Circumstances That Led to the Emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association - Essay Example

Irish History: Circumstances that led to the Emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in the 1960s In the Irish history, one of themost significant events of national and international reputation has been the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in the 1960s which was instrumental in the campaign for the Civil Rights of the Roman Catholic minority. There had been marked discrimination of the of the Catholics in the nation at the hands of the Protestant Unionist government and the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) came up with strong campaign against this situation. Most remarkably, the association was modeled on the American Civil Rights Movement. Though there were other such movements for the civil rights, NICRA is considered “the most important group within the civil rights movement and it initiated the events that led to the creation of a mass movement. For a time it provided an umbrella beneath which the other organizations came together. It began life as a counterpart to the NCCL… NICRA…originated at a conference of the Wolfe Tone Societies held in Maghera, County Derry, on the weekend of 13-14 August 1966… The Wolfe Tone Societies, as the section of the republican movement most directly involved in creating NICRA, had the most thoroughly worked-out civil rights strategy… The initiative of setting up NICRA was very much that of Johnston, Coughlan and the Dublin Wolfe Tone Society.” (Purdie, 2008). Thus, it is very evident that the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in the 1960s has been essential in the campaign for Civil Rights in Ireland. It is also important to note that the materialization of NICRA will be best enlightened by several events that happened within as well as outside Northern Ireland and this paper deals with some of the most important such circumstances. Among the various circumstances leading up to the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association of the 1960s, one most conspicuous event has been the Education Act of 1947. The implication of this Act has been that it was instrumental in generating a superior qualified and sophisticated Catholic division in the nation. This newly evolved class of people was more convinced and persuaded in insisting for the civil rights to all the sections of the society. Thus, the Education Act of 1947 has been influential in providing an appropriate circumstance for the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association by the 1960s. In another notable favorable circumstance for the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, there began, in Northern Ireland, the Campaign for Social Justice which culminated by the year 1964. The role of the Campaign for Social Justice was significant as a pioneer for the materialization of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in 1967. Therefore, the Campaign for Social Justice has provided the right circumstances for the emergence of NICRA, and this also points to the role of other events too in the development of the association. The role of the national parties as well as that of the movements such as the labor and republican groups can be considered most essential in the development of NICRA. Thus, the political party members and labor as well as republican groups in the Northern Ireland, by mid 1960s, took great efforts in the institution of an effective civil rights movement. These groups were aware of the limited actions by the government in dealing with the various internal issues such as poor policing, lack of employment, problems in voting system and others. Therefore, it is remarkable that “the republicans saw the civil rights movement, at least in part, as a means of achieving the legalization of republican political activity. Once this had been achieved they could campaign more openly for a united Ireland on the basis of uniting Catholic and Protestant workers, small farmers and the lower rungs of the business community for an independent, democratic, self-sufficient Irish Republic.” (Purdie, 2008). The republicans, in other words, worked to drive the civil rights agitation further so that it could use this to build a radical coalition that enables its wish for a united Ireland. Other such movements and groups also facilitated the emergence of NICRA. Among the several types of external circumstances that favored the manifestation of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, civil rights movement in the USA of the 1960s made a remarkable note. Such a significant civil rights movement in the USA was influential in conceptualizing the idea of civil rights movement in the Northern Ireland. In other words, the success of the civil rights movement, though not very remarkable a success, was fundamental contributor to the civil rights movement in Ireland. Thus, civil rights movement in the USA in the 1960s remains a significant outside influence to the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. To illustrate another example for the external circumstances influencing the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, the election of the Labor government to power in Britain in the year 1964 may well be considered. This event was considered as a circumstance leading to a more compassionate concept for the cause of the nation. Thus, it was influential in attaining a proper civil rights feeling which also raised rays of hope and expectation among the Catholics who protested in favor of a civil rights campaign. There was greater hope among the activists about the success of the campaign and this provided a remarkable situation for the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in the 1960s. There were very many other circumstances that led to the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association and all these have been instrumental in attaining a number of reforms for the cause of the national civil rights movement. “The reforms were not deemed to be the generous gestures of Unionists willing to accommodate their ideological opponents within a shared state. Rather, they were viewed as grudging concessions offered in the face of the mounting pressure of British, Irish and American opinion… Such a delicate balancing act between reform and the status quo as now faced the mildly reformist ONeill government could not be maintained for long, in view of that government’s considerable dependence on its grass-roots support; in view also of growing catholic anger at the lack of progress; and at a number of government and police blunders in handling civil rights demonstrations organized to demand change.” (The civil rights movement in Northern Ireland). Thus, all these circumstances played effective role in the materialization of the civil rights movement. In ultimate conclusion, it is obvious that the several types of internal as well as external circumstances of Northern Ireland have been central to the emergence of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in the 1960s. References Purdie, Bob. (2008). The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. CAIN Web Service. Retrieved April 26, 2008, from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/crights/purdie.htm The civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. Civil Rights. Retrieved April 26, 2008, from http://civilrights.ulsterhistory.cjb.net/ Read More