Northern Irleland

Northern Ireland is a small country that is dealing with a massive problem. This country has less then two million people and is part of the United Kingdom. Being part of British rule has caused a large debate. For many of years there has been a large dispute between two major religious groups in Northern Ireland called the Catholics and the Protestants. The Protestants slightly outnumber the Catholics, and have a completely different viewpoint on the future of there country. The Catholics want to unify with the Republic of Ireland in the south while the Protestants want to remain under British rule. There is only a 3% population rate in the Republic of Ireland right Some major issues between these two include things such as education, living areas, and even sporting events. This has caused a major conflict and has formed many independent groups with different perspectives on the current state of Northern Ireland.

Numerous killings have been led by a widely known group called IRA (Ireland Republican Army). The IRA's goals are based on causing destruction and violence in the Northern Ireland community. The IRA is known for their terrorist's attacks on innocent people. The Sinn Fein group is an organization that directed towards peace and unification with Ireland and gaining independence from England. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness are the leaders of the Sinn Fein. They are a more seen more as a catholic democratic group that is supported mostly by working class Catholics. At the same time they have the same goals as the IRA, and that is to get unify with Ireland. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is an anti-catholic group that is in favor of being in control of the British. They are founded by Reverend Ian Paisley. The Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP) is a smaller group then the Sinn Fein but has many of the same ideas. They are a middle class Catholic party who supports becoming part of the Republic of Ireland.

There is also a question of what the difference is between the Catholic and Protestant religion. They aren't extreme opposites as most people seem to say, but instead both practice similar religions. The Catholics accept universal jurisdiction of the Pope while the people who don't accept the Pope are called Protestants and Reformed Catholics. This leads into different practices and beliefs that are held between the two religions, but instead the religions share more in common then what separates them.

This paper will concentrate on the how the current state of events have been affected by the past and what new steps have been taken to set up a peace process. I will also discuss how educational and job opportunities are affected by religious status. I will first talk about the minorities of Northern Ireland that is the Catholics. I will discuss how there major actions have affected the society and compare and contrast them with the Protestants. In order to talk about the Catholic movement, I have to talk about the two major parties that are the Sinn Fein and the IRA.

In order to talk about how the current Catholic movement is viewed in the public today, I must be able to talk about the major past and current events that took shape of the current Catholic movement. One major event that could have changed the history of Northern Ireland, if handled differently, is the day of January 30th, 1972 that would be better known as "Bloody Sunday." This day would be remembered as the day that the British 1st Parachute Regiment would open fire on unarmed civilians and killed 13 people. Soon the story would be spread all across the world. It was told that this march could symbolize the beginning of unity between the two religious groups and end the IRA terrorist movements but instead of it ending the IRA, it only helps expand it. Young Catholic boys would soon become angry and what the British did to there own people and IRA would soon have a line of more young recruits willing to fight for a terrorist group because of anger towards the British government.

One of the current and most popular stories concerning this issue is the recent killing of Robert McCarthy. McCarthy was stabbed to death by what is believed to be a local leader of the IRA. Now since McCarthy is catholic and most of the cops in Northern Ireland are protestant, it is then believed that the evidence was tamed and an investigation was not made properly. The Sinn Fein and that IRA are affiliated with each other, and both have vowed to bring justice to the man or people who are involved in this murder but at the same time have not accepted responsibility. Soon the McCarthy sisters stepped into the situation. Demanding that the IRA is behind the murder of their brother, they order that the IRA worked with the local police in the investigation with the murder.

The man murdered, Robert McCarthy, lived in the "Troubles" which is a community of Catholics surrounded by Protestants. Robert was at the local pub with his friend. Him and his friend seemed to disturb a few women by there offensive language. McCarthy apologized but a few suppose IRA men didn't accept his apology. Soon the situation escalated and McCarthy was stabbed to death. It is alleged that IRA destroyed evidence by removing fingerprints and destroying security cameras. They would then finally threatened eyewitnesses by saying that there life would end if they opened their mouth about the situation. The McCarthy sisters stepping up and challenging the IRA and Sinn Fein to bring justice to the men who killed Robert has been seen as changing point in which justice is handled in today's society of Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Pact of 1998 is an example of peace agreements to come.

The Good Friday Pact was a landmark settlement that happened after nearly two years of negotiations. It also involved 8 of the 10 political parties in Northern Ireland. The most important part of the Good Friday Pact was the sharing of power between the Protestants and minority Catholics. The Catholics had to agree to give up there proposal of trying of unify with the Republic of Ireland. Another important issue was that the IRA had to disarm themselves from weapons. The IRA has yet to officially disarm themselves that has led to conflict, but the positive side of this ordeal is that there has been a bigger step in being equality to the country of Northern Ireland.

Yet the conflict of the IRA not disarming would soon be a cloud of the vast improvements by the Good Friday Pact. The IRA would not accept that they are to blame for the major crimes and deaths of the past by the British and Irish governments, and at the same time agreed to the cease-fire agreement made in 1997. On February 2nd, 2005 the IRA pulled out the weapons pact and was considered a huge setback to the peace process. In order for this peace process to work the IRA has