Elizabeth Bowers on Current Catholic-Protestant Tensions in Ireland
By: Elizabeth Bowers
December 18, 2006
Upon arriving in Dublin this September, it was difficult not to be impressed by the beauty and serenity of both the Irish people and the Irish countryside. Having an uncle who served as an American diplomat in Ireland, I knew that the Emerald Isle wasn't always as beautiful and peaceful as it is today. The arduous Irish peace process is still far from over, but several politicians and religious figures have made valiant strides to end the fighting between both countries this past decade. Being a student studying in Dublin, it is often easy to forget the troubles that once plagued this land, namely the bitter battle between unionists and nationalists or as some might say Protestants and Catholics. Nevertheless, we were all reminded on Friday, November 24, of the sinister hatred between the two aforementioned groups that still brews underneath Ireland's seemingly beautiful surface.
This past Friday a convicted killer, Michael Stone, disrupted the Stormont's session and reinforced the view of some skeptics that Ireland will never be able to achieve peace. The news of Stone's attack quickly reached individuals in both Northern Ireland and the Republic. Some people heard of the incident through breaking news reports while others learned of his failed attempt from the morning newspaper; as for the 50 American students who were prepared to pack their bags and go to Northern Ireland the next day, we were greeted by a solemn e-mail. The letter simply stated that we would be unable to take our planned trip due to security issues at the Stormont.
Bewildered, we scrambled for scraps of news that could inform us about these alleged security issues. As we searched news updates and current articles, our answer came to us through the television waves. "Michael Stone, a convicted killer who was released due to the Good Friday Agreement, managed to enter the Stormont today with a pack that contained as many as 8 bombs, a gun, and a knife." Stunned at the news, we all unpacked our bags. Later as more details were released about the incident, we realized that Stone attacked the Stormont exactly 24 hours before our scheduled tour of the building. Luckily for all involved, authorities apprehended Stone shortly after he gained access to the building, and he is currently being charged with the attempted murder of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness. These two men are prominent Catholic and nationalist political figures and have been integral in creating and maintaining the ceasefire.
Stone's actions, whether rogue or planned by his former paramilitary organization, the Ulster Freedom Fighters, demonstrate that there is no easy answer to Ireland's struggle for peace. The hatred that exists between the unionists and the nationalists stems from hundreds of years of religious intolerance, violence, and oppression. Nevertheless, this hatred must be contained so that Ireland can continue moving into the twenty-first century. One of the major issues that still afflicts Ireland, as demonstrated by Stone's attempted crimes, are the activities of paramilitary groups and radical individuals.
The government thought that they had put a stop to the actions of paramilitary groups previously in the Good Friday Agreement. One of the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement clearly outlined that paramilitary groups must maintain a cease-fire and disarm. The groups received a very valuable reward for following the aforementioned rule, which was the release of all political prisoners of war who were members of the respective paramilitary organization. This controversial aspect of the Good Friday Agreement allowed for the release of convicted murders such as Stone.
When studying Ireland's turbulent history, it is remarkable how many paramilitary groups organized wars within Ireland. While some of the attacks devised by groups such as the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Old Irish Republican Army helped Ireland to achieve its freedom, other paramilitary groups such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) have crippled Ireland's abilities to peacefully progress into the twenty-first century.
The former existence and strength of paramilitary groups displays the Irish people's overwhelming lack of faith in the democratic process and in their leader's abilities to achieve freedom through non-violent means. The situation in Northern Ireland will not be perfect for awhile, it isn't expected to be. Both innocent Protestants and Catholics have been unjustly murdered, while some men who were guilty of crimes have been released. Typically, individuals who are hard-line unionists, like Stone, profess to be devout Protestants. Likewise, the nationalists, most commonly associated with the PIRA, are often described as devout Catholics. Ironically, the actions that these two groups engaged in from the Troubles up until the Good Friday Agreement strongly contradict their religious beliefs. While the past is painful for individuals of both faiths to recollect, leaders from both sides of the table have urged all Irishmen to turn the other cheek and allow democratic means to decide the fate of these countries.
Bewildered, we scrambled for scraps of news that could inform us about these alleged security issues. As we searched news updates and current articles, our answer came to us through the television waves. "Michael Stone, a convicted killer who was released due to the Good Friday Agreement, managed to enter the Stormont today with a pack that contained as many as 8 bombs, a gun, and a knife." Stunned at the news, we all unpacked our bags. Later as more details were released about the incident, we realized that Stone attacked the Stormont exactly 24 hours before our scheduled tour of the building. Luckily for all involved, authorities apprehended Stone shortly after he gained access to the building, and he is currently being charged with the attempted murder of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness. These two men are prominent Catholic and nationalist political figures and have been integral in creating and maintaining the ceasefire.
Stone's actions, whether rogue or planned by his former paramilitary organization, the Ulster Freedom Fighters, demonstrate that there is no easy answer to Ireland's struggle for peace. The hatred that exists between the unionists and the nationalists stems from hundreds of years of religious intolerance, violence, and oppression. Nevertheless, this hatred must be contained so that Ireland can continue moving into the twenty-first century. One of the major issues that still afflicts Ireland, as demonstrated by Stone's attempted crimes, are the activities of paramilitary groups and radical individuals.
The government thought that they had put a stop to the actions of paramilitary groups previously in the Good Friday Agreement. One of the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement clearly outlined that paramilitary groups must maintain a cease-fire and disarm. The groups received a very valuable reward for following the aforementioned rule, which was the release of all political prisoners of war who were members of the respective paramilitary organization. This controversial aspect of the Good Friday Agreement allowed for the release of convicted murders such as Stone.
When studying Ireland's turbulent history, it is remarkable how many paramilitary groups organized wars within Ireland. While some of the attacks devised by groups such as the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Old Irish Republican Army helped Ireland to achieve its freedom, other paramilitary groups such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) have crippled Ireland's abilities to peacefully progress into the twenty-first century.
The former existence and strength of paramilitary groups displays the Irish people's overwhelming lack of faith in the democratic process and in their leader's abilities to achieve freedom through non-violent means. The situation in Northern Ireland will not be perfect for awhile, it isn't expected to be. Both innocent Protestants and Catholics have been unjustly murdered, while some men who were guilty of crimes have been released. Typically, individuals who are hard-line unionists, like Stone, profess to be devout Protestants. Likewise, the nationalists, most commonly associated with the PIRA, are often described as devout Catholics. Ironically, the actions that these two groups engaged in from the Troubles up until the Good Friday Agreement strongly contradict their religious beliefs. While the past is painful for individuals of both faiths to recollect, leaders from both sides of the table have urged all Irishmen to turn the other cheek and allow democratic means to decide the fate of these countries.
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