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Northern Ireland: Irish Catholics
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The strife in Northern Ireland can be traced back 800 years. In fact, there's an apocryphal story about a phone call between two friends -- an Irish politician and an English parliamentarian -- at the start of the Irish civil war in the 1920s. According to lore, the Englishman asked his Irish friend, "Is it true that there's an uprising in Ireland?" and the Irishman replied, "Aye, 'tis true." "When did it start?" the Englishman asked.
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Some of Northern Ireland's fans have been perceived as sectarian by opposing elements in Northern Irish society. Neil Lennon, the former captain of Celtic F.C. and current Nottingham Forest player, was given a death-threat by Loyalists in Rathcoole after having been subject to boos and jeers from some supporters while playing for Northern Ireland in Windsor Park. Steps have been taken to eradicate the sectarian element within the support,[2] and these have proved to be very successful[3]. Lennon has been quick to heap praise on the Northern Ireland fans,[4] and in particular "Football For All" Outstanding Achievement Award Winner Stewart MacAfee,[5] for the work they have carried out to create a more inclusive atmosphere at international games.
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The vast majority of the population of Northern Ireland identifies with one of two different groups, unionists and nationalists. Both sides of the community are often described by their predominant religious attachments. Unionists are predominantly Protestant most of whom belong to the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the second in terms of size is the Church of Ireland), while nationalists are predominantly Catholic. However, contrary to widespread belief, not all Catholics necessarily support nationalism, and not all Protestants necessarily support unionism. It is ... important to note that, in parallel with other parts of Europe, the proportion of the population practising their religious beliefs has fallen dramatically in recent decades, particularly among Catholics and adherents of mainstream Protestant denominations. This has not necessarily resulted in a weakening of communal feeling.
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Northern Ireland's relatively distinct history began in the early 17th cent., when, after the suppression of an Irish rebellion, much land was confiscated by the British crown and “planted†with Scottish and English settlers. Ulster took on a Protestant character as compared with the rest of Ireland; but there was no question of political separation until the late 19th cent. when William Gladstone presented (1886) his first proposal for Home Rule for Ireland. The largely Protestant population of the north feared domination under Home Rule by the Catholic majority in the south. In addition, industrial Ulster was bound economically more to England than to the rest of Ireland.
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The official currency of Northern Ireland is the pound sterling. Bank of England notes are used but the four Northern Irish banks print their own versions, which tend to be used more often (Bank of Ireland, Northern Bank, Ulster Bank, and First Trust). Contrary to what is widely believed in Northern Ireland, Northern Irish notes are not accepted in the rest of the UK, They should be exchanged at banks before departure. (They are legal tender in the rest of the country and can be exchanged at banks / post office. But most shops/clubs/bars will not accept them as they are difficult for the staff to determin if they are legitimate. They are normally accepted in the west of scotland and some big stores)
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From 1921 to 1972 Northern Ireland had its own regional parliament that exercised considerable authority over local affairs. The Protestant, unionist majority dominated the parliament, which made the government unpopular with the Catholic, nationalist minority. Northern Ireland experienced a nearly continuous period of violent conflict between these two groups from the late 1960s through the mid-1990s. The violence extended beyond Ireland, as republican paramilitary groups—in particular the Irish Republican Army (IRA)—... struck targets in London and elsewhere in England. The clashes, bombings, and assassinations in this period were often referred to as “the troubles.” In 1972 the British government shut down Northern Ireland’s regional parliament and governed the region directly from London. A 1998 accord known as the Good Friday Agreement restored some powers to a new provincial government.
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