Northeren Ireland History Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Northeren Ireland History Coursework - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to discuss thoroughly the elements involved in the struggle for peace that the people of Northern Ireland find themselves involved in - both past and present. By examining the history of Northern Ireland, including the factors, obstacles, and pinnacle points involved, we can come to a clearer and more knowledgeable understanding on the subject matter. This is what will be dissertated in the following. I can learn many disadvantages faced by Catholics from the first paragraph through the learning that Catholics were a significant minority in regards to employment; only a mere 400 out of 10,000 workers in a Belfast shipyard were Catholic. This proves to be a significant disadvantage towards Catholics in the early 1960s considering that it seems as though they were given less employment opportunities. As well as facing disadvantages in city areas like Belfast, the second part of the source also shows other disadvantages faced in rural areas through another staggering statistic; although the population at the time in Fermanagh was over half Catholic, in regards to employment their position was still strikingly minor. Out of the Fermanagh City Council's 370 employees only 48 were Catholic, and out of 75 school bus drivers, only 7 were Catholic. In conclusion from this I can learn that although sometimes the Catholics were actually a majority in population, such as in the rural city of Fermanagh, they continued to make up only the minority in regards to employment. This shows us that they were treated unfairly, and were not given equal employment opportunities. How Useful are Sources B and C in Helping to Assess the Extent of Discrimination Against Catholics These two sources are significantly helpful in assessing the discrimination against Catholics, in that they show severe examples of the scrutiny and injustice that they faced. For example in source B, when Billy Sinclair, a former player-manager of Linfield, a football club in Northern Ireland, is making statements in 1984; he explained that if a Linfield soccer scout asked a player what school he went to and "if it's Saint something, then all of a sudden the boy's not good enough." This is a perfect example of the unfair discrimination the Catholics faced during that time period. In regards to source C, a similarly severe example is used, as it was described that Protestants are preferred during times of depression in preference to their fellow Catholics. This proves that people were not looked upon for their talent or humanity, but rather for whether they were Catholic or not, which is completely stereotypical and unjustified. How do Sources D, E, and F Help to Explain why Londonderry Became a Centre of the Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland Londonderry, which is also commonly referred to as the