HISTORY
                            History and background of Ireland and the political and religious conflict

                                                         Ever since the Norman Invasion in 1169 Ireland was under British rule and political power until 1921. Once the British took control over Ireland other settlers started to immigrant into Ireland, mostly Protestant Scottish immigrants into the predominately Catholic Ireland. The Scottish moved, for the most part, into the Northern quadrant of Ireland, and the Catholic Irish soon became tenants on their own land. In the years to follow, 1798, 1803, 1843, and 1867 small armed rebellions would arise in Ireland protesting the controlling British rule. However they were all crushed by the dominant British military. Yet the Irish continued to strive for independent rule, this strive lead to the development of independent political and military parties defending both sides. The Fenian movement began around 1860 demanding an independent Ireland from Britain, this movement was supported by the Catholics of Ireland for most of the Protestants supported British rule. For most of the 19th century Ireland functioned under British colonial control which was carried out through the Stormont rule,  the Protestant unionist rule. This rule immersed the Catholics in discrimination, underprivileged, and political confinement, in which they continued their armed rebellions against the oppressive British/Protestant rule into the early 20th century. In 1912 an attempt at establishing some political power was addressed when the Catholic's attempted to issued a proclamation on Home Rule in Ireland. This idea was not only denied but it caused the formation or growth of even more  political parties in response to the growing political discontent in amongst the parties. The Ulster Volunteer Force was
established to control the rebellious outbreaks from the Catholic nationalist in 1913, however even more discrimination arose from this formation. The UVF when enforcing their opinions or thoughts would face no resistance for the Royal Ulster Constabulary, ( RUC) the British police force in Ireland. However Catholic groups

                                                    
 

would bare the burden and wrath of the police force when they tried to enforce or voice their opinions. This opposition lead to the formation of the Irish Republican Army, tired of the Protestant/British burden the smaller catholic groups united together to form a unified "army" that was backed by the strongly supported and immensely popular Sinn Fein political party. The formation of the IRA with the added resistance to Unionist rule and continued rebellions lead the British to declare "war" on the democracy that the Sinn Fein party and the rest of the Catholics were trying to establish in Ireland. Guerilla warfare soon broke out in response to the British declaration. Finally in 1921 the British Westminister Parliament past the Government of Ireland Act which split Ireland into two sections. The southern section which contained 26 statelets and the Northeastern section which contained 6 statelets. However the British did not completely abandon rule in the Northern section for the majority of the population was loyalist Protestants who carried out the British idle of government in the north. The duration of the Unionist rule in Northern Ireland continued until the 1960's when the Catholics formed the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in hopes of obtaining equality in the north. In response to the civil rights marches and demonstrations the Unionist felt threatened, which lead to violent attaches and outbreaks on the demonstrations and other events.  The violence rose between the IRA and the UVF as the British abolished Unionist rule and reestablished direct colonial rule in Northern Ireland. The violence continued as attempts at peace were tried
 

 but never fulfilled. Many innocent people were killed, injured, or imprisoned during the years to come. One incident shocked the world during this time of turmoil and strife. One sunday morning in 1972 15 innocent Catholics were shot and killed in Londonderry by the Protestant army. Not only did that horrible accident shock the world but through the next decade the world would learn about the treatment and conditions that the political prisoners were made to live with in the prison. The accounts and conditions of the prisons and the honorable fight and courageous attitudes of the prisoners were remarkable. Although the peace process is still in debate in the current day, the accounts of the prison still shock the world with their utterly incomprehensible stories and messages.
 
 
 
 
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