Eassy on the Troubles
Why the Troubles in Ireland lasted so Long and were so Bloody
Angelina Trujillo
Brookline College
Why the Troubles in Ireland lasted so Long and were so Bloody
As one of the worst conflicts in the world since the Second World War, Northern Ireland is one of the most studied areas in the world. It has been said that: “If all the publications, the explanations, the analyses and the ‘solutions’ to the Northern Irish ‘problem’ were put side by side they would span the entire circumference of the world” (Vaughan-Williams, 2006). But yet, the conflict is still called one of the most headstrong (political) conflicts of the twentieth century (Hayes, 2001). I wanted to know why there is conflict about the conflict. Northern Ireland, it is simple to understand. Conflict that has been falling since the 1970s and it is battled two communities who are separated by religion; Protestants and Catholics. However, when one explores deeper into the conflict the complication of it becomes clear. The feeling arises that it is impossible to appoint causes. The battle over the right interpretation of the history of the Troubles is still being fought and the past is not a given (Conway, 2003). The Troubles have often been explained as a ‘sectarian conflict’. The two communities are often considered separated by their religion, Protestants and Catholics and it is true that religion has been a historical point for these two religons. But the conflict will never be spiritual, although the common division has been based upon religious characters. As a matter of fact the fact, theology is probably the least important. For a lot of people in Northern Ireland it is not inconsistent to call themselves not religious, but at the same time describe oneself a Catholic or Protestant (Cairns, 1998). The question that can be asked in this respect is: is the conflict really caused by religion or is religion used for political
Angelina Trujillo
Brookline College
Why the Troubles in Ireland lasted so Long and were so Bloody
As one of the worst conflicts in the world since the Second World War, Northern Ireland is one of the most studied areas in the world. It has been said that: “If all the publications, the explanations, the analyses and the ‘solutions’ to the Northern Irish ‘problem’ were put side by side they would span the entire circumference of the world” (Vaughan-Williams, 2006). But yet, the conflict is still called one of the most headstrong (political) conflicts of the twentieth century (Hayes, 2001). I wanted to know why there is conflict about the conflict. Northern Ireland, it is simple to understand. Conflict that has been falling since the 1970s and it is battled two communities who are separated by religion; Protestants and Catholics. However, when one explores deeper into the conflict the complication of it becomes clear. The feeling arises that it is impossible to appoint causes. The battle over the right interpretation of the history of the Troubles is still being fought and the past is not a given (Conway, 2003). The Troubles have often been explained as a ‘sectarian conflict’. The two communities are often considered separated by their religion, Protestants and Catholics and it is true that religion has been a historical point for these two religons. But the conflict will never be spiritual, although the common division has been based upon religious characters. As a matter of fact the fact, theology is probably the least important. For a lot of people in Northern Ireland it is not inconsistent to call themselves not religious, but at the same time describe oneself a Catholic or Protestant (Cairns, 1998). The question that can be asked in this respect is: is the conflict really caused by religion or is religion used for political