The Troubles (1968–1998)
The Troubles were a thirty-year conflict in Northern Ireland between Unionists (Protestant, pro-British) and Nationalists (Catholic, pro-Irish). Over 3,500 people lost their lives.
The trigger was the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The Bloody Sunday (January 30, 1972, 14 dead by British soldiers in Derry) radicalized both sides. The IRA and loyalist paramilitaries carried out bombings and assassinations.
The Good Friday Agreement (April 10, 1998) ended the conflict: power-sharing, cross-border institutions, the right to a referendum on reunification. Brexit has reignited the border issue and heightened tensions.
Achtung
The Troubles are not an abstract historical topic in Northern Ireland — many people have lost relatives. Be sensitive with terms: "Derry" or "Londonderry," "Northern Ireland" or "the North" — each designation signals a political stance.
