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Referat: Northern Ireland

Introduction:
Whenever Northern Ireland is on the TV news, you see pictures of Catholics and Protestants fighting each other, but that doesn’t represent the real country and so I want to give more information.
Firstly, I want to begin with the history of whole Ireland and that’s also the cause of this conflict. When the Protestant William of Orange defeated the Catholic James II in 1690 the main religion had changed several times. After this victory of the Protestants Catholics lost all their rights. In the following years Ireland became an English colony and part of the UK. That means that Ireland was ruled by Protestants. And Northern Ireland has been ruled by Protestants since this victory even though today about half of the people in Northern Ireland are Catholic. In 1916 Irish Catholics rebelled in Dublin and were defeated by the English army. Only a few years later Catholic Southern Ireland became independent of Britain. So the Catholics in Northern Ireland want their country to belong to the Irish Republic, and the Protestants want Northern Ireland to stay British. The troubles in Northern Ireland started when Catholic students rebelled against British troops in1968. A terrible date was the Bloody Sunday in 1972 when British troops killed 13 Catholic demonstrators in a peaceful civil rights march and that was also the beginning of terrible violence on both sides that continued until 1999.
But the peace process which began ten years ago stopped the massive violence. And in 1999 the republic of Ireland accepted officially Northern Ireland as an independent state.
Today many tourists are curious what they would see in cities like Belfast or Derry. But the only trouble comes from small fanatical groups on certain historical holidays, when they march through each other’s neighbourhood. But even this is not as bad as it was and these groups don’t represent most people in Northern Ireland.
The two girls Claire Lyness and Angela Rainey from Belfast told in an interview that most tourists were surprised that this city was just a normal place and you could walk down the street and nothing happened. Fewer and fewer people cared what religion they were.

So where is all the hatred?
For example in Belfast you can see this conflict in the slums of the city, where the hardliners live. There is a “peace line”, a kind of Berlin wall that divides the Protestant Road from the Catholic Road. The Protestant side is full of British flags and murals of Protestant terrorist organizations. On the Catholic side there are Irish flags and murals of Catholic terrorist organizations that want to get the British out. Until a few years ago , the gates on the “peace line” were closed. Today they are open.
Michael Moore, who made the film “Bowling for columbine” wrote in his book “Stupid white men” that Great Britain is not entitled to rule over Northern Ireland and that the rights of Catholics are permanently violated, that they are economically disadvantaged and that they have to live under British occupation.
So it is tried to introduce Catholics and Protestants in the half-autonomous government.
In sum let me say that many people are just holding on to the idea that Northern Ireland is still a country of violence. But people used to be angry because of the past and now it’s really forgotten with the new generation coming.

Spickzettel zum Vortrag:
Northern Ireland on the TV news ( pictures of C. and P. fight
( represent the real country
HISTORY of whole I (cause of this conflict)
P. William of Orange defeated C. James the II 1690 ( main religion changed
victory of the P. ( C. lost all their rights
following years: Irel. became Engl. colony and part of the UK
that meant: Irel. ruled by P. ( And NI ruled since this vict. even though about half of the people are C.
1916 Irish C. rebelled in Dublin; were defeated by the E. army( only a few years later C. Southern Irel. became independent of Br.
C. of Ni want th. c. to belong to Ir. Rep.| P. want NI to stay British
troubles in NI started when C. students rebelled British troops in 1968
terrible date (Bloody Sunday 1972
the beginning of terrible violence until 1999
the peace process began 10 y. ago
1999 R. of I accepted NI
TODAY
many tourists are curios what they will experience
only trouble comes from small fana. (these groups don’t represent)
Claire Lyness, Angela Rainey from Belfast told
most tourists were surprised; fewer people care what religion they are
Belfast: conflict in the slums, where the hardliners live
Peace Line
P. side: British flags and murals; on the C. side I. flags and mural
gates were closed; today they are open
Michael Moore: GB is not entitled to rule over NI, their rights are per. viol. they are ec. disad.; have to live under BR. occ.
half-autonomous government

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