Ireland (2) - The campaign for civil rights

Question 1

Which American politician inspired the formation of NICRA ?

Answer 1

Martin Luther King Jr

Question 2

What does NICRA stand for ?

Answer 2

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association

Question 3

When was it formed and by who ?

Answer 3

The start of 1967 and Paddy Devlin was a founding member

Question 4

What were NICRA first aims ?

Answer 4

• one man one vote
• fair allocation of council
• end gerrymandering
• prevent discrimination of government jobs
• remove the special powers act
• disband the b specials
• establish a formal complaints procedure

Question 5

How did Catholics react to NICRA ?

Answer 5

The new generation of Catholics enjoyed NICRA’s aims

Question 6

How did liberal protestants react to NICRA ?

Answer 6

they sympathised with some of NICRA’s demands and believed that making NI fairer would stop a united Ireland.

Question 7

What were non-liberal unionists reaction to NICRA ?

Answer 7

They believed that it was just a front for the IRA to act. And they also believed that NICRA only cared for Catholic rights. Also they thought NICRA wanted a united Ireland.

Question 8

What caused and when was the first peaceful march held by NICRA ?

Answer 8

24th August 1968

the gov had given a council house to a single protestant woman instead of a catholic family

Question 9

When was NICRA’s second march ?

Answer 9

5 OCtober 1968

Question 10

Why was the march on 5th October strange ?

Answer 10

Stormont had banned marches east of the river foyle and NICRA rejected this. Although the crowd was small they were accompanied by 2 powerful allies.

Question 11

Who were the 2 powerful allies that accompanied NICRA ?

Answer 11

4 Westminster Mp

RTE Tv crew

Question 12

Why were the RTE crew so important ?

Answer 12

They broadcasted the heavy handed tactics the police used to break up the march. The world witnessed the trouble beginning in NI

Question 13

What were the reforms in the five-point plan ?

Answer 13

• allocation of council houses on a points system
• swapping LDerry coporation with a development commission
• removal of parts of the special powers act
• end extra votes for business owners
• appointment of an ombudsman

Question 14

What were the reactions to the FPP among NICRA ?

Answer 14

Demonstrations continued

Question 15

What were the reactions to the FPP among unionists ?

Answer 15

It had caused dismay among them, who opposed the reforms.

Question 16

Were NICRA successful ?

Answer 16

Probably, they have the FPP to prove it. But the emergence of PD would suggest otherwise.

Question 17

What were PD demands ?

Answer 17

• one man, one vote
• fair boundaries
• houses on need
• jobs on merit
• free speech
• revoke the special powers act

Question 18

When and where was PD first march ?

Answer 18

Between Belfast and Derry. 4th January 1969

Question 19

What happened on the PD march ?

Answer 19

They were ambushed on Burntollet bridge. The police seemed to do little to deflect the attack aswell

Question 20

What happened in Derry on the night of the Burntollet bridge ambush ?

Answer 20

Police rampaged through Nationalist areas of the city

Question 21

What did NICRA do in reaction to Burntollet ?

Answer 21

They started to march again

Question 22

What was O’Neil’s reaction to Burntollet ?

Answer 22

started the Cameron commission to investigate the increasing violence. He called a General election to see what the public wanted

Question 23

What were the results of the general election of Feb 1969 ?

Answer 23

• reduction in unionist support
• little or no evidence he wanted support from catholic voters
• O’Neil only polled 1,400 more votes than his rival

Question 24

What date did O’Neil resign ?

Answer 24

28th April 1969

Question 25

What final event really showed O’Neil was at his end in office ?

Answer 25

A series of bombings which were carried out by loyalists. “the bombings literally blew me out of office”

Question 26

How was O’Neil succeeded by ?

Answer 26

His cousin, James Chichester-Clark