The O'Neill years

The O’Neill years

The O’Neill Years

I. Term in Office

  • Terence O’Neill served as the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from 1963-1969.
  • His tenure was marked by several attempts at moderate reforms and reconciliation.
  • O’Neill’s ruling party was the Unionist Party, largely Protestant and favouring continued union with Britain.

II. Reforms and Initiatives

  • O’Neill tried to address some of the grievances of Northern Ireland’s Catholic minority.
  • He implemented a five-point reform plan in 1965: more houses to be built, increase in regional investment, more schools, establishing a university, promoting fairer employment practices.
  • His attempts at cross-community reconciliation included meeting with the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) of Republic of Ireland, Sean Lemass, in 1965. This was the first meeting between the leaders of the two Irelands since partition.

III. Obstacles and Opposition

  • Opposition to O’Neill came from both sides of the community.
  • Unionists, particularly from the hardline Paisleyite faction, accused him of betrayal by talking to Southern leaders and trying to placify Catholics with reforms.
  • Many Catholics, although appreciating the efforts, felt that the reforms did not go far enough and that discrimination remained.

IV. Civil Rights Movement and Resignation

  • Inspired by Civil Rights movements in the USA, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) was founded in 1967, demanding equality for Catholics.
  • O’Neill was unable to effectively control the widespread civil unrest and protests sparked by the Civil Rights movement.
  • There were growing instances of violence, such as the “Battle of the Bogside” in Derry in August 1968.
  • O’Neill called a snap election in early 1969 in an attempt to regain authority, but poor results for moderate Unionists further weakened his position.
  • Facing deteriorating public order, political opposition from hardliners within his own party, and the outbreak of the Troubles, O’Neill resigned in April 1969.

By studying the O’Neill years, it is possible to understand the limits of political reform in a deeply divided society, and the roots of the conflicts that led to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.