Introduction

Between 1969 and 1998 political violence in Northern Ireland resulted in the death of over 3,600 people. Tens of thousands were injured, and countless lives devastated. The Troubles’ impact was heightened by its duration, sectarian character, and intimacy, with much of the violence occurring within close-knit communities. Extensive media coverage saw images of riots, explosions, hunger-strikes, and atrocities become familiar across the world

Although the events leading to the conflict are well-established, there remains no consensus about the causes of the Troubles, its nature, or how it should be remembered. It has been interpreted as an anti-colonial independence struggle, an ethno-political conflict, and a terrorist campaign against democracy.

Central to the conflict was the struggle over Northern Ireland’s constitutional status. Nationalists and republicans (overwhelmingly Catholic) sought inclusion in a united Ireland, while unionists and loyalists (overwhelmingly Protestant) wished to remain in the United Kingdom. But Northern Irish society encompassed a diverse range of opinions and identities. Catholic and Protestant experiences also shared much in common, with the Troubles impacting most severely on the most deprived communities.

Like previous Irish conflicts, the Troubles was shaped by international currents. Northern Ireland was destabilised by growing demands for civil rights in 1968. Unionist prime minister Terence O’Neill’s failure to win support for reforms, including attempts to improve community relations, heralded a descent into communal disorder. Despite the deployment of British soldiers in August 1969, well-organised paramilitary groups were in the ascendant by the early 1970s, with the security situation only stabilising in the latter part of the decade. The actions of paramilitary and state forces in the ‘dirty war’ which formed part of the security conflict remain deeply contested.

The conflict was also shaped by deep-rooted divisions. The establishment of Northern Ireland in 1921, when the rest of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, resulted from irreconcilable nationalist and unionist demands for self-determination. These divisions reflected the divergent economic interests of the industrial North and rural South, and the legacy of a history of conflictdating back to the late 18th-century emergence of republicanism and Orangeism, and the 17th-century Plantation and conquest of Ulster.

Many peoples’ lives were affected by the Troubles, but they were not necessarily defined by it. Everyday life continued, and global economic trends such as deindustrialisation did more to shape society than political violence. The introduction of direct rule from London in 1972 saw a massive increase in public spending, and the reform of welfare, housing and employment practices, contributing to a broader liberalisation of society.

Acknowledging the sensitivities of this contentious period, our researchexplores multiple perspectives about a conflict whose impact continues to be felt. Despite the remarkable improvements achieved by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the Troubles’ destabilising legacy can be seen in continued political polarisation, segregation, and halting progress towards truth-recovery and reconciliation.

Source: The Troubles and Beyond Gallery, Ulster Museum,written by Fearghal McGarry.