Generalities

Northern Ireland belongs to United Kingdom, there is 1 810 863 inhabitants, it’s represent 3% of the U K's population. Northern Ireland's population is divided: in one hand there are those who feel more as Irish (catholic) and in over hand, those who feel British (protestant). The area of this country represents 5% of the UK’s area, and also 1/6 of the Ireland Island. Northern Ireland was found in 1921 by the British Parliament during the Irish War of Independence. This land was tear apart this religious war. So today there’s 40.8% of catholic and 41.6% of protestant. Like the rest of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy. The official language is English but Irish is still spoken. Belfast is the capital and the money used is the Pound sterling.

The Troubles

 In 1905, an Irish republican party, who called Sinn Fein, was created. He was the principal political strength of the Irish War of Independence. In 1916, the Irish Republican Army, a military organisation, helps the resistance to British Rule. In 1921, the South Ireland becomes an independent Republic whereas the North Ireland remains in the “union”, part of the United Kingdom. In 1969, the Troubles start in Northern Ireland between the Republicans that is to say Catholics and the Unionists or Loyalists, that is to say Protestants. Between years 1671-1976 the violence is very important.

            On 30 January 1972, in the Bogside area of Derry, thirteen demonstrators have been killed by the English armed. In fact the English armed open fire during an event for the defence about civil law. Catholics don’t want the discriminations whose they were has victim.

            
The Hunger strikes have a long history in the conflict in Northern Ireland. In 1981, one of the most infamous hunger strikes resulted in the death of 10 Irish Republicans including Bobby Sands who has become a symbol of the struggle.

            There is 17 years, the people of Northern Ireland hope for the peace. In fact they want a hope of peace, political progress and an eventual reconciliation.

            In 1998, the signature of the peace treaty, the Good Friday Agreement, has allowed acquaintances between Protestants and Catholics. But Londonderry’s city stays, all the same, geographically very mark by this dualism historic.

            Today, this city has got two names: Derry for Catholics and Londonderry for Protestants. This city has got also two nationalities: Irish side Derry and British side Londonderry.

Irish Traditions

   Sport :

The Hurley

In Ireland, sport the most popular are gaelic sport, like gaelic football and hurling. The rugby, traditional football and hockey are also very popular.

Hurling is a team sport originally from Ireland. It is played with a stick called “hurley”. This sport is considered the fastest but also very dangerous because there’s many physical contact. 

Gaelic football is a mixture of rugby and football. It is played with the hands and feet.

St Patrick’s day :

It’s the most famous celebration in Ireland, celebrate on march 17, it commemorates the Christianization of Ireland in the fifth century by Maewyn Succat, to evangelize the island, better known under the name of St. Patrick. This was the man who secured the full conversion of the Irish people to Christianity. Its role was considered so crucial in the religious life of Ireland, the Irish dedicate him every year a national holiday, called Saint Patrick’s day.

 

This day it’s a occasion for Irish to do party, drink, sing and dance. Big city organized parade, Dublin is reputed for this parade that bring each year thousands of people.

During the celebration Irish people loved perpetuate Irish folklore, it’s not rare to meet lot of leprechauns and people wear with green clothes with flag of Ireland paint on the cheek.

   Irish kitchen :

 

The Irish Stew

Irish kitchen include many traditional dishes, like Irish stew who is a chowder, or bangers and mash, potato and sausage. The breakfast is also very famous. For this drinks, beer and whiskeys are the most representative of Ireland. Guinness is a black beer with a white foam, known worldwide for this particularly flavor. Guinness is strongly related to the history of Ireland; it is a symbol of.

Art and Music : A weapon against the Troubles

The “murals” are in Northern Ireland, an old form of art that exist for more a century. They were painted, at the origin, in commemoration of the Battle of the Boyne. But this form of art is quickly became a form of propaganda for the republicans against the censure. After the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the murals became much more cultural and historical than political. So, there are three kinds of murals, the loyalist, the republican and the cultural murals. We can see lot of them in Derry and in Belfast especially in the Bogside, a neighbour of Belfast. 

In memory of the troubles, some artists decided to pay tribute to the persons who death during the many attempts, gunfights or hunger strikes. For example, in Belfast, a mural pays tribute to Bobby Sand, a member of the IRA, who died following a too long hunger strike. In terms of music, the rock band U2 wrote “Bloody Sunday” in memory of the attempts, Tomy Sands wrote a message of peace in “There were roses”.

Listen to the songs here !

            Bloody Sunday by U2

            There where roses

The Evolution since the Disorders

In 1998, Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement was signed, it was the Peace agreement for Northern Ireland : an agreement between Northern Ireland's, United Kingdom's and Irish's parties concerning political, governmental decisions or disarmament. Thanks to this agreement, a local government who shares the power between nationalists and unionists was created. This independent parliament is still in place despite some crisis. Nevertheless, between 1999 and2009, attacks killed 93 persons…

Nowadays, we can see new types of "conflict" : space and social segregation, for example we can see the extinction of mixed districts or a reduction of communication between young of  different communities. Measures are regularly set up to avoid violence.

As a conclusion, despite agreements and a new generation, there are still physical or moral conflicts.