Internment in Northern Ireland

The Troubles in Northern Ireland- Internment. It’s the late 1960s and early 1970s. Northern Ireland is a powder keg of sectarian tension.Loyalist paramilitary groups like the UVF, have been sowing chaos since 1966.The Brit Army hit the streets in August 1969.Meanwhile, The IRA, was undergoing a split. The Provisional IRA launched a campaign against the Brits, while the Official IRA took a defensive stance.Enter Brian Faulkner, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.On August 5, 1971, he pitches a idea to British Prime Minister Edward Heath- reintroduce internment.The goal? To weaken the IRA and prevent a loyalist backlash. The British cabinet had a few balancing actions in mind, like arresting loyalist militants and banning parades.But Faulkner wasn’t having it. He argued there was no significant loyalist threat and a parade ban was unworkable.Eventually, they settled on a six-month parade ban, but no loyalist internment.On August 9, 1971, the internment operation kicked off.The list, drawn up by the RUC and MI5, had 450 names. They rounded up 350 of them.Key figures were tipped off, and the list included civil rights leaders like Ivan Barr and Michael Farrell.Now, despite loyalist paramilitary attacks against Catholics and nationalists, no loyalists were interned.Historian Tim Pat Coogan noted that organizations like the UVF and the Shankill Defence Association were left untouched.Faulkner resisted British pressure to include loyalists, calling it political cosmetics.To make matters worse, the British government orchestrated internment using the five techniques of interrogation, which critics labelled as torture.It sparked more violence, with at least 12 people killed in the initial days—including a priest..Riots erupted, and Catholic communities erected barricades.Internment lasted until 1975, with over 1,900 people interned.In retrospect, internment aggravated an already volatile situation.It serves as a stark reminder of the policies of the Brits against the catholic people in northern Ireland. And a blind eye by the Brit and free state media..

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Butterflies in Irish Folklore

According to Irish folklore, butterflies are said to move between worlds and bring messages and warnings. They are said to be souls, waiting to be reborn on earth. This is perhaps why butterflies still play such a prominent role in material culture today, with a wide range of clothes, stationary, and other good coming decorated with butterflies. Butterflies with dark wings were said to warn of bad news such as an attack or failed crop, while white and yellow butterflies were told to bring good news such as a birth or success. In Irish mythology and folklore, butterflies have a special significance. According to Irish tradition, butterflies are believed to move between worlds and bring messages and warnings. They are considered to be souls waiting to be reborn on earth. This belief has contributed to the continued popularity of butterflies in modern-day material culture. Butterflies can be seen on a wide range of clothes, stationery, and other goods. Interestingly, the colour of t...

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Ouija Board

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