Civil Rights Movement and Fall of O’Neill

• Nationalists were disappointed that O’Neill had made ay real change and unionists resented his gestures towards the nationalists with a campaign against him led by Ian Paisle
• John Hume, began to speak out against the injustices that the nationalists had to put up with such as gerrymandering, unfair allocations of houses, discrimination in jobs (Catholics only 10% of RUC).
• From the RUC the Special Constables had been formed to take on with IRA during the 1920’s but after the troubles were over the B Specials remained (exclusively Protestant). The Special Powers Act was passed to intern anyone without trial. Both of these contributed to nationalist unrest.
• Campaigns began to take place with the first conducted by the Homeless Citizens League.
• In January 1964, the McCluskeys set up the Campaign for Social Justice (CSJ)
• Labour and Wilson were back in power in England but didn’t want to get drawn in to the issues.
• Paisley now led an “O’Neill must go” campaign.
• In 1967 Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) was formed to end discrimination. They wanted an end to Special Powers Act/B Specials, fair points system for council houses and “one man, one vote”.
• The Unionist were against this as they feared they would be unprotected, feared that they would lose control and that it was a plot to reunify Ireland.
• NICRA march coincided with Apprentice Boys parade which led to violence and NICRA march being banned.
• O’Neill tried to introduce some changes to help overcome the situation but didn’t include “one man, one vote”. More and more protests and violence took place and he called a general election after Faulker resigned.
• Although he won, he introduced a Public Order Bill against things in NICRA marches, James Chichester Clarke resigned and bombs planted by loyalists to undermine O’Neill were placed in the Belfast mains. O’Neill now resigned.

Chichester Clarke

• Elected to Unionist Party with good start as he brought in an amnesty for offences during riots-NICRA called off demonstrations.
• 12^th August 1969:Battle of the Bogside-Apprentice Boys march/pennies thrown/petrol bombs/RUC sent it but retreat/B Specials sent /rioting for two days.
• Taoiseach Jack Lynch was forced to do something “no longer can we stand by and see innocent people injured or perhaps worse” and called in Irish army hospital units but secretly wanted British army sent it.
• Violence spreads to Belfast-4 days riots-7 dead (Bombay Street).
• British soldiers arrived and were welcomed by Catholic and peace walls built.
• Clarke made changes such as Housing Executive, got rid of B Specials, Local government councils elected by PR.
• Loyalist in Belfast rioted and killed RUC man.

Paramilitary Organisations

Provisional IRA

• IRA had switched to civil rights. Split as leaders proposed to recognise the governments and enter government as well. Official IRA remained as they were. A small group-The Provisional’s split off with tradition republic aims and their popularity grew.
• Falls Road Curfew (3-5 July 1970)helped them as there was a 36 hour curfew by army in which they broke in to peoples houses and killed 4 people. The provisional’s now began a bombing campaign to undermine the economy of Northern Ireland to get the army to leave.

UDA

• Ulster Defence Association-got about 40,000 members at peak. Also had the Ulster Freedom Fighters who declared to kill republicans and killed over 200 people between 1972 and 1973.