Part 4. Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland occupies the north-eastern part of Ireland, which is separated from the island of Great Britain by the North Channel. The whole of Ireland was united with Great Britain from 1801 till 1921. In 1921 it was divided into two parts. The larger southern part formed the independent Republic of Ireland (Eire), while Nothern Ireland (Ulster) became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland.

Almost all the area of Northern Ireland is a plain of volcanic origin, deepening in the centre to form the largest lake of the British Isles, Lough Neagh. The greatly indented coastline of Northern Ireland is abundant in rocks and cliffs. Forests are rather scarce, moors and meadows prevail. Northern Ireland has a typical oceanic climate with mild damp winters and cool rainy summers.

Northern Ireland is mostly an agrarian district. On small farms they grow crops, especially oats, veg­etables and potatoes. Large areas are taken up by meadows, where cattle graze. On the river banks and on the coasts the population is engaged in fishing.

II. Who were the Britons?

About 500-600 ВС new people - the Celt - appeared in Britain. They were tall, strong people with long red or sandy hair, armed with iron swords and knives which were much stronger than the bronze weapons used by the native population. They crossed the English Channel from the territory of the present-day France. The Romans called these people Britons and the island - Britannia. In the course of centuries the Britons partly killed the native population, partly mixed with it.

In the year 55 ВС the great Roman general Ju­lius Caesar sailed to Britain with about 12,000 soldiers in eighty ships. When they were near the coast, they saw the Britons armed with spears and swords, ready to fight them. Still the Roman sol­diers landed and fought with the Britons. They won the battle, but did not stay long and soon depart­ed. In the following year Julius Caesar came to Britain again. This time, after fighting the Brit­ons on the shore, the Romans marched north-west where London stands today. The British attacked them in chariots and on foot, but the Romans had better arms and armour, and were much better trained. The Britons could not stop them.

Wales and Ireland.

Both Henry VII and Henry VIII tried to bring Wales and Ireland under English control. Wales became joined to England under one administration between 1536 and 1543. Representatives of local Welsh gen­try were appointed magistrates, and Welsh repre­sentatives entered the English parliament.

In Ireland the situation was more difficult. Henry VIII persuaded the Irish parliament to recognize him as king of Ireland. But when he tried to make the Irish accept his English Church Reformation, he met a stubborn resistance, as the majority of the Irish population were Catholics. Thus Irish nationalism and Catholicism were brought together against English rule. It took Henry a long time to destroy the old way of life and introduce English government in Ireland.

The effect of English rule was greatest in the north, in Ulster, where many good lands were taken from the native Irish population and sold to English set­tlers. Even today most good land in Ulster is owned by Protestants, and most poor land by Catholics.

The position of the Irish Catholics remained miserable under British rule. The Protestant Parliament in Dublin passed laws which prevented the Catholics from taking any part in national life. Catholics соuld not become members of the Dublin Parliament and could not vote in parliamentary elections. No Catholic could become a lawyer, go to university, or join the navy. The Catholics were second-class citizens in their own land. It was only natural that hatred between the ruling Protestant settlers and the ruled Catholic Irish was growing.

In order to increase British control, Ireland was united with Britain in 1801 and the Dublin Parliament was closed. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland lasted for 120 years, until 1921, when the independent Irish Republic was formed.