Why does the English rule the North of Ireland?

Question

I don't understand. Why did the Irish end up with half of it?

Who lives in the South - and who lives in the North?

Irish, British, catholics, protestants. Please explain. I would really like to know.

Answer 1

I agree with deburca and  It's all about war etc.

= )

Answer 2

Britain officially rules Northern Ireland, but as of late they have backed and let the people start ruling themselves, as both Catholics and Protestants seem to be putting their differences aside to get themselves organised and working towards a common future.

Who lives where? Northern Ireland has more Protestants than anywhere else on the island, but it not exclusively Protestant by any means. As well as Catholics, there are also Jews, Buddhists, Pagans and Muslims, and I'm sure people of other paths I haven't mentioned living there.

Similarly the Republic is mostly Catholics, but not exclusively so - again, there are people of many of faiths living here. Many people of English Protestant backgrounds settled in this part of the country hundreds of years ago and are Irish through and through, some did convert to Catholicism but not all. These Irish people with English names settled hundreds of years before there was an Irish Republic.

People who live in Northern Ireland can choose their nationality, some get very political about it but to be honest, in today's European Union it doesn't really matter what nationality you are. Plus people have started to see religion and politics as separate issues, which is a huge leap forward, in my view.

Answer 3

The English don't 'rule' the north of Ireland.

The country known as Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and is liable to UK law - that's the same law that 'rules' Scotland, England and Wales. So maybe from your point of view why is England ruled by Northern Ireland?

The people of Northern Ireland are all that you say - Irish, British, catholics, protestants, nationalists, unionists, republican etc...

but to be honest it's way too difficult to go into.

Answer 4

I normally dont recomend wikipedia as it is inaccurate in plaaces and not subject to peer review but look up the "irish war of independance"

I would also look up the partition of ireland

The easter rising of 1916

And the irish civil war.

People to look up are Michael Collins, Eamon Devalera, Arthur Griffin, Thomas macDonnagh, padraig pearse.

Also look up the irish famine , the irish republican brother hood, the troubles and the bloody sunday civil rights msrch

do your own research and come to your own conclusions, all you will get here is a brief overview of 800 years of conflict.

It is to difficult to explain here