Teraz dobrze?
Relations between England and Ireland have for a long time been, to say
the least difficult.
In this composition I want to explain, the reasons behind this situation. It s a long story dating all the way back to the 12th century.
1.Conflict about royalty
In the 1160s the high King Ruairt O'Connor overthrew the Irish King of the province of Leinster, Dermot MacMurrough. Dermot MacMurrough requested the help of the King of England Henry II to join him in war in order to regain his kingdom. Instead Dermo shared out his lands. Henry II agreed. Richard de Clare (also nicknamed Strownbow) was one of the English lords. After winning the feud Richard de Clare married MacMurrough's daughter and claimed the kingdom of Leinster. In this situation Henry II could use the title "Lord of Ireland" and England, too. In 1541 in the reign of King Henry VIII after the incorporation of Wales and Ireland to England Henry VIII adopted the title of the "King of Ireland". Ireland was in the hands of England.
2. Religious conflict
Henry's VIII Reformation caused a rise in the English Church and the
dissociation of it from the Pope. Henry remained the Head of the English Church.
Later in the 16th century Queen Elizabeth I wanted to introduce Protestantism.
This trial (chodzi mi tu o próbę nawrócenia na protestantyzm) with an eye to strike back for different
belief of Ireland didn't bring intentional aim of England. Ireland
made peace with Spain and remained Catholic.
3.Cromwell's politics and THE trial... Cromwell's politics and trial of subjugate Ireland
So that this attained he thougt, that he must use force and brutal repression. Cromwell's politics rested on received choice of Ireland, but it did only that Ireland was more resistant to the authority of their overlords.
Later Cromwell created a political division of modern Ireland, which took land from the Irish landlords and gave it to the Protestant English and scotch settlers. In this way existed. Ulster, where Catholics and Protestants lived.
4. Irish help of James II
James II became the King of England in 1685.
This caused political and religious chaos in the country. People wanted to dethron him. He didn't want to surrender and so he went to Ireland to week help. The Catholics tried to help, but James II lost a war at the famous Battle of the Boyne in 1690. This complicated the Irish situation for the next 100 years.
5. Rebellion of Catholics and the Protestants. An English lawyer compromised them.... - Angielski prawnik ich pogodził? Dobrze?
6. The Act of Union- between London and Dublin
7. Great Famine- blame fell on the British or Protestant Irish landlords? The Home Rule was discussed for many years.
8. Defeat of the Easter Rising in 1916, but victory for the Catholic Nationalists.
Britain sent police reinforcements to combat the IRA, which caused hostility among the Irish people.
9. The film “Michael Collins" illustrates very well the existing situation, which reigned in Europe after the treaty of 1922- Ireland was partitioned between mainly Protestant Ulster and the mainly CatholiC South.
10. After the Second World War the Irish demanded their law. They accused the Protestants including Stormmont and the police of discrimination. In 1969, order kept peace, because the Catholics demonsted and rioted and the British sent in the troops.
11. In 1972- Stormont was dissolved and Ulster would now be ruled
directly from London. The IRA became the notorious terrosist force.
The British army tried to keep the opposing groups apart.
12. In 1972 “Bloody Sunday" occurred. During a demonstration 13 unarmed Catholics were shot dead by British soldiers. Why?- we still don't know even thougt it has been discussed for many years. Today we have a few ballads about this happening.
13. British goverment always wanted peace and did everything what they could in order that this would happen. It was difficult, because all conflicts were deep and the solution to them was hard. British and Southern Irish goverments said that they would support and accept the reunification of Ireland only if, and when the majority of people in Ulster wanted it, but the Ulster Protestants weren t peace about it, because in Ulster there lived the majority of Catholics, which increase in number and their have recent economy expands and after unification Protestants must be dependant on Catholics. It's an grave problem, which may in the nearest future will be loose