The O'Neill Years Flashcards
Unit 1 of the Northern Ireland section (39 cards)
Who was the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland during the period known as ‘The O’Neill Years’?
Captain Terence O’Neill
How much did O’Neill invest in the Northern Irish economy?
£400 million
What was the purpose of creating economic zones in Northern Ireland?
To attract new industries
Who was appointed to lead the Ministry of Development?
William Craig
Where was the new city of Craigavon established?
Based on the existing towns of Lurgan and Portadown
Which town was chosen for the establishment of a new university?
The market town of Coleraine
Name five multinational firms attracted to Northern Ireland during O’Neill’s tenure.
DuPont, Goodyear, Grundig, ICI, Michelin
What was the approximate unemployment rate during O’Neill’s time?
7-8%
How did O’Neill attempt to improve relations with the Republic of Ireland?
• Invited Taoiseach Sean Lemass to Stormont in January 1965 - the first face-to-face meeting of Ireland’s main leaders in 40 years
• Made a return visit to Dublin four weeks after this
• Ministers from the North and South discussed economic issues together and made agreements on tourism and the supply of electricity
• Cooperated with the Irish Trades Union Congress
• Taoiseach Jack Lynch visited NI in December 1967
What action did O’Neill take regarding the UVF in 1966?
He banned it after it killed two Catholics in 1966
What was the significance of O’Neill’s meeting with Sean Lemass?
It was the first meeting of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland’s leaders in 40 years
Who succeeded Sean Lemass as Taoiseach and visited Northern Ireland in 1967?
Jack Lynch
What was the response of the Nationalist Party to O’Neill’s initiatives?
They welcomed them warmly and after the Lemass visit decided to take up the role of official opposition in Stormont for the first time.
What was one criticism of O’Neill’s policies?
There were continued accusations that they were biased towards Protestant areas - eg. Coleraine, a Protestant market town, was selected as the location for NI’s new university instead of Londonderry, NI’s second largest city and a mainly Catholic city.
Who was a prominent critic of O’Neill’s policies?
Reverend Ian Paisley, Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church
How did Unionist opposition react to O’Neill’s attempts to improve relations with nationalists?
• Feared the implications of O’Neill’s new policies
• No widespread hostile public reaction to the Lemass visit - but O’Neill’s cabinet was angered at not being informed of the visit and Brian Faulkner condemned it
• The OUP won 38 seats out of 52 in the November 1965 general election, suggesting people were satisfied with O’Neill’s actions
• Sectarian tensions increased in 1966
• Support for O’Neill weakened in 1966, with many of his cabinet members condemning his actions, a plot to oust him by backbenchers in September 1966 and unionists were more attracted to Ian Paisley’s policies
How many jobs were created during the 1960s?
35,000
How many jobs were lost in traditional industries in the 1960s?
20,000
What happened to Harland and Wolff?
They had to be given money from 1963 to 1968 to keep them afloat
How high was unemployment west of the Bann?
12.5%
Why was unemployment west of the Bann so much higher than the rest of Northern Ireland?
Companies refused to open factories there seeing it as too remote from the export market
Why did O’Neill want to improve relations with nationalists?
He wanted to make them feel more of a part of the Northern Irish state and wished to take religion out of politics so he could focus on other issues
What made O’Neill believe he was the best person to improve relations with nationalists?
His family background was part Gaelic and part Protestant settler
Why did O’Neill’s tenure start with a shaky foundation?
He had been appointed Prime Minister rather than elected, and was not the popular choice for the job (who was Brian Faulkner)
