The LYsian Social Studies Resource

Bloody riots between the Catholics and Protestants broke out in 1968. British troops were brought in to restore order, but the conflict intensified as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Protestant paramilitary groups carried out bombings and other acts of terrorism. This continuing conflict, which lingered into the 1990s, became known as "the Troubles."

chpt4_northern_ireland_troubles.ppt

Here are some sites that will provide you with more details about this violent period:
- The Troubles - An Interactive History
- BBC : The Troubles
- Wikipedia : The Troubles

One of the most important incidents that came out of the Troubles was "Bloody Sunday". An illegal peaceful civil rights march organised by the Catholics was disrupted when British soldiers attacked the protesters. This led to an outburst of Catholic anger and furthered deepened the conflict between Protestant and Catholics.


To show their support for the different political groups, many people painted murals on the sides of houses and businesses. These murals promoted republican (Catholic supporters) or loyalist (Protestant supporters) political beliefs and often glorified the IRA (Catholics) and Ulster Volunteer Force (Protestants). Not all murals are political. Some were created to remember those who lost their lives during the conflict, while others (especially the recent murals) promote peace and tolerance. Here is a collection of murals that can be found in Northern Ireland.

Many movies, songs and poems were produced in response to the Troubles. Many of them focused on the effects of the conflict and how the people have suffered as a result. Here are some songs that were written:
- Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
- Zombie - The Cranberries
- Through the Barricades - Spandau Ballet

If you're unclear about this chapter or have any questions about the Troubles, feel free to ask me. I'm always here to help.

<3,
Ms Allyson