Conflict in North Ireland
Catholocism vs. Prodestantism
background
In the sixteenth century, an attempt to bring back the Christian Church developed into a Protestant movement that hurt the religious unity of Europe.
Ireland's Religious Groups
Ireland has two main religious groups. The majority of Irish are Roman Catholic, and a smaller number are Protestant (mostly Anglicans and Presbyterians). However, there is a majority of Protestants in the northern province of Ulster.
The Fenians
In the early days of Ireland government, the Catholics had no political say. In 1829 Catholics were allowed political representation. Despite this concession, Irish nationalists began to push for political independence and land reform. The group that argued for this in the 1800s were the Fenians.
Martin Luther
"Father of the Great Reformation"
Is the conflict over?
No, there are still arguments, segregation, and hostility today. From the late 1960s a civil rights movement broke out in Ulster to promote the political and social rights of the Irish Catholic minority there. This led to violence with the involvement of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on the Catholic side and the Ulster Defence Force (UDF) on the Protestant side.