Hannah Grant- Macomb Community College- History of the World to 1945- July 2010
Progression of Ireland from 1950-1975
Progression of Ireland from 1950-1975
The early history of Ireland begins with a suffrage of Ireland, its loss of self after the conquering of Catholicism and Rome. Though as Galatians 3:1 points out not all were taken so quickly. “Are you people in Galatia Mad? Has someone put a spell on you?”. The political assaults upon the Celtic people and their culture were on battle seeking to change their new found acceptance of Christianity was another. After the coming of Columba (Comicille) to the Isle of Iona in 563, Ireland united in a bid to accept Christianity as the universal religion. The folklore of course was kept in the back of the mind and some verse would be changed to reflect that. Two Invasions during the Normans Age led to a precarious English lordship over Ireland. It went further that the Synod at Cashel abolished the tribal style of episcopacy in 1171. Once again a blow to the memory of the Celt who chose folklore characters as his patrons. This patronage was no more under the Continental system of Bishop and territory which was controlled by English powers.
So we can begin with 1950 with the knowledge that Ireland is a conquered people. In contrast to the 18th century at the time of the 50's Ireland has resigned itself to being a nation among the British Isles cooperative. This contrast can be seen in both the acceptance in May 12th 1950 of Nationalists in the North of Ireland receiving seats in the Dáil and Seanad from the Government of the Republic. Yet, on the same hand we have refusal of Winston Churchill's August 11th (1950) plan for a coalition European Army. The fifties were not a politics only time for Ireland as British Embassy was bombed may 24th 1951 followed by the Abbey Theater in Dublin being burnt to the ground later that year. It was not until these items of contention were reviewed that Ireland entered the untied Nations in 1955.
Beginning from the induction to the UN we can see a change of news items from common street war to that of political progress. Senator Owen Sheehy-Skeffington introduced a motion calling for the prohibition of all corporal punishment for girls in Irish national schools in 1956 and the first twelve female recruits were selected to join An Garda Síochána (Irish Policeforce) 1959. Later in 1963, Minister for Justice Charles Haughey announced that the government proposed to abolish the death penalty. However with these strides for civil liberties and welfare came further hardships. 1969, an offshoot of the Civil Rights Movement, People’s Democracy, marched for jobs, houses and ‘one man, one vote’. They were attacked by Protestants, including uniformed RUC. No attackers were arrested, but eighty marchers were. A few months following the British Misister of Defense objected to British involvement in Northern Ireland because they were not sufficiently in touch with Northern Irish internal affairs considering how many firebombs and riots went uncontrolled.
Further actions were taken for female concerns in 1971 when members of the Irish Woman's Liberation movement took a train from Belfast to Dublin bringing back contraceptives that were banned from import into the Republic. In the beginning of their history Ireland fought the British and Roman invaders head to head but during 1950-1969 some peace had been made with it and protests and violence were limited this all changed in the 1970's with Bloody Sunday. Thirteen civilians were killed by British soldiers in Derry. The Republic of Ireland declared a national day of mourning for the following day; and the day after, 20,000 people attacked the British Embassy in Dublin and burned it down; the Republic of Ireland Foreign Minister declared it his aim to get the British out of Ireland. Direct Rule was consequently declared. Here in lies the difference Ireland began as a patsy and ended a rival though British control is still somewhat looming. “To curse life is to err” says Euros Bowen. The modern Celt does not curse life or it's history.
Works Cited:
"Irish History Links". Irish Historian. 07/17/2010 <http://www.irishhistorylinks.net/Irish_History_Timeline.html#1950s_60s>.
Duncan, Anthony. The Elements of Celtic Christianity. Shaftesbury, Dorset, Great Britain: Element Books, 1992.
