Politics In Northern Ireland

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 10th grade September 2001

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Imagine living in a country where there is constant fighting. Soldiers armed with heavy artillery roam the street you live on all hours of they day. The people in the next city down the road hold much different beliefs than you, and most maybe hate you. This is what the people of Northern Ireland have lived with all of their lives. The conflict between the Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland has gone on for well over one hundred years. There have been many tales of violent horrific acts between both groups in the past. The people in Northern Ireland are closer to peace then they ever where. It is now time for the fighting to stop, and for all people in Northern Ireland learn to live as one.

Although conflict in Ireland has gone on for hundreds of years, the conflict faced in Northern Ireland started in the early 1900~{!/~}s.

The island of Ireland was ruled by the British who are majority Protestant. The majority Catholic people of Ireland did not favor the rule of Britain. Between 1916 and 1920, catholic nationalists rebelled against the British. Finally in 1920, the British parliament decided to divide the Island of Ireland forming two different states. Six counties in the north form Northern Ireland and remained under British rule, while Ireland because of their own republic.

Although the people of the south would have liked control of the whole island, they were content with becoming their own nation and for the most part accepted this fact. The conflict mostly lies in the North, where the majority of the population is Protestant. They make up just over half of the population of Northern Ireland. The minorities Catholics of Northern Ireland have favored and hope that one-day they will be part of their predominately...