Northern Ireland Conflict

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) who strongly opposed occupation of Britain on Irish soil started a violent campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland. At the start of 1922 the I.R.A. started taking hostages, setting up ambushes against the police force and also defending Catholic areas in cities like Belfast and Derry from attacks by loyalists who were often assisted by the police force in attacking in these Catholic areas.

Policing Northern Ireland

The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), a brutal police force against the Irish for the whole of Ireland, disbanded from Southern Ireland and became the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland on 1st June 1922. With 3,000 mean serving Northern Ireland they also had the support of the Ulster Special Constabulary, a reserve force of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and was mainly recruited from the protestant armed militia group named the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). The Ulster Special Constabulary, known as the B-Specials, was responsible for many brutal attacks on Catholics and seen as a Protestant vigilante force by the Catholics.

The fear of the Catholics in Northern Ireland became a reality with the establishment of the armed forces of the R.U.C. and with more loyalist organisations starting to appear into the political scene. Discrimination against Catholics was strong in the North of Ireland but this was a fact denied by Unionists and the British and even today is still denied by many.

Political voilence soared in Northern Ireland and would continue on for many years. The Northern Ireland Troubles that lasted over 30 years would mark some of Ireland's most horrific historic events which today still cause political divides among many.

The Start of the Troubles