The Catholic Church and the Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968-1998

This book evaluates the role of the Catholic Church in mediating conflict situations, with the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’ acting as a case study. Until surprisingly recently the only accounts of the Irish Catholic Church during this period were written by Irish priests and bishops and were commemorative, rather than analytical, in intent. During the conflict, these individuals often worked behind the scenes, acting as go-betweens for the British government and republican paramilitaries, with the aim of bringing about a peaceful solution. In addition, this study explores the impact of the English Catholic Church on the conflict and provides a broad analysis of key themes in the history of the Catholic Church during the ‘Troubles’. It argues for an entangled approach to this history, maintaining that we must study the actions of the American, Irish, and English Catholic Churches, as well as that of the Vatican, to uncover the full impact of the Church on the conflict. A critical analysis of previously neglected state documents alongside Irish and English Catholic Church archival material changes our perspective on the role of a religious institution in a modern conflict. Author-conducted interviews with leading priests, women religious, bishops, former paramilitaries, community organizers, and politicians add colour and nuance to the debate. Cover The Catholic Church and the Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968–1998 Copyright Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Figures List of Abbreviations Introduction: ‘Religion from Rome, Politics from Home’? Sources and their Limitations Historiography Structure 1: ‘From Civil Rights to Armalites’ Civil Rights Movement Clerical Legitimacy The British Army Internment Bloody Sunday Conclusion 2: ‘The Demands of Justice Must be Stated before the Words of Peace Find a Receptive Ground, 1972–1976’ Breakdown of the July 1972 Provisional IRA Ceasefire Sectarian Murders Growing Politicization of the Clergy Internment Conclusion 3: ‘The Men of Violence’, 1976–1981 1976–1978: The Blanket Protest 1978–1980: The ‘No Wash’ or ‘Dirty’ Protest 1980 Hunger Strike 1981 Hunger Strike Conclusion 4: ‘To Remind Catholics that Support for the IRA and SF was not Compatible with Membership of the Catholic Church’, 1982–1990 The Church and Sinn Féin New Ireland Forum and Report Irish Prisoners in Britain Concerted Peace Efforts Remembrance Day/Enniskillen Bombing Extradition Republican Paramilitary Funerals Funerals for Sectarian Killings Death of the Cardinal Conclusion 5: ‘Let history judge who was to blame’, 1990–1998 Declining Support for the Provisional IRA? Community Relations Peace Talks: Clergy as Intermediaries Clerical Child Abuse Increased Sectarian Attacks Peace Process and the Good Friday Agreement Conclusion Conclusion: ‘The Church Needs to do a Reality Check’ APPENDIX: Important Figures Fr Brian Brady (1927–1987) Archbishop Sean Brady (b. 1939) Fr Patrick ‘Pat’ Buckley* (b. 1952) Sr Sarah Clarke (1920–2002) Cardinal William Conway (1913–1977) Fr Oliver Crilly Cardinal Cahal Daly (1917–2009) Bishop Edward ‘Eddie’ Daly* (1933–2016) Bishop Neil Farren (1895–1980) Mgr Denis Faul (1932–2006) Fr Patrick Fell (1940–2011) Fr Robert ‘Bobby’ Gilmore* (b. 1938) Cardinal John Carmel Heenan (1905–1975) Cardinal Basil Hume (1923–1999) Fr Gerry McFlynn* Archbishop John Charles McQuaid (1895–1973) Fr Joseph ‘Joe’ McVeigh* (b. 1945) Fr Anthony ‘Tony’ Mulvey (1926–2010) Fr John Murphy (1929–2016) Mgr Raymond Murray* Sr (Mary) Genevieve O’Farrell (1923–2001) Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich (1923–1990) Bishop William Philbin (1907–1991) Fr Alec Reid (1931–2013) Fr Gerry Reynolds (1935–2015) Dr Geraldine Smyth OP* (b. 1948) Mgr Tom Toner (1936–2012) Fr Desmond ‘Des’ Wilson* (b. 1925) Archbishop Derek Worlock (1920–1996) Bibliography Government Archives Church and Diocesan Archives Derry Diocesan Archives (DeDA), Derry, United Kingdom Dublin Diocesan Archives (DDA), Dublin, Republic of Ireland Liverpool Archdiocesan Archives (LAA), Liverpool, United Kingdom Other Archives Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN), University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Prisons Memory Archive (PMA), Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom Interviews Newspapers/Media Outlets Booklets and Pamphlets Journals and Magazines Speeches Memoirs/Diaries Reports Books Journal Articles Chapters in Books Theses Film Audio Recording Index Until surprisingly recently the history of the Irish Catholic Church during the Northern Irish Troubles was written by Irish priests and bishops and was commemorative, rather than analytical. This study uses the Troubles as a case study to evaluate the role of the Catholic Church in mediating conflict. During the Troubles, these priests and bishops often worked behind the scenes, acting as go-betweens for the British government and republican paramilitaries, to bring about a peaceful solution. However, this study also looks more broadly at the actions of the American, Irish and English Catholic Churches, as well as that of the Vatican, to uncover the full impact of the Church on the conflict. This critical analysis of previously neglected state, Irish, and English Catholic Church archival material changes our perspective on the role of a religious institution in a modern conflict. -- Provided by publisher, page 4 of cover Tiré du site de l'éditeur : "Until surprisingly recently the history of the Irish Catholic Church during the Northern Irish Troubles was written by Irish priests and bishops and was commemorative, rather than analytical. This study uses the Troubles as a case study to evaluate the role of the Catholic Church in mediating conflict. During the Troubles, these priests and bishops often worked behind the scenes, acting as go-betweens for the British government and republican paramilitaries, to bring about a peaceful solution. However, this study also looks more broadly at the actions of the American, Irish and English Catholic Churches, as well as that of the Vatican, to uncover the full impact of the Church on the conflict. This critical analysis of previously neglected state, Irish, and English Catholic Church archival material changes our perspective on the role of a religious institution in a modern conflict." This work provides an indispensable study of the role played by the Catholic Church during one of the most tumultuous periods of British and Irish history - the Northern Ireland Troubles - showing evidence which offers a radical new perspective on religious institutions as conflict mediators in the twentieth century.