The confict in Northern Ireland is old as Ireland itself. The attempts to be independent and free-willed prevailed. The Irish Republican Army since ages didn't want to leave the attempts to free Ireland from British occupation. The fights were very violent and bloody. Both sides didn't want to eaase. Namely British government always claimed Ireland was British. The death of civilians happened everyday. Willingly or not, it changed the shape of Ireland and British politics toward this country forever. The initials of IRA are everywhere in Belfast and Derry. 1960s and 1970s are the years of great crisis. The rules of Margaret Thatcher and widespread disappointemt triggered IRA for actions. The bombings and bloodshed were omnipresent.
On 15th of August 1998 the crisis escalated. The British soldiers had a very close look at Armagh in Northern Ireland. Many cars were passing all along the way, among whist were two Vauxhalls. The cars looked very oridinary. One filled with explosive materials. The British troops felt in the air that something is not on, that something will shortly strike. theye were not mistaken, it did, and had termendous consequences. The members of RIRA (Real IRA) prepared the attack. It was very conspicuous, no one knew.
The unspoken atrocity happened, it has not been witnessed for over 30 years.
First clashes - mass ones between RUC and IRA took place in 1969. The IRA was determined to end the British rule over Northern Ireland for good. Year 1998 seemed to be critical. The peace agreement was about to be set up. Despite of all in for arguments, IRA gunmen didn't accept the details.
" (...) We may make mistakes ... and shoot the wrong people, but, bloodshed is a cleansing and sacrifying thing, and the nation which regards it as the final horror has lost its manhood (...)"
The Omagh bombs blew up. The IRA members escaped unharmed. The IRA chose very livid place, the shopping centre were people would not expect the bomb at all (or at this time of the year, they were already scared of previous bombings). The eyewitness description of what happened is deradful, yet, truthful of what truly took place.
" (...) I saw bodies lying everywhere. I saw them being put in the bags and being zipped up. There were people with cuts in their heads, bleeding. There was one boy, had half his leg blown off and it was lying there with the shoe still on it. He didn't cry or anything. He was just in shock (...)"
The explosion was horrendous. It caused instantly terrible burns and blast injuries, 29 people died, more than 200 were very seriously traumatized, wounded and injured. The victims were of both sides, Catholics and Protestants. The religion seemed not to matter. The sectarian division in Northern Ireland shared the pain and suffering. Many believed it stop the peace proces, thse who believed in it were severely disappointed, the peace proces prevailed.
" (...) I always dream that something happens that separates me from my family and that I can do nothing at all about it...People keep saying that time heals. Well, it hasn't, not yet, not for me (...)"
The past and present twists and turns in Northern Ireland, there are people who want to forget and those who want to remember, but, just some of tchem learnt that living in hatred it not a good choice, it doesn't put the mind at ease.
" (...) We were not going to let the bombers turn us into bitter people. It would have been easy to feel sorry for ourselvesand spend the rest of our lives full of anger and self pity. I cannot change the past. All I can do is make the best of the future (...)"
The conflict is complex and diverse, not easy to be explained and acknowledged, justified when people are constantly dying, when the layers of unsolved problems pile up. It is not easy to simplify such difficult and dramatic history of both so closely bounded nations. In 1941 first serious Catholic uprisings began, the brutal violence spread, many Ulster Protestants were killed, there was not stop said, there were no boundries of what is right. Simply no limits.
Hunger and nationalism made it much worse. These notions are familiar to everyone, however, in Ireland "hunger" or "to be hungry, starving" had literal meaning, the Great Famine and the potato blight made Irish citizens starved to death. In seach for better life and food more than 4 milion of tchem emigrated to the USA.
" (...) In a cabbage garden I saw ... the bodies of Kate Barry and her two children very lightly covered with earth, the hands and legs of her large body entirely exposed the flesh completely eaten off by the dogs (...)"
In 1912 Irish Home Rule bill was introduced. Irish government has been given a considerable control over its country, the most important were the internal affairs. The Ulster Unionists had their own answer; they signed "solemn league and convenant" it literally meant they set up Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. In total, unspoken conspiracy. With the help of UVF they started fighting for the future.
" (...) In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of natiohood, Ireland, through Us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom ... We declare the right of the people of Ireland to their ownership of Ireland and to the unffettered control of Irish destinies (...)"
The Easter Rising gave a proof of cruelty to Ulster Unionists, it was the sign that the fight will not stop that quickly. Even though the war was so brutal and so vicious, many glorified it, various rebel songs and ballads were written, sung.
" (...) The tradition of Republicanism and IRA acrivis was handed down from the time of Anglo-Irish war and partition to the present day. I was born into it. The man that took me into the republican movement was Peter McAteer, my father's compant captain. That tradition was in families (...)"
In 1949 Ireland became a republic and left the British Commonwealth. IRA and its political party Sinn Fein were engaged in getting rid of Brits from Irish soil - an invader which had to be put down. Despite the religious diversification years 1960s, 1970s and 1980s were very painful for both, they shared poverty, unemployment, poor housing. Nonetheless, still, most of the business was led by Protestants, they had better job, better housing, in general overview. Catholics believed they were prejudiced, discriminated. Once again - the frustration led to national movement, terrorism and IRA. It ment - Irish salvation.
The attacs were ongoing, the scale rose drastically, the British forces didn't know how to manage with it, how to stop it, year 1969 was really critical, was dimensonal, everyone was looking for some solution, something to happen.
"(...) Homes were raided and ransacked at random, pedestrians were halted and questioned as they walked innocently along the streets. The measures intensified as more and more troops poured in...Overnight the population turned from neutral or even sympathic suport for the military to outright hatred of everything related to the security forces ... I witnessed the voters and workers... turn against Us to join the Provisionals (The IRA)
Sunday, 1972
The peaceful march was brutally eased, 14 people died, the city of Derry was mourning, the British government justified its action, claimed it had no choice but act out that way. But it was a carnage. Intentional or not, it had the opposite effect than planned. The vicious circle continued.
The idea of peace was one more time recalled by the US President, Bill Clinton. The Good Friday Agreement was about to stop IRA, its terror, bring cease fire. It was signed on 10th of April 1998 by British PM Tony Blair, Irish PM Bertie Ahern and US President, Bill Clinton. Two months after, the sensational election took place. David Trimble, Unionist leader was declared first Northern Ireland's Prime Minister. From now moment on, the peace depended on both sides, respectively.
Bibliography:
1. "The Oxford History of Britain", OUP, 1996
2. R.G.Grant, "Conflict in Northern Ireland", 2000
3. "Northon Anthology of English Literature", 1997
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