Confirming Partition

Confirming Partition

Political & Religious Division

PR & politics

Politics: The end of PR

Education

Politics

Nationalists had won a number of local elections under PR system in 1920

Craig introduced First Past the Post which favoured Unionists & Dawson Bates

redrew constituency boarders to favour Unionists (gerrymandering)

Example - Fermanagh had 56% Catholic population but only won 37% of votes

PR also ended in parliamentary elections in 1929(despite it being used in UK)

Outcomes-

- Elections became straight contest between Unionists & Nationalists

- All Unionists now supported Unionist Party - controlled Parliament until 1972

- Most opposition parties would not contest elections - weak political scene

- Nationalist opposition either abstained or gave up as they had no chance of gaining power

- Nationalists suffered as a result in areas such as employment, education & social housing

What is PR?

This meant Unionists

vote would not be

split or diluted by

party voting

Ensure straight vote

between Unionist &

Nationalist - favoured

Unionist population

Confirming Partition

The Boundary Commission

Education was another huge area where sectarian division grew

Craig appointed Lord Londonderry to examine state of education - huge deficiencies

Catholic run schools refused to take part in examination - didn't recognise Ministry of Education

Decision to remove religion from school patronage at primary & have "Transfer Schools"

Catholic clergy refused to take part - this allowed Protestant Church to "take over" transfer schools and shape them as they pleased as no Catholic stakeholders

Second Level schools remained under religious patronage

This further marginalised the Catholic population & created a deeper overall divide

The Orange Order: Founded in 1780s to represent

Northern Protestants in land conflict (1798 rebellion)

Openly & explicitly anti-Catholic

Nearly 2/3 of all Protestant men members - would

not get elected to parliament unless a member

James Craig - "I am an Orangeman first & a politician & member of parliament second (remember DeV?)

Partition had initially come about in 1920 under the Govt of Ireland Act

Establishing the State - We have seen already from the early establishment of N.I it was heavily weighted towards Unionist prosperity

Law & Order - Civil unrest came to both sides but the policies of Dawson Bates meant that Catholics felt unsafe & isolated from justice & protection

Economy - Again both communities suffered but it became obvious that any progess or recovery would be enjoyed by Protestants in N.I

Even in it's earliest days the political process, policing, & economic prosperity would mean that Catholics were be second class citizens

Initial Boundary set by 1920 Govt of Ireland Act - Treaty of 1921 called for a Commission to be set up to establish last boarder

Long delays in setting up Commission owing to Civil War in Ireland & Craig fearing large areas of Northern Ireland would be lost

Eventually in 1925 new Boundary had changed little & Northern Nationalists were furious - they had hoped partition was only temporary

Now forced to accept situation & further entrenched Catholic identity & ideals