The IRA In the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s the IRA were not very strong or active in Northern Ireland During World War II, both the Northern Ireland and Irish Free State governments interned IRA members (imprisoned them without trial) In the 1950s they staged a 'Border Campaign' (codenamed 'Operation Harvest') Attacked RUC stations and shot policemen Border Campaign officially ended in 1962
The Labour Government in Westminster and Northern Ireland In 1949 after IFS declared a republic, the Labour government passed the Ireland Act (this stated that any change in status of Northern Ireland in UK would need consent of Northern Ireland parliament-which was overwhelmingly unionist) Since the 1920s the Westminster parliament had not discussed the internal affairs of Northern Ireland (despite some complaints by Nationalists and some Labour MPs)
The British 'Welfare State' After WWII a Labour Government got into power and brought in major reforms in education, social welfare and health care (many by Minister Aneurin Bevan) NHS providing free health care set up in 1946 More money was given to education which resulted in more people getting a free secondary education Scholarships were provided to allow some students to get a free university education Old age pensions and unemployment benefit were improved Local councils were given money to build houses and clear slums three minute film on post war british welfare state national health service information film 1948
Lord Brookeborough (Sir Basil Brooke) 1888-1973 Prime Minister of Northern Ireland 1943-1963 Elected an MP in 1929 and served as a Minister in previous governments before becoming PM
Lord Brookeborough Prime Minister 1943-1963 Unionist and member of the Orange Order Distrusted Catholics and in 1930s encouraged Protestants not to employ them He lost popularity due rising unemployment Jobs were being lost in manufacturing, shipbuilding and linen industries
Economic Problems and Government Policy Decline in traditional industries in postwar period: shipbuilding, linen 1945 Industries Development Act: sites and grants given as incentives to new companies 1956 Northern Ireland Development Company to attract foreign direct investment But shipbuilding and linen industries continued to decline leading to rising unemployment
Housing Problems and Economic Policy Bombing of Belfast destroyed many homes 1945 Housing Act passed to provide new homes (built by Councils and the Northern Ireland Housing Trust) By 1960 approx. 100,000 new houses built Some councils allocated houses based on religion, this was a particular problem 'West of the Bann' in areas where some councils favoured Protestants in allocating housing
Agricultural Problems and Government Policy Agriculture: farms sometimes small and inefficient Subsidies provided to modernise farms and buy equipment (e.g. Tractors) Increased mechanisation led to increased productivity but reduced need for agricultural workers
Brookeborough resigns and is replaced by Terence O'Neill In the 1962 election the Ulster Unionist Party lost seats to the Northern Ireland Labour Party Resigned in 1963 due to deteriorating health and dwindling support from backbenchers
Brookeborough and Enoch Powell
O'Neill and Brookeborough
Terence O'Neill Prime Minister 1963-1969 Brookeborough resigned and was replaced by Captain Terence O'Neill O'Neill was born in London in 1914 and grew up in England (went to Eton College) Served in British army during WWII Elected as an Mp to Northern Ireland parliament in 1946 Served as Minister for Health ('48-'53), Deputy Speaker ('53-'56), and Minister for Finance ('56-'63) before becoming PM
O'Neill's Policies He wanted to modernise Northern Ireland and bring in some reforms and improve relations with Catholics but without weakening the link with Britain He wanted to develop industries, education, transport, and housing in Northern Ireland He also wanted to improve relations with the Republic of Ireland and increase trade between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic
O'Neill's Economic Policies O'Neill's government decided to create a new city called Craigavon His government planned to build a 2nd university in Northern Ireland O'Neill encouraged multinational companies to set up factories in Northern Ireland to replace jobs lost in traditional industries The government undertook a big road and motorway building program He also wanted to improve trade with the Republic of Ireland
O'Neill and Catholics in Northern Ireland O'Neill was the first Prime Minister of Nothern Ireland to visit Catholic Schools and adopted a more conciliatory approach to Northern Irish Catholics and also to the Irish Republic Some unionists were unhappy with these developments Despite his more inclusive and conciliatory attitude to Catholics, many of the new industries set up were located east in areas east of the river Bann and so did little to reduce unemployment amongst Catholics
O'Neill and unionists O'Neill had spent most of his life up to the age of 31 outside of Northern Ireland (grew up in England, then served in British Army) He alienated the support of many unionists including some of his own ministers by his conciliatory approach to Catholics and friendlier relations with the Republic of Ireland He came under pressure from Harold Wilson's government to introduce reforms but this eroded his support within the Unionist Party Ian Paisley almost defeated O'Neill in his own constituency in the 1969 election
O'Neill meets Lemass 1965 He tried to improve relations with the Irish Republic by meeting Sean Lemass and visiting Dublin In 1965 O'Neill invited Irish Taoiseach Sean Lemass to meet him in Belfast in January 1965 He went to visit Lemass in Dublin the following year This was welcomed by northern nationalists but some unionists were unhappy and some protested at O'Neill meeting Lemass
The Coleraine Univeristy Controversy 1965
A second university for Northern Ireland The larger numbers attending second level education after WWII created the need for a 2nd university in Northern Ireland In 1960 Eddie McAteer (the Nationalist MP for Derry City) made a speech recommending Derry City as the best location for a university in Northern Ireland He was supported by the Unionist MP for Derry (Edward Jones) In 1961 the Robbins Report on Higher nd Education recommended a 2 university for NI
nd Plans for a 2 university in Northern Ireland Derry, Coleraine, Armagh and Craigavon all competed to be chosen as the site of the new university Derry already had a small 3rd level college and was considered by many as the most likely choice The Lockwood Committee quickly ruled out Armagh and Craigavon Members of the Committee visited Coleraine and Derry to examine their suitability
University for Derry Action Committee A group was set up to campaign for Derry to be chosen as the site of the new university John Hume became leader of the University for Derry Action Committee (but it had cross community support) Both unionists and nationalists in Derry saw the advantages for the city of having a university located there
The Lockwood Committee The government set up a committe chaired by Sir John Lockwood (from Birbeck College, London) to look at the setting up nd of a 2 university None of the members of the Committee were Catholics Sir John Lockwood and his wife, Lady Lockwood
What were the Committee looking for? The Committee wanted a site where the university could be built They also wanted a place to accomodate students
Magee College Magee College had been set up in Derry to train Presbyterian clergy It was linked to Trinity College in Dublin Students would complete their degrees in Trinity College
Coleraine versus Derry Magee College was seen as too small and in need of upgrading Derry had not offered another site New buildings would have to be built for the university and also for student accomodation Derry offered Magee College but didn't offer sites for the accomodation of students Coleraine offered a site for the university to be built and also suggested that the boarding houses in seaside holiday towns of Portrush and Portstewart could be used to accomodate students
The Lockwood Report February 1965 The Lockwood Committee published its report Higher Education in Northern Ireland It listed the advantages (educational, social, cultural and economic) of setting up a new university It recommended a site for the new university (even though this had not been in its terms of reference) It recommended Coleraine over Derry, Craigavon and Armagh as the best location
The Motorcade to Stormont 18 February 1965 On 18 February 1965 an estimated 25,000 and a motorcade of 2,000 vehicles led by Eddie McAteer (Nationalist MP for Derry City) and Albert Anderson (the Unionist Mayor of Derry) travelled to Stormont to show their support for Derry as the location of the new university th
O'Neill meets the 'Faceless Men' th from Derry 19 February 1965 O'Neill secretly met a group of Unionists from Derry on 19th February 1965, the day after the motorcade demonstration This was not made public until May 1965 and what happened at that meeting has been a matter of dispute Some unionists from Derry may have felt that locating a university there would lead to an increase in the number of Catholics in the city and this could threaten the unionist control of the city council and lobbied O'Neill to support Coleraine
The debate at Stormont There was a 3 day debate at Stormont in March 1945 When the vote came on the recommendation of the Lockwood Committee came up the Unionist Party applied the party whip This meant that Mps had to vote with their party or risk being expelled from it The vote was carried by 27 votes to 19 Magee College was to remain open as a branch of the new university at Coleraine
Nixon denounces the 'nameless, faceless men' In May 1965 the Unionist MP for North Down, Robert Nixon, claimed that a number of 'nameless, faceless men from Londonderry' met th with O'Neill and the Education Minister on 19 February with aim of persuading him not to close Magee College but also not to choose Derry as the site for the new university The government denied any conspiracy and expelled Nixon from the party A petition with 15,000 signatures calling for an inquiry was ignored by the government
New university set up in Coleraine
Did sectarian tensions make Derry unsuitable as a site for a new university? Was it easier to build on a new site in Coleraine rather than try to upgrade and expand Magee College? Was Coleraine a better site because of the proximity of Portrush and Portstewart for student accomodation?
Was it reasonable to favour Coleraine which was mainly protestant and free from much sectarian tension over Derry where there was sectarian tensions? Did unionist politicians put pressure on the Lockwood Committee and/or Terence O'Neill to reject Derry as a suitable site? Did the Lockwood Committee have enough understanding of the complex socio-historical context that existed in Northern Ireland?
Why did Lockwood Committee recommend Coleraine? Why did O'Neill accept their recommendation? Why were Derry unionists divided on the the issue? How did nationalists and catholics from Derry and elsewhere view the decision? What impact did the controversy have on politics and society in Northern Ireland?
Why was Magee College not chosen?
What reasons did the Lockwood Committee give for choosing Coleraine?
What was the reaction to Lockwood Committee's decison to choose Coleraine?
Was the reaction a Catholic protest against a Protestant decision?
Who were the 'nameless, faceless' men' and what happened at the meeting?
What was the outcome of the Coleraine University controversy?
What was the significance of the Coleraine University controversy?