Why Were Troops Sent into Ireland in 1969? - page 2
Keywords: Modern History Northern Island British Troops Religion
By Jenny on 02/07/2009
Level: GCSE Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11)
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the Irish and gave more Irish land to his Protestant soldiers. However, Charles II gave some of it back.
Then in the Williamite Wars from 1689-1695 the Irish supported the Catholic James II against the Protestant William of Orange. James used Ireland as his base to regain his throne but was defeated after the Battles of the Boyne, and the Catholic share of land was reduced again.
In 1704 the Penal Code was introduced. This meant that Catholics could not own land or inherit it from Protestants causing them to get progressively poorer with each generation. In 1778 Catholics were allowed to buy land once more but by then Protestants owned more than 90%. (The amount Catholics had owned in 1603).
The Penal Code also stopped Catholics from entering the professions or the army. They could not own a gun or a horse worth more than £5. This meant that they had no chance of working their way out of poverty or of pursuing further education which could have helped them try to work against discrimination peacefully using politics. Nor, without guns, could they effectively rebel violently.
In 1789 the Orange Order of Protestants was formed. They were against any dealings with Catholics and were still around in 1968 when their marches celebrating famous Protestant victories over Catholics helped spark off riots.
In 1801 the act of Union united the British and Irish Parliaments putting Ireland directly under the control of Britain.
Then in 1845-1849 many people died because of the potato famine before Britain provided aid. The population fell from 8.5 million to 5.5 million. Half died and half emigrated, many to the USA. These “American Irish” started the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and funded it.
After losing their parliament in 1885, Protestant and Catholic MPs started trying to get Home Rule but were defeated in parliament (in Westminster).
From 1892 Protestants began to worry that Home Rule would make them a minority. The Ulster Unionist Convention passed a resolution vowing to remain part of Britain.
In 1913 a third Home Rule bill was passed. Many Protestants signed solemn covenants that Ulster would remain British. They threatened to cause Civil War and began to arm. Catholics formed the Irish Volunteers. The 1st World War put the bill on hold. In 1916 in the Easter Rising, Catholics showed they no longer supported the government when they shot several of the leaders. They lost but in the next elections
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