Resistance, a paramilitary group set up in response

Anglo irish agreement positives

• shows attempts at resolution and sets a tone of co-operation, would carry on in the peace process

• ‘stepping stone’ to the Good Friday agreement