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Northern Ireland conflict

Definition

The Northern Ireland conflict, also known as "The Troubles," was a political and sectarian dispute that took place in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to the late 1990s. It involved issues of national identity, religion, and territorial ownership between mainly Protestant Unionists who wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom and mainly Catholic Nationalists who wanted to join a united Ireland.

Analogy

Think of it like two siblings fighting over their room. One sibling wants to keep things as they are (Unionists), while the other wants to change things up and merge their room with another sibling's (Nationalists). This disagreement leads to tension and fights until they find a way to coexist peacefully.

Related terms

Sectarianism: A form of prejudice or discrimination based on differences in religious beliefs, often leading to political or social conflicts.

Partition: The act of dividing something into parts. In this context, it refers specifically to the division of Ireland into Northern Ireland (part of UK) and Republic of Ireland (independent).

Good Friday Agreement: An agreement reached in 1998 that helped bring an end to "The Troubles." It established a power-sharing government involving both Unionist and Nationalist parties.