Introducing ‘The Troubles’

‘The Troubles’ refer to conflict between the Loyalists, or supporters of the union of Northern Ireland with the United Kingdom, and Republicans, or Nationalists, who want Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland. Loyalists are predominantly Protestants; Republicans predominantly Catholic. From its creation in 1922, the Protestant controlled Northern Ireland government systematically discriminated against Catholics, as had British governments in Ireland since the sixteenth century. The ‘troubles’, usually dated from 1968, are generally said to have ended after the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. The violence reached its height between 1969 and 1974, when the average annual number of deaths was 990, out of a total population of roughly 1.5 million (Akenson 1992: 264). Between 1969 and 1993, 3,523 people were killed–12.4% of the population. I can not remember a time when news of conflict in Ireland was not a regular feature of radio and television broadcasts. Even as a child I was aware that the conflict involved Protestants on one side and Catholics on the other. Whether or not ‘the troubles’ were caused by religion, religious affiliation identifies and labels the opposing sides. As a Baptist, I was taught that the Catholic Church was in error–indeed, that it was a cult–so although I did not know much about the conflict, I instinctively sympathized with the Protestants until I leant more about the causes of ‘the troubles’.