Brit Reacting to The Troubles: Unravelling Northern Ireland's 30-Year Conflict

[@danielfrancis3736]

There have always been Protestsnt Irish Nationalists. Some of the great Irish heroes like Griffin, Parnell, Wolfe Tone were Protestant.

[@doniehurley7634]

You forgot Robert Emmet and Erskin Childers

[@elmatador2139]

Yeah, it was only in the late 1800s that protestants stopped being associated with Nationalism. It always surprises me that during the 1800s most Nationalist figures were Protestants. The only Catholic figure I can think of is Daniel O'Connell.

[@conormcnamara8963]

dont forget the napper tandy

[@ShaneGallager]

Lots of Irish Republican Protestants, Irish Republicanism was invented by liberal Protestants inspired by the ideas of the French & American Revolutions. Orr, Napper Tandy, McCracken, Ronnie Bunting, Thomas Russell, Lord Fitzgerald etc.

[@gillyellis3294]

Jesus my heart is bursting with Irish pride here and yet it’s breaking my heart no country whatsoever should be under any rule or thumb it’s just not right and it’s a real shame to learn that English schools have nothing about the history of our two countries I feel sorry for them

[@robertbarron1]

Asking a question is never stupid mate

[@gingerandbroke1402]

5:45 YES. We have many irish Protestants who fought for a UI, Wolfe Tone being the greatest example. People always think the troubles were about religion, Catholic vs. Protestant when it's actually Irish vs. British colonisers, and the struggle for civil rights in an aparthied state.

[@tan97]

It was about religion, but not the practice of religion but the discrimination by religion that went on

[@johnnotrealname8168]

It was a nationalist struggle but denying there was discrimination and persecution of Catholics as Catholics is stupid.

[@Nicholas_Burmeister]

So cool that you're learning the gritty details of things. I saw how you were upset; don't be, one more Brit being aware of their history is a victory on its own.

[@99Gobber]

Fair play to you for educating yourself. Pass it on

[@karlharvymarx2650]

Thank you for doing this one. Seeing the conflict on the news was part of my childhood but I have always been frustrated by not knowing what the fighting was actually about. The news gave the impression people were just going apeshit for the heck of it.

[@CK-lg8pc]

Smart guy..it even pissed u off.....god bless Ireland

[@rorycannon]

Well done my friend!Educating yourself is Power

[@JPMadden]

I'm an American whose ancestry is half-Irish, all on my father's side. My father, who was a history teacher, used to say that the British deserved to deal with the mess of Northern Ireland since they created it long ago. I remember the last decade or so of The Troubles. It seemed to me that the fight over whether Northern Ireland should remain as part of the UK or join the Republic Ireland turned it into a violent, impoverished place that neither country wished to deal with, if they were being honest in public. Perhaps because I'm not religious, I don't care whether Ireland is united, as long as the people of Northern Ireland have peace and prosperity. People who feel safe and are financially comfortable are much less likely to care what religion their neighbors are. They or their children are also more likely to become irreligious. I don't think your question at 5:30 is stupid. Now that the fighting has ended, except for the rare incident, why shouldn't the two opposing groups of people who live together or nearby gradually become more like each other? I have heard someone online say he lives in Northern Ireland yet he calls himself Irish. I don't know his religion, nor should I. He might be Protestant and wish to join the Republic of Ireland. The former IRA prisoner at 13:00 seems to be saying he wants both parts of Ireland to be one country, but that he dislikes the current governments of both. It's my understanding that the Catholic Church has far less political power today in the Republic of Ireland than they did decades ago, so his thinking might be out-of-date. Many countries, including the U.S., have or have had requirements that voters must own property. Those in power in any society, even democracies, are at best reluctant to share power. One way of maintaining power is to restrict voting to those likely to vote as you would. The Good Friday Agreement might never have been reached if not for former military commanders of the IRA and the UVF/UDA publicly renouncing violence and agreeing to surrender weapons. I recommend you react to the official music video for the song "Zombie" by The Cranberries, a band from the Republic of Ireland. The original video would have been improved by interviewing some young people from Northern Ireland.

[@kylepickus5712]

The uncanny similarities between South Africa, Nigeria and Northern Ireland are by design. They were both an example of an Apartheid regime set up by the British Government to subjugate and oppress the native populations. They put them on reservations, limit their access to essential infrastructure, and expend very little on education or recreation in native reservations. You could see a similar situation in Palestine.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

South-Africa is ironical because apartheid was set up in opposition to British Imperialism which was seen as liberal and emancipatory. Nigeria? Eh, it was fine and much better than what came afterwards. Palestine is not British anymore and Britain did try placating Arabs.

[@ClezVideos]

The trauma and affects of The Troubles are still felt to this day. More people have died in Northern Ireland from suicide since peace was declared than died in The Troubles. That stat is from 2016.

[@vibes..585]

What is the source if stat please ?

[@greattobeadub]

In every Irish school we learn all about the UK, and it’s interesting history. Apparently, the UK teaches nothing about Ireland at all, despite still occupying part of it. It’s astonishing.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

Not an occupation, it is on the basis of consent. Also Ireland is not pertinent to modern Britain. Britain is pertinent to modern Ireland.

[@greattobeadub]

@@johnnotrealname8168 not pertinent? How ignorant can one be? You make my case for me.

[@PaulJohnston-n5w]

@@greattobeadub I have to say that if people are describing Northern Ireland as an “occupation” then they are not doing a very good job in educating. To describe the Protestant Unionist people who have lived on the island for at least 400 years as occupiers demonstrates a poor job at education. Antrim and Down not part of plantation so they have been there many, many generations if 400 years isn’t long enough to belong ( or have a view on your form of Govt /Nationality). Occupation sounds a little like some of the language of people who have been attacking people of colour or Eastern Europeans in Dublin and elsewhere recently - the irony being that many of the so-called immigrants have lived there for generations. The Protestant Unionist people in NI are most certainly not immigrants. If people are doing European history ( for instance Germany) do they know who - in the 20th Century - labelled long standing residents as foreigners and occupiers on the basis of their religion? There are plenty of schools in the UK that teach Irish history either as part of the history of the British Isles or European History or specific themes such as theocracy/ Church domination of political life ( compare and contrast to - much earlier regimes - in France, Spain etc. ). Again on the occupation thing - I’m guessing that they haven’t reached the 1998 Good Friday Agreement - where most of the parties on the island and the 2 Govts accepted the principle of consent and the Republic removed the irredentist Articles 2 & 3 from the Constitution. You see the consent of all the people of the island in two democratic concurrent referenda was gained. Northern Ireland has substantial devolved Govt by the …will of its people, it is part of the UK by the …will of its people, And that arrangement is supported by the people of the rest of the island by - any guesses ? …….the will of its people. Of course in terms of pertinence, cultural and familial ties - many people in the UK are also interested in India, Pakistani, Africa, the Caribbean and other European countries. There’s a lot of competing aspects to the curriculum.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@greattobeadub What are you on about? The Irish Question has been settled.

[@whatifiputsomethingsilly]

​@@PaulJohnston-n5w Without the colonization of Ireland there would be no partition. Within the present order is the political domination of Republicans and Nationalists by the Loyalist descendents of colonial settlers, both sides still exist and are divided on clear lines. As long as the British government controls Northern Ireland, Republicans will consider it occupation. But I guess it's comfier to isolate the present from the past.

[@qazatqazah]

It's utterly horrifying. As a Dutch person I've never been involved in this conflict, but I've always heard about the bombings in international news. Which is one more reason why I find the English opting for Brexit not just disappointing, but utterly insane.

[@Dubulcle]

Why would it be disappointing or insane?

[@qazatqazah]

@@Dubulcle (In this answer I assume you're British.) It's disappointing because the EU is not just any group of countries: it's the solution to centuries of war in Europe. Never before in European history, going back all the way to the Roman Empire, has there been such a long period of peace within Europe as we have had since the Third Reich fell and since the EGKS/EEC/EU was instituted. It is disappointing because we thought we could count on you as a friend in this peace project, but you have chosen not to want to be involved in it. You let us down as a friend. And it is insane because you have the seeds of war inside your own country. The Troubles could only be solved because you became a part of the EU, and that made borders insignificant. But now you chose to put those borders back up, reigniting the flames of division within Northern Ireland. Basically you set fire to your own house.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@qazatqazah Problem, Britain only joined the E.U. in the early '70s and France opposed it until then. What prevented fighting is a common foe and economic integration. The peace rhetoric is so annoying. Edit: The border was not solved only because of the E.U. (In fact the E.U. tried putting up a hard border for vaccines not Britain.) but because the community wanted peace. Indeed that is why there is peace.

[@qazatqazah]

@@johnnotrealname8168 Yes, France didn't trust your commitment at first, and indeed, you've proven them right. Your saying that peace rhetoric is annoying just underscores that point.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@qazatqazah Commitment which was freely entered into and out of. No, it emphasises the issue of how peace is used as an excuse for the European Union by remainers Edit: "for example" as if The Troubles (1969-1998) would restart over tariffs when, if that is a big deal for the Northern-Irish, they can vote to get out of the United-Kingdom of Great-Britain and Northern-Ireland. In fact the only ones that tried to put a hard border in place was the European Union over vaccines.

[@user-TonyUK]

It was only after seeing the difference in Home accomodation on offer to the residents of Belfast, that I realise what could a route cause of the differences. NOT all houses in the areas I visited had indoor plumbing (WC & Bathrooms).

[@Mickybear89]

You should do a reaction video to the hunger stikes in Northern Ireland.

[@philipowen-by3jb]

Why

[@kevtb874]

'Entangled'. That's the word for it. The more you look into it the more you understand it was just a mess of justifications, hurt, pain, death and revenge. It's amazing it didn't last longer.

[@ook428]

About the question it was mostly Catholics wanted a united Ireland. it’s not a dumb question to ask. There probably are some Protestants who wanted a united Ireland. And some people who don’t prescribe to religion who wanted a united ireland. Mostly though people wanted to be treated fairly. Education and jobs and resources. I think most in the north just wants peace and it took both sides listening to each other and trusting each other. I hope for the future of Palestine and Israel that I can be your future for their children..

[@PaulJohnston-n5w]

Someone in this chain makes a reference to “ Bloody Sunday” by U2. Of course , anytime I’ve seen U2 Live Bono has repeatedly emphasised that “ Bloody Sunday” is not a Rebel Song and should be taken as a call away from violence of any kind. He also rededicated the song following the IRA Republican massacre at a Remembrance Day Poppy ceremony at Enniskillen on another “ Bloody Sunday” where old men who had mainly fought in the World Wars against foes such as the Nazis were blown to bits . One of the real heroes of the Troubles was a man; who set the tone after the bombing - Gordon Wilson, whose daughter Marie was killed and who was himself injured in the attack. He repeated his 20-year-old daughter's final words to him as they both lay in the rubble of the bombing. "Daddy, I love you very much," she said. Having been rescued and knowing of the death of his young nurse daughter, he remarkably said: "I bear no ill will; I bear no grudge." He was even quoted as saying: "I will pray for these men tonight and every night."

[@Finderskeepers.]

Zombie by the Cranberries has similar roots being a protest against the Warrington bombing

[@DavidDArcy1975]

if you want to know just how closely both this and the Palestinian/israeli situations are - check out the history of the black & tans

[@ericakate]

13:28 you couldn’t really combine the two as the same because of the cultural and economical differences at this point bc time has passed so what he’s saying is make the island united again, but obviously let them still keep whatever they want to keep bc the last thing we wanna do is to force things on ppl like britain. It’s more geographical is what i take from that

[@ericakate]

- as well as geographical it’d be law and government based

[@whatifiputsomethingsilly]

I think it's less so that. It's more opposition to both the Republic of Ireland (as it currently exists) and Northern Ireland as states, arguing for a new state apparatus to cover both the North and the South, rebuilt on Republican lines (as opposed to the continuity of the Free State and ROI and the current political order of Ireland). It's a pretty well established viewpoint in Republican cirlces. The Provos explicitely considered themselves socialist, though with little clarification. Tearing down both states and building one Irish socialist republic is a line you'll hear surprisingly often if you go after primary sources.

[@rossmccarthy6415]

The British started it just saying!!!!!!!

[@hulkhogan4203]

I can't believe you did that to the Irish Luka!!!

[@carlomercorio1250]

Concentration camps used by British against Boers in South African War of 1899-1902. In 1940 my Italian grandfather was interned in South Africa because SA was at war with Italy - same thing happened to Japanese Americans during World War II. Democracy is wonderful except when it doesn't suit the powers that be - then your so-called rights count for nought.

[@vibes..585]

Hitler studied the British interment camps system..he said he was Influenced by the British.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

It is war-time. Interning enemy aliens is acceptable in war-time. They should be treated well though. Japanese-Americans were loyal according to the government which is why that was wrong. Italian and German-Americans were also interned.

[@vcrossCelticfc]

Watch the movies: Michael Collins (a Hollywood blockbuster) In the name of thy father (Guildford four)

[@johnnotrealname8168]

Michael Collins (1996) is not a good film. I would recommend The Treaty (1991) instead.

[@jgog59]

The state was totally created from 6 counties of the 9 counties of Ulster. It was to keep protestants as a majority, and it would never have a Catholic majority. September 2023 was the first time I’ve been back up in the six counties since the 1980s I’m 65 years old. When I was 20, I was horrified going through the checkpoints because my auntie wanted to go shopping and it was better shopping in at night in Belfast. Now mind you it was a very different experience in 2023 the 1980. I really love Derry. I thought that was a lovely town. Belfast part of it was still disturbing to see the peace walls and to see protestant neighborhoods where they still lock themselves up at night. The video you watched is one of the most balanced videos I’ve seen. I have British friends who still just don’t understand that it wasn’t just the IRA. It was the UVF also. They don’t realize is that the army had sanctioned state run terrorism and worked in conclusion with protestant paramilitary’s. Right now, there are talks being held discussing the possibility of merging with the south, but it would require constitutional change and re-configuring of Dublin. One of the positives is that the Catholic Church has no say in Irish politics anymore, thankfully. Don’t even get me started on the Catholic Church and I was raised Catholic. If there is to be a reunification, we have to be very sensitive to the protestants if there is reunification in guarantee, there will be no Catholic Church involved in the government. For the first time, there is a majority of Catholics in the north, which doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all Republicans. The Republic of Ireland which has a very dynamic economy and is quite prosperous needs to do some rethinking the NSE to merge with the NHS. The EU has already said if the north and the south voted to unite they would help financially like they did with East and West Germany. I have to give you kudos for your curiosity about different subjects, but in particular the conflict in the six counties. sadly, you not knowing much about this is intentional by the UK government to gloss over their part in this. In September, the UK passed the amnesty law “BELFAST, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The offering by Britain of conditional amnesties to ex-soldiers and militants involved in Northern Ireland's decades of violence is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), Belfast's High Court ruled on Wednesday. Judge Adrian Colton said the section of a new law introduced last year to offer immunity from prosecution for those who cooperated fully with a new investigative body should be disapplied.” British authorities when it comes to Ireland, whether you’re protestant or Catholic, they do not treat the Irish well but the protestants don’t seem to grasp that concept.

[@Jimmy-nr4kr]

Good comment thank you for that

[@johnnotrealname8168]

"One of the positives is that the Catholic Church has no say in Irish politics anymore, thankfully. Don’t even get me started on the Catholic Church and I was raised Catholic. If there is to be a reunification, we have to be very sensitive to the protestants if there is reunification in guarantee, there will be no Catholic Church involved in the government." The Catholic Church never had a say in Irish politics and there is no need to be sensitive to protestants. They should not be treated any better than anyone else. "British authorities when it comes to Ireland, whether you’re protestant or Catholic, they do not treat the Irish well but the protestants don’t seem to grasp that concept." This is not true. Nowadays no-one is ill-treated.

[@jgog59]

@@johnnotrealname8168 when I talk about El treatment, I talk about the British government treatment of the six counties/Northern Ireland. It’s never a priority with them. It’s always an afterthought that’s what I’m talking about British policies towards the Irish. It’s more of a disregard.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@jgog59 Britain bankrolls Northern-Ireland though.

[@jgog59]

@@johnnotrealname8168 this is what really interesting is the UK says this about Scotland and Wales but when you look at the figures, they put into the Westminster more than they take out.

[@Conordl96]

Its funny that you mentioned Israel/Palestine btw because in every republican area in Belfast you will see Palestine flags and in every Loyalist area younwill see Israel flags

[@spruce381]

Since Brexit there are Protestants who see the Republic as a more economically successful state than the north and also more progressive, now the Catholic Church has been sidelined. There are also Catholics who like the social services from the Uk - ie the NHS. The most violent loyalists groups live in east Belfast, with poor opportunities and absolutely no funding to persuade or fight. SF/Pira aren’t interested in fighting - they believe they’ve won, and are playing a waiting game. Any future Ireland needs to allow loyalists march and burn thousands of pallets. Like your reaction

[@stephenkirkpatrick6640]

No.. theres not. There are actually more catholics who would rather remain in UK. The state that the Republic of ireland is in at the minute puts people off too

[@johnnotrealname8168]

I am not sure the Republic is seen as that great. They have terrible housing.

[@ericakate]

28:24 israel would be the england not NI bc who implemented these thoughts? England.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

No, it was Northern-Ireland. England did not want persecution they just did nothing about it.

[@27johnmc]

You should come over to Dublin soon 👍

[@philipowen-by3jb]

He can stay there

[@golaglanman860]

The Irish suffered the ire of the British establishment for centuries. Now the British people are suffering the wrath of their own establishment. Fight Fight Fight

[@ColinBarrett-mg4qj]

Well done learning

[@Wellch]

44:07 Brexit sounds like a name of a cereal.

[@shamrockgerry]

Everywhere the British 🇬🇧 Empire went. They left. Shit 💩 behind. Palestine 🇵🇸 🌿. India africa. IRELAND etc middle east

[@PaulJohnston-n5w]

@@shamrockgerry And then, of course, there are some of the greatest economic and cultured countries contributing to great wealth, art and literature. The USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. Of the G7 countries there is the UK, there are the English speaking UK influenced Canada and the USA. The other 4 are nations that the UK helped save from Nazism, Fascism and extreme totalitarian militarism - Germany, France, Italy and Japan. Some of the greatest works of literature and other arts are from the English speaking world. The UK’s inventions advanced civilisation via for example the Jet engine, the TV, antibiotics and the World Wide Web. It brought the world Shakespeare, Dickens, Brontë Eliot, Hardy to name but a very few. One of the greatest saviours of the human race - the discovery of penicillin. The Steam Engine, leading to the train and the Industrial Revolution. Nursing, Nightingale, Seacole, Cavell. Professor, Frank Pantridge - the NI doctor who saved umpteen and an untold amount of lives via the invention of the mobile defibrillator. This is a tiny tiny fragment of the achievements of a great nation. To go along side great Irishmen Yeats, Wilde, Beckett, Swift, Shaw, Singe, Many moved elsewhere to London, New York or Paris often to escape small minded Nationalism and a repressive and censorious Church of their native home - the sort of stuff that brought down Parnell, set up repressive mother and baby units and that Joyce described as he escaped to Paris and Geneva as “ the auld sow that eats her own farrow”.

[@mikekelly702]

As an American with Irish ancestry, and not religious at all, I would like to see a united Ireland for sure.💜💯

[@shawnanderson6313]

Just to let you know the Irish really hate Americans who claim they have Irish ancestry. They call them plastic paddies, and to them your American and there is nothing Irish about you. Your opinion about Ireland is equivalent to an African American or German American

[@JPMadden]

I'm also an American with Irish ancestry and not religious. But I don't care that Ireland is not united, as long as the people of Northern Ireland have peace and prosperity.

[@fyrdman2185]

Exactly you're an American you don't know what you're talking about so shut up.

[@SmcdMcd-d2k]

I think that’s extremely easy to say when you have never lived or grown up here

[@mikekelly702]

@@SmcdMcd-d2k I did actually live in Cork for 2 years...I have 100's of relatives there and in Galway. Been to Belfast 4 times. When I lived in Cork I drove back and forth to and from Belfast all the time. Don't be so judgemental my friend.

[@MarySlack-m2w]

I grew up during this time in the US and we would see this on the news every night

[@Conordl96]

Irish Republicanism tends to be more secular than Unionism but thats not always tru. For example, Billy Hutchinson is an atheist who was featured in this video. However, Republicans tend to be more left wing and Unionists more right wing and the Catholic Church has always condemned Irish Republicans so there is a cold relationship between political reoublicans and the institution of the church, if not the religion itself. So there are Protestant and atheist and other Republicans (Wolfe Tone and other protestants actually are seen as the founders if Irish Republicanism in the 1700s). There are also some Catholic Unionists but this is much less common. The PUP, the political party associated with the UVF, is not as roooted in religion compared to other Unionist groups but they are a tiny minority. By and large, Unionist parties have a heavy religious base

[@johnnotrealname8168]

When did the Catholic Church condemn republicans?

[@Conordl96]

@johnnotrealname8168 From it's formation in 1798 by Wolfe Tone the Church at tat time condemned it for its secular, republican and Enlightenment ideas instead of the churches monarchic, Catholic nationalist and conservative nationalism. They supported Daniel O' Connell and the conservative nationalists right up to the Home Rule Movement in the 1800s. Of course the average priest might go a long with their hierarchy or be neutral but there was always a diversity of opinion amongst lower level clergy but the hierarchy was anti-republican and pro constitutional moderate nationalism right up to the Fenians and 1916. Of course the Church later softened on their initial reasons for opposing republicans but their opposition to social revolution often found within Irish Republicanism (land redistribution/peasant's agrarian rights, trade unionism, feminism and even socialism all had adherents) and the stated secularism of Irish Republicans always leant the church to support the establishment. After the Rising and the War of Independence/Black and Tan War the Church supported the Pro-Treaty side and gained huge influence in Irish society and politics. They rewrote history to hide their opposition to revolutionaries until the last moment and heavily condemned the anti-Treaty IRA. Often pacifism was now the reasoning. Anti-Treaty leader De Valera was even excommunicated but that was lifted when he accommodated to the Southern Irish state and became the stereotypical Catholic Irish leader. When the IRA had a resurgence during the Troubles they were at constant loggerheads with church hierarchy who preferred the consitutional SDLP and Southern Irish establishment to the radicals in the IRA

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@Conordl96 The Church supported the Act of Union (1801) initially because the promise was for Catholic emancipation but that came a bit too late. Yeah, they supported a later Repeal of the Act of Union...which was probably a good sign given the state of physical force republicanism at the time. Okay now you are just ignorant, the Church opposed violence in society and so physical-force republicanism although the Fenians were tolerant of this as they were almost without fail devout Catholics and more likely to listen to Priests than Peelers. *HOWEVER* they most definitely did support social reform: "The way it did so is connected with a vital fact about the National League's county conventions: they co-opted the Catholic clergy from early on, and priests comprised an average one-third of the conventions' membership. Initially the Church hierarchy had been extremely cautious about the Land League: only five out of twenty-eight bishops supported its claims in the 1880 election. Priests were another matter, however: fourteen of the sixty foundation members of the League were clerics. And, as on other occasions in Irish history, the Church adroitly changed its footing to follow the way its flock was going. Priests appeared frequently on Land League platforms, and Archbishop Croke of Cashel became its most outspoken champion. His emotional endorsement of the Land League as in the direct line of the national resistance tradition (May 1880) gave it a tremendous boost; though prelates like MacHale worried about rural anarchy led by 'godless nobodies', and MacCabe about the 'immodesty' of the Ladies' Land League, the Church lined up on the side of the Land League."-MODERN IRELAND 1600-1972 (1988) By Robert Fitzroy Foster, page 417-418. The Church did not oppose trade-unionism and Séamas Ó Conghaile died a Catholic, as did Constance Georgine Markiewicz by the way. Yeah, the Catholic Church took Mícheál Seán Ó Coileáin's side not Éamon de Valera's. Well yeah because...wait do you not realise that the Fenians were largely unpopular? Same with the anti-treaty I.R.A. So what you mean is that the Church supported the people's political wishes? WoW! No! Really?! Actually Dev would constantly butt heads with the hierarchy, I mean Seán MacBride was more dedicated to the Church and he was in Clann na Poblachta which was a radical party by the '40s. Good the S.D.L.P. are highly under-rated. They did more for peace than nearly anybody.

[@rafaelbarrera2612]

As a Gen X’er, this brought back many memories of watching the news in America and seeing bombs go off set by the IRA. The US was caught in the middle .

[@daviddoyle5291]

I would recommend you read the book The Shankill Butchers harrowing to read but a must read if you want to get an understanding of the depths of depravity that ppl were willing to sink to.

[@ciarankinsella6486]

That wasn't the forming of the original IRA. A better description would be the forming of the Irish defence forces. But that's another debate

[@psybormonkey]

Overall, you are not stupid. I fully understand the history of Ireland, but I'm a plastic paddy😂 so i was tought in the uk education system. We are not educated on irish history or the troubles. It might be referred to, but similar to US 🇺🇸 education on modern history, it is glamourised! A good reaction video and I'll admit I learnt a thing ir two watching this myself. Ignorance is never bliss, but education is a wealth of power.

[@nollogs2]

It wasnt a stupid question, it was a great question and I know lots of protestants in Galway who will campaign for a united ireland

[@PaulJohnston-n5w]

I’m not sure there are lots of Protestants. In Galway. 200k.Catholics and less than 5k CofI. Not sure about the smaller denominations. The Republic has proved to be a very cold house for Protestants. For years Catholicism was as close to being the Church of the State as to make no difference. It is now accepted that in terms of children outside of wedlock and placing the clergy beyond disrepute that they weren’t even fair to their own religion - why would Protestants expect better? The Catholic Church was extremely punitive on inter- marriage and insistence was high on conversion and especially bringing children up Catholic. Republican/ iRA massacres of Protestants in incidents like Dunmanway will not have helped persuade Protestants that the Republic was sympathetic to them as potential citizens. And during the “ troubles “ south of the border was often the base from which the IRA engaged in sectarian attacks on border Protestants. Also for quite sometime reasons not to extradite terrorists seemed to be more important than justice for their victims. It is not surprising that the Protestant population dropped by a third in the first 10 years of the Free State . It is also not surprising that some of the small Protestant community in the South might wish to have their much larger group co-religionists in Northern Ireland join them - safety in numbers.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

They are already in Ireland. They are Irish.

[@DomhnallKelly]

My sisters boyfriend is English. moved over here before he'd met her and lived in the centre.. walked passed a barracks and seen 6 peeler jeeps roll out and told me he f*king shit himself because he thought there was bombs and shit about to go off.. he didn't realise that at the time they were just bog standard patrol vehicles 😂😂

[@luvmatic]

The North/South debate in terms of religion is a very recent thing. As was mentioned by @danielfrancis3736 some of the great Nationalist heroes of the Republic were Protestant. The damage caused by reframing it as a religious divide, it's frankly terrifying.

[@JMBPro]

"Is there an actual reason for this wall?" Well... maybe...

[@robertbarron1]

Welcome to the Irish issue !

[@lynnerussell1440]

As an American, I think we understand this a little better. We fought an anti-colonial campaign for our freedom against the British. Hope the peace holds.

[@fyrdman2185]

Anti-colonial campaign? Lmfao are you serious? You do realize the American revolutionaries were colonialists and British themselves. A huge reason for the revolution was that the American colonists wanted to colonize lands which belong to the Indians to take away their lands for themselves, that is about as imperialist and colonialist as it gets. The education system in America must be really horrible if this is the kind of comments you get from Americans about their own history lmao.

[@kylepickus5712]

America is an example of a settler colony itself. While I would agree that the British government did eventually crack down on the European-Americans, they were never systematically oppressed and killed. It was the native Americans who witnessed the crime of colonialism far more. Now America is the imperial power

[@lynnerussell1440]

@@kylepickus5712 you are not wrong about the native Americans.

[@fyrdman2185]

@@lynnerussell1440 And you are wrong about everything, you should delete your embarrassing comment

[@kylepickus5712]

@@fyrdman2185 bro chill, he’s at least on the right side of the Irish conflict, that’s what matters in the end. I don’t care how he expresses solidarity, so long as he does so

[@Marylane-e7z]

First of all, no question is stupid, I admire you for asking and trying to understand what has happened on the island of Ireland. If more people looked into the history and turmoil, they would better understand what actually happened and is continually happening here.

[@eddielynch8963]

one of Irelands most famous nationalists was wolftone a protestant. also first free election in the free state we election a protestant president, the first persident

[@johnnotrealname8168]

It was not the Free-State and he was not elected I believe.

[@kylepickus5712]

What he means by a “new Ireland,” is an Ireland which is less religious, more tolerant and more economically leftist. The two major parties in the south tend to be more centrist or right wing, while in Northern Ireland you have the Unionists who are far right, and republicans which is more on the left. Yes they want reunification, but they also want to change the politics of the rest of the island as well.

[@Dhdh-cf3mb]

The Republic is not right wing 😂😂😂😂

[@Dhdh-cf3mb]

The Republic is left wing Fg left Ff left Sinn fein left Pbp extremely left Greens left Now you have the only right wing party nationalist party who get no votes

[@kylepickus5712]

@@Dhdh-cf3mb the majority of the major parties are socially liberal, that is true. The two largest parties, FG and FF are economically neoliberal (capitalist and right wing), SF is a Social Democratic Party (center left) with some further left-wing factions. The other minor parties you mentioned I agree are left wing. This is just how it is recently, but up until the late 80’s FG and FF were basically a Catholic theocracy. I agree there are no far-right nationalist parties in the republic currently, but economically Ireland is definitely to the right.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@kylepickus5712 "This is just how it is recently, but up until the late 80’s FG and FF were basically a Catholic theocracy." This is not true though.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

I am not really sure this makes any sense. The government on 24.10.24 has the Green Party in it.

[@johndoyle2397]

You are a good man

[@frankisfunny2007]

The more I learn about this, the more I understand why my Irish ancestors moved to the US in the mid-to-late 1800s. It doesn't matter as my mom (who is the Irish side) married my dad (who's English).

[@austin91522]

Idk if yall know this but Britain wasn’t cool to me lads in the isle

[@grantjohnston7972]

Just to clarify, both sides of the wall are impoverished. The worst violence occures in low income areas on both sides

[@gerarddeegan1164]

The majority of people dont want any sort of british rule in any part of ireland

[@johnnotrealname8168]

No, they do not. They are ambivalent.

[@matthewarsenault463]

Asking a question that you do not know the answer to is not stupid

[@insanity4gaminggamingpsych603]

Yes, there are a lot of Protestant Nationalists, even some of our greatest leaders, namely Wolfetone were Protestants. A lot of Catholics would vote for remaining within the UK, though more for economic reasons rather than cultural. The religious divide is generally a dividing rule, though more of a "correlation" rather than a requirement.

[@Irish780]

Doubt Catholic would vote for a money uk now its sinking fast 😮

[@insanity4gaminggamingpsych603]

@@Irish780 Yeah you're 100% right. If the HSE improved a bit and outclassed the NHS, we'd have a united Ireland tomorrow.

[@Irish780]

@insanity4gaminggamingpsych603 Ireland medical is not great either but usa president being in Ireland last year promised billions in investment and jobs if a United Ireland happened Offcourse they unionist turned their noses up as of lately there thinking 🤔 lol uk really pissed them off 😆 🤣 😂 😹

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@Irish780 That is really scummy. Why not promise money now? Help the people not promote politics.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

I have no idea why this history speaks to me, but it always has. My only stake is a little bit of ancestry way back when.

[@johndunkelburg9495]

In case you were wondering, the event in 1972 is the “Bloody Sunday” referenced in the U2 song “Sunday, Bloody Sunday”.

[@PaulJohnston-n5w]

Of course , anytime I’ve seen U2 Live Bono has repeatedly emphasised that “ Bloody Sunday” is not a Rebel Song and should be taken as a call away from violence of any kind. He also rededicated the song following the IRA Republican massacre at a Remembrance Day Poppy ceremony at Enniskillen on another “ Bloody Sunday” where old men who had mainly fought in the World Wars against foes such as the Nazis were blown to bits . One of the real heroes of the Troubles was a man; who set the tone after the bombing - Gordon Wilson, whose daughter Marie was killed and who was himself injured in the attack. He repeated his 20-year-old daughter's final words to him as they both lay in the rubble of the bombing. "Daddy, I love you very much," she said. Having been rescued and knowing of the death of his young nurse daughter, he remarkably said: "I bear no ill will; I bear no grudge." He was even quoted as saying: "I will pray for these men tonight and every night."

[@Irish780]

Not sure about Northern Ireland but in 1798 they fight against they British both prodstant and Catholic fought together

[@joshwells6448]

I now this is not completely relevant but you should do a video on Blair paddy main who was irish Protestant and was one of the best rugby players before ww2 and would be one of the founding members of the SAS and be possibly the best British solider of the war and mabye most successful soldiers of the war. One of the most interesting men to have lived

[@vcrossCelticfc]

Try watching the movie, Bloody Sunday in the UK, you can't, they wont let us.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

Bloody Sunday (2002) is not proscribed.

[@johnoconnell2446]

Its now 2024 and pro Irish are in the majority in Northern Ireland, with their sinn fein party winning most seats in election. Most people accept that some form of all Ireland government which safeguards unionists tradition, is Inevitable.

[@nessasmyth8002]

Yes

[@arrow5599]

tell me the omagh bomb was trying to swing thing in their favour

[@MovieJustin]

GCSC = O.W.L.S. 😂

[@punchthedog]

Many of the heros of Irish nationalism were English. They should not be overlooked.

[@brianbowen2512]

is still happening, brother. test the waters

[@AniwayasSong]

Political differences are bad enough, but I'll never understand why people choose to commit violence against any other person, just because they don't happen to worship the same things. Provided any religion isn't demanding forced compliance/cruelty to others, I don't care what/whom someone Believes in. Of course, it's merely a political grab for power under another name (Control/$$$).

[@Deranged316]

The conflict wasn’t really to do with religion, it was due discrimination and ethnic tensions. It just so happened that religion and ethnic identity were both identifying factors in NI

[@AniwayasSong]

@@Deranged316 'Discrimination and ethnic tensions' are societal problems, which would fall under the 'Political differences' I mentioned. :-)

[@robertbarron1]

Listen to U2’s Sunday Bloody Sunday

[@ericakate]

5:33 it’s turned into pro irish and pro english not so much about religion anymore in these days like as an atheist from the republic of ireland im patriotic if that makes sense

[@oliverharte2326]

some of Ireland's greatest patriots were Protestant

[@fragel32]

not a stupid question ,there was

[@daviel6595]

Only 60 years ago No surrender

[@johndoyle2397]

Do you recognise that this, my Ireland is a separate country?

[@vibes..585]

Its shocking to you because the atrocities the British have committed in Ireland weren't part of your school curriculum..but now with freedom of information all can see the murder and destruction the English have caused for 800 in years in Ireland... Not to mention the the countless crimes against humanity they committed all over the world.. They thought they got away with it by destroying documentation of their records / crimes....but the victims kept their own records..in India community leaders kept records of well over 40 million people that died because of British crimes againstthe Indian nation...and they were never held accountable... why not ?

[@johndoyle2397]

There have been some protestant s who have joined the ira

[@incensepeppermint5221]

Its not rocket science, based on traceability to the beginning of the troubles is simply the UK invaded and stole Irish land. No ifs or buts, this is the cause of all the deaths and suffering that followed.

[@xeonschosenone]

Alot of Ira members were protestant

[@marczero16]

That wall at the beginning isnt as extreme as these videos make it out to be, theyre made to believe theres a wall literally divided down the whole of the city, its very underwhelming 😂

[@Jimmy-nr4kr]

Jesus finally some truth

[@PlushyPlay1]

Geography 😂😂😂😂 inlets and islets 😂😂

[@WVRSpenceWestVirginiaRebel]

Basically the remaining militants have devolved into street gangs and people who can't accept that their old war is over. As someone with Irish ancestry in my blood I can attest to the fact that there are some Irish who will always want a fight.

[@eddiehennessy2627]

It wasn’t a famine it was a genocide…. There was plenty of food there

[@johnnotrealname8168]

It was not a genocide. There was in fact a lack of food at least early-on. It was stupid policy-making.

[@eddiehennessy2627]

@@johnnotrealname8168 During the Great Irish Famine (1845-1852), significant amounts of food, particularly grains and livestock, were exported from Ireland, even as the population faced mass starvation.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@eddiehennessy2627 That was because the borders were not closed. No-one intended death and in 1847 soup-kitchens were briefly opened.

[@eddiehennessy2627]

@@johnnotrealname8168 The Irish Famine was not simply caused by "stupid" policies but by a combination of natural disaster, colonial exploitation, rigid economic ideology, and social inequalities.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@eddiehennessy2627 Pretty much. Edit: Some of that is part of the stupid policies though.

[@shawnanderson6313]

Wow you live in England and you were not aware of the history and conflicts that had happen in Northern Ireland. This is part of European history class in American high schools.

[@Nicholas_Burmeister]

That's cuz the US has more Irish than Ireland, and Irish history is part of the American tapestry now. Although count yourself lucky, my American high school barely touched on the subject. I learned on my own, like Lav is.

[@fyrdman2185]

He's not the smartest either, the education in Britain is terrible, not as bad as America's but it's pretty bad that we produce this kind of imbecile.

[@Dhdh-cf3mb]

​@@Nicholas_Burmeister Us is more irish than ireland😂😂😂 Keep dreaming ye are not born here and come from families who ran instead of fighting

[@dayeti6794]

In this video for some reason didn’t mention that the IRA received a lot of funding from Irish Americans. American was involved at a distance it could be said.

[@dubhanr]

That's thanks to the BBC, they only recently brought out a series about the history of the BBC & it shows on ep2 (I think) how it covered up & misreported what was actually happening

[@thesauce7289]

Yeah there were Protestant IRA members

[@hsdsaunders]

Do ya like dags

[@Ojisan642]

This was good because it did go back far into history. The 1800s were not good either for Ireland because it was under the corrupt rule of the Catholic Church. So when that guy said he wants a new Ireland I think that’s what he means. He doesn’t want Ireland to be that corrupt institution that it was before the British plantation, but he also doesn’t want it to be part of the United Kingdom. You’re also correct that it’s not purely about religion - Catholic vs Protestant. You can be either religion and see the other side as valid. There are some Protestants who are sympathetic to Irish independence, and Catholics who support the Crown rule. But the majority of both sides align with the religions. Not because of the religion, but because that’s the heritage of the two groups. Edit to add: the novel “Trinity” by Leon Uris does a good job of describing the times in the 1800s in Ireland. And the movie “Bloody Sunday” does a really good job of depicting the events of that day from the Irish perspective.

[@philipowen-by3jb]

This video, and subsequent comments are both heavily biased to one side of the story. Every story should be balanced, otherwise it’s not worth telling

[@johndoyle2397]

He wants a united socialist Ireland

[@nathanspreitzer6738]

Tiocfaidh ár lá

[@kevinbury3617]

mad how little u know about what u did in the north of ireland..

[@rodintremboy6459]

uh...pretty sure "he" didnt do anything lol.

[@ClezVideos]

He didn’t do anything! As an Irish person, it’s humbling to see a British person not only wanting to learn about our history but having the emotional reaction to it that he is.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

What the heck did he do?

[@ciarankinsella6486]

Israel would be ireland and Palestine is the English plantation in ireland

[@johnnotrealname8168]

What?

[@danielhughes3677]

It's DERRY

[@danielhughes3677]

History and Geography are very important subject's young fellow

[@マーシャルテレンス]

Internment is happening right now on the mainland of Britain! Ask Tommy Robinson 😮😮!!! Just saying... T. from Ireland ☘️💚