Northern Ireland: The Troubles.

Essay by superier1High School, 11th gradeA-, October 2005

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There were extreme and moderate politicians. Some politicians supported the idea of segregation, discrimination and a protestant rule. Others stated that the differences were the choice of Catholics or they tried to improve rights for Catholics.

Some protestant politicians thought that the majority should rule. Two thirds of Northern Ireland's population was Protestant and one third were Catholic. Ian Paisley formed the Ulster Protestant Action group. He claimed that because Catholics were not loyal to the union, they shouldn't deserve the rights that were given to Protestants. He also set up a newspaper, the protestant telegraph to encourage many Protestants that the Catholic Church was a threat to Ulster's Protestant heritage. He encouraged Protestants to keep only protestant workers and not Catholic workers, "keep protestant and loyal workers in employment in times of depression in preference to their fellow Catholic workers", he thought that Protestants should only keep their jobs and be economically better of.

He also thought that if Catholics were more powerful then Protestants there would be a Rome rule, as he thought Catholics were loyal to the Pope. Basil Brooke the Northern Ireland prime minister from 1943-1963 also shared similar views to Ian Paisley. He thought Catholics had different loyalties, if Catholics had power in Northern Ireland, the Pope would run Northern Ireland. He also thought that Protestants should be economically stronger then Catholics, "There a great number of Protestants and Orangemen who employ Roman Catholics. I would point out that Roman Catholics are trying to get in everywhere ... I would appeal to Loyalists therefore, wherever possible to employ Protestant lads and lassies". Basil Brooke thought Catholics were disloyal and he didn't approve of any seats in Stormont going to Nationalist parties. Influential Irish Conservative MP Edward Carson said that "home rule meant Rome rule...